Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

Phyllis got Hurt Today

The middle toe on her left foot got caught in the back door today as she rushed to come in as I was closing the door. It bled badly. I tried to keep her still so it could stop bleeding but as soon as I let her back out it started bleeding again. We did watch some TV together today.
View attachment 2071487

She stared both cats down as well.

Poor Phyllis! How is her toe now?

 

[micstrachan]

3 Years Ago Today

I love watching chickens dust bathe!

 

[micstrachan]

One of Brackets youngsters didn't make it home tonight.
I've looked in all the usual spots and found nothing. No sign of nervousness in the tribe, but this doesn't necessarily mean no predators has got it.
It's wait and see if it shows up in the morning now.

Oh no! Let us know what happens.

 

[Shadrach]

No sign of Brackets youngster this morning.

 

[MaryJanet]

No sign of Brackets youngster this morning.

I'm sorry. Poor little thing. I hope it was over before the youngster knew what was happening.

 

[BY Bob]

No sign of Brackets youngster this morning.

I'm sorry.

 

[Shadrach]

I'm sorry. Poor little thing. I hope it was over before the youngster knew what was happening.

I'm sorry.

I can't say one gets used to it because I certainly haven't.
I have come to accept that this is going to happen. This year has been good for the chicks so far. Normally about 50% get predated.
It's very difficult to explain to many people. It doesn't matter what one does within reason, chickens like all other creatures die. Here on BYC there is a tendency to believe that the lives of all chickens can be saved by enclosed runs, secure coops, medical intervention etc.
Just reading a few of the ER threads show this just doesn't reflect reality.
The problem is what we have done to the chicken through breeding and management. The popular high production and dual purpose breeds are no longer able to survive without our intervention. Slowly here, the chickens are getting more and more able to fend for themselves. Before I came here the loss rate was over one a month with chicks dying in handfuls.

 

[LozzyR]

The problem is what we have done to the chicken through breeding and management. The popular high production and dual purpose breeds are no longer able to survive without our intervention.

I’m pleased to report that two of my Faverolles are not considered high production! I wouldn’t want them to be pumping the eggs out like Isa Browns, but one here and there would be nice!

 

[RoyalChick]

I can't say one gets used to it because I certainly haven't.
I have come to accept that this is going to happen. This year has been good for the chicks so far. Normally about 50% get predated.
It's very difficult to explain to many people. It doesn't matter what one does within reason, chickens like all other creatures die. Here on BYC there is a tendency to believe that the lives of all chickens can be saved by enclosed runs, secure coops, medical intervention etc.
Just reading a few of the ER threads show this just doesn't reflect reality.
The problem is what we have done to the chicken through breeding and management. The popular high production and dual purpose breeds are no longer able to survive without our intervention. Slowly here, the chickens are getting more and more able to fend for themselves. Before I came here the loss rate was over one a month with chicks dying in handfuls.

I think of it slightly differently. Chickens 'in the wild' live and die and get injured and get eaten. And that is what it is. However, once any one of us takes on responsibility for an animal we have some level of duty of care. Yours are semi-wild so you duty of care is very different from mine because I introduced chickens into my yard knowing that with all the foxes and raccoons they wouldn't last a minute on their own. So I build a coop and a run (aka Chicken Palace) so I can protect them. Does that make sense to anyone?

 

[RoyalChick]

On a lighter note