Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Hi, peeps. Just checking in. Roxy and Lucky seem mostly good. Millie’s crop is huge, doughy and slow. Rats are brutal.
So I could not resist and brought the babies back inside tonight. With no mama to guide them, they are a bit stressed and scared outside at night (so I’ve convinced myself). I really didn’t want to raise chicks this year. It’s a butt ton of work. But I have to admit... I’ve grown so attached and LOVE these girls! And they LOVE to snuggle. Did I tell you about Sunny this morning? She was SO happy to see me, she burrowed herself into my neck and hair and tried to go to sleep right there. All three are wonderfully docile and affectionate.
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They are so cute. I can see why it is so hard to let them go.

 

[BY Bob]

Let's talk Molting

I think Hattie has been talking to Alice.

She has a cloud of feathers around her right now like Pig Pen had dust.

Poor baby.

 

[BY Bob]

Molt Update

As far as I can confirm the following ladies are molting

• Hattie
• Sydney
• Phyllis (I am really curious to see how her "hair" molts)

Not Molting

• Aurora (early on I thought she was joining the club but she clearly has not)
• Lilly (no signs of molting at all)
• Sansa (no signs at all)

Hattie and Phyllis are also not eating normally. They are turning their beaks at things they would have trampled others for a couple of weeks ago. They are clearly craving something else. Normally I would switch the flock to feather fixer feed but I can't get it. Along with cracked corn with purple corn. No purple corn for a week now. So i went to a feed store and got 10 lbs of just yellow cracked corn. Now I have yellow cracked corn that no one will eat. I guess I'll have to feed the squirrels with it.

 

[RoyalChick]

Ok, stop torturing yourself and wait to see what the vet says. So what is her status? Any more lash eggs? Any real eggs? If it is the early stages of salpingitis, it is not necessarily a death sentence. As I already said, if she were mine and I knew for sure the lash eggs were hers, I would have hit her HARD with antibiotics. That’s not an approach for everyone. It will be interesting to see if she is prescribed enrofloxacin. It is no longer allowed in poultry here, but my avian vet will prescribe it if I sign a waiver saying I won’t eat her eggs or the hen herself. Anyway, just wait and see what the vet says. Heads up, the vet may possibly suggest a hormone implant to give her oviduct a break. I have a fair bit of experience with that. It’s expensive, yet very effective. If she were mine and acting completely normal, I would definitely NOT put her down. However, there are others (whom I respect) who would, to avoid suffering later. I don’t envy you and the position you may be in. We are here to support you whatever the outcome and what you decide. Hugs!

Thank you! I have a bottle of Baytril ready to administer and only delayed starting it because I got the vet appointment today.
She has not laid anything since Thursday(?) which was when she produced the 2nd lash egg. She has gone into the nest box a couple of times but not produced anything.
She continues to be perky and seems fully herself including refusing to eat blueberries off the floor this morning and insisting that I give them to her by hand (which of course I did!).

 

[RoyalChick]

Let's talk Molting

I think Hattie has been talking to Alice.
View attachment 2344848View attachment 2344849

She has a cloud of feathers around her right now like Pig Pen had dust.

Poor baby.

Just remember if she goes like Alice I will need warning before looking at pictures. Poor Hattie!

 

[RoyalChick]

Molt Update

As far as I can confirm the following ladies are molting

• Hattie
• Sydney
• Phyllis (I am really curious to see how her "hair" molts)

Not Molting

• Aurora (early on I thought she was joining the club but she clearly has not)
• Lilly (no signs of molting at all)
• Sansa (no signs at all)

Hattie and Phyllis are also not eating normally. They are turning their beaks at things they would have trampled others for a couple of weeks ago. They are clearly craving something else. Normally I would switch the flock to feather fixer feed but I can't get it. Along with cracked corn with purple corn. No purple corn for a week now. So i went to a feed store and got 10 lbs of just yellow cracked corn. Now I have yellow cracked corn that no one will eat. I guess I'll have to feed the squirrels with it.

Have you tried fresh corn on the cob (raw or grilled)? Mine would literally kill you for it. I try and share when I eat it - but honestly it just isn't safe for me so I eat mine off in a corner and let them have theirs on their own.

 

[micstrachan]

What happened to Happy Cheeks? I don't remember. I'm sorry.

It’s ok. She just died after some strange Marek’s-like body language. I did not have a necropsy done, but a UC Davis avian vet ssid while it’s rare, two week old chicks can get Marek’s. I don’t really know what happened, but Cashew understood she was ill, as she had given up on her.

 

[micstrachan]

Thank you! I have a bottle of Baytril ready to administer and only delayed starting it because I got the vet appointment today.
She has not laid anything since Thursday(?) which was when she produced the 2nd lash egg. She has gone into the nest box a couple of times but not produced anything.
She continues to be perky and seems fully herself including refusing to eat blueberries off the floor this morning and insisting that I give them to her by hand (which of course I did!).

Good call waiting on the Baytril, since she gets to see the vet. Do you have a lash egg to show? If not, I would be prepared to show photos. Will you be allowed in with hed. My avian vet is only seeing birds without their humans due to COVID. Keep us posted!

 

[micstrachan]

Hello. So where’s Shad? Is his computer completely down? Has anyone seen smoke signals?

 

[WhoDatChick]

Oooh, and they're so, so pretty. This was my Margo.

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Oh wow! She is gorgeous! She looks like a rooster! They will definitely be next on my list... hopefully I’ll find some locally