Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

That fox will be back. I hope you can get your hot wires sorted.

Oh yes indeed. Nothing wrong with the hot wires - it is just that I need to remember to turn it on each night. The fox patrolled the coop for some part of the night but never tried to break in (I assume because of the hot wire).
Last night's score was Rodents 0 : RC 2. Not exactly shock and awe but not bad. And for the first time I did not see any live mice partying all night on camera. That is potentially a big development but I am not counting my chickens (if you see what I mean) because they could all have stayed in hiding because of the patrolling fox. So I am repeating shock and awe tonight.
The chickens are still turning their beaks up at rare mouse-steak. so the run is beginning to look a bit gruesome with little mouse bodies hanging around.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

3 Rounds of Out and Out Brawling

I am beside myself right now and I definitely need some advice. I have no idea what is going on but all out warfare broke out today between Hattie and Aurora. That's right Hattie. I can't believe it.

They went 3 rounds that I have seen. Lilly broke up the first two by wading into the fight. I filmed the 3rd one in which Lilly was actually involved as it broke out. No joke, they looked like roosters going at it. I have never seen anything like this.

Here is the video of the 3rd bout. I'm putting most of this behind a spoiler. I did not intervene. I need to know if everyone thinks that is the right policy moving forward. They are each wounded. The wounds are not serious, they are their combs up by their beaks. I will also put photos of the wounds behind spoilers.

Patsy and Jabber never fought like this. It is quite vicious.

Spoiler: Hattie and Aurora fight

Spoiler: Wounded

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About 30 minutes after the fight, this is how the flock is grouped.
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I'm looking for anyone with experience with something like this or even just common sense. @Shadrach I am guessing that roosters don't let this happen but maybe not. Any thoughts?

Thanks Shad. I knew Lilly was boss. She had not seen it necessary to do anything when Aurora was beating up on the three below her in the pecking order. But today she was in the thick of it. I was unprepared for this to happen so I missed who started it. I'll watch closer now.

It is distressing. My instinct is always to let them work it out as I can't be there all the time. They need to manage their own society. It's very hard to watch.

Looks like Aurora may be attempting a coup to climb the social ladder.

It is very hard to watch. Sorry you have to go through this Bob.

 

[RoyalChick]

The bleeding and subsequent cleaning will help but once an infection is there, it's in the blood.....

Sorry to hear that Shad - it is not necessarily the case that an infected wound means systemic infection ('in the blood') - think of yourself and any abscess or pimple. I would go more on how she behaves - if she is 'off' then you are probably right, but cleaning and letting out pus may be enough.

 

[BY Bob]

I’m in good company then! I’m averaging about 60 pages behind on Bob’s thread, I haven’t looked at MJ’s thread since Peggy come home from surgery (I hope Peggy is doing ok!) and as for Ribh’s thread... (sorry Ribh!). I will keep soldiering on, it will just be that my comments will be a bit behind.

I will get some fluffy butt chicken tax pictures even though it isn’t Friday, seeing as butts baths were the order of this morning.

Definitely need to see some clean fluffy butts.

 

[RoyalChick]

How are Hattie and Aurora doing this morning @BY Bob? And how are the flock dynamics? And of course, how are you doing, I know you were very upset seeing everything going on yesterday.

 

[BY Bob]

Better than Cats for sure... Charlie is losing his touch, or his bite! He needs some reminders that he is supposed to actually kill the rodents. Worse yet, the mouse bit me while I was rescuing it from him Ungrateful wretch! No blood was drawn, but that’s the first time this has happened. I have had them run up my arm and neck and onto my head before, but I’ve never had one actually try to bite me. I’m sure it’s back inside already, but sheesh, I though I had him better trained. Earlier this year he was making fast efficient kills, dropping them in the designated place in exchange for treats... now we are back to square 1?

Sounds like reindoctrination is in order. You will learn proper procedure!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

A near miss
Bob, to take your mind off the stress at Fluffy Butt Acres I am sharing a near miss at the Chicken Palace today.
I was doing some digging to bury the ground wire for the electric fence before the ground freezes hard. In passing I dropped off some cabbage as a treat, but the three older Princesses rushed me at the door and were out in a second frantically digging up the lawn and the pachysandra and as usual generally trying to interfere.
Here is Maggie destroying the pachysandra and showing off her newly re-fluffed butt.
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I was feeling old and tired and after the digging really wanted to go inside and have a cup of tea so I went to gather in the Princesses to pop them safely back into the Palace. What I had not remembered is that since Maggie laid a lash egg she no longer squats for me, and she had no interest in coming in however much I begged.
So, instead of going in for tea I sat just inside the door of the servant's quarters on my little stool. I could see Maggie and Maggie could see me, but I was invisible to anyone or anything else in the backyard or the field.
I was so engrossed in the Hattie-Aurora fight video that I almost didn't notice Maggie making the 'alarm trill'. Fortunately I just caught it and rushed out to see a fox only about 20 feet away with its eyes glued to Maggie in the Pachysandra. The fox and Maggie were just staring at each other.
I ran at the fox yelling and it rather reluctantly moved off about 10 feet but then turned again to stare at Maggie. I didn't want to run too far from Maggie (maybe the fox had a friend nearby) and I didn't want to turn my back on the fox. It was all quite stressful.
Eventually I managed to back up to Maggie and scoop her up and take her into the Palace.
What with Hattie and Aurora and Maggie and the fox I am emotionally drained.

So scary! Just as well you were on the ball RC.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I haven't seen my hens do this! I did however find two very, very bloody Silky roosters today...they must have really gone after each other! I didn't have time to get any pictures...if I did they would have to be in a spoiler post! Sadly these two are soon going to be culled...they are extremely rough with my girls and they just do not mix well with my flock!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Mel wasn't quite so chipper this morning so it was on with the headlamp, magnifying glass and another check over. I found a tiny wound under her wing which I just hadn't seen the first time around and it's infected.
I'm kicking myself. I know to look for at least two puncture wounds from hawk attacks, one or more from the front talons and one from the back foot. It's the back foot I missed. Now she's going to have to have antibiotics and that will make her feel like shite.
I got the wound open and bleeding again and the infection isn't bad yet. The bleeding and subsequent cleaning will help but once an infection is there, it's in the blood.....
Of course, cleaning like this is painful for Mel and me.
I have antibiotics supplied by Gloria my vet.`

Hang in there Shad. You are doing better than I would. It's hard to see anything under all those feathers. They are not like a cat or dog where you could just shave the patch.

Well done for spotting it before it got any worse.

 

[BY Bob]

I get that a bit if I reply. There is a little message that says there are posts before your reply that you haven’t read and gives you the option of seeing them. But the message is really small and easy to miss.

When I am on my phone or tablet everytime I post a reply, I refresh the page. This resets things so they are in order. Doesn't matter if I'm using the app or a browser. It's the only way to keep things from getting screwy, but it works.