Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

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Shadrach said:
The things I learn over and over.

By mid day Mel was looking depressed. Despite the door being open she didn’t show any signs of wanting to go out. She was eating, but looking very much as many moulting hens do; just flat and uncomfortable. The wounds I believe are a minor problem but combined with the moult they sum to greater than their individual parts.
Mid afternoon Treacle arrives and this at least generated a bit of life into Mel but nothing exceptional.

I decided to shell some walnuts partly to see if this would encourage Mel out of the house. Treacle was on it immediately and after I had done a couple Mel took a few tentative steps outside. Once out, there was a noticeable improvement in her demeanor. She was more alert, ate grass and scratched up some grit and bugs and went to shelter under the blackthorn bush. coming over to the house a couple of times for pieces of walnut.
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I could hear the rest of Tribe 1 heading slowly towards the house. One second Mel was under the bush and the next running full tilt to join her tribe at the back of the main house. Lots of clucking and herding shuffles by Cillin and no sign of nay problems.
Mel behind the main house happy to be with her tribe.
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About ten minutes later the whole tribe arrived and moved into the house. The transformation in Mel was astounding. She became alert, got next to Fat Bird and close to Cillin and groomed.
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Grooming has been for me a major sign of a recovery. Mel even groomed a bit under the wing with the infected puncture wound.

The acid test came at supper time. Tribe 1 get their treat food then. Mel was in the thick of it as she should be, driving off any juniors that got close.
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She’s gone home tonight with the rest of her tribe. Tonight is going to be the coldest night of the year so far; +1C if the weather people are right. While delighted to see Mel’s attitude improve and to see her head home with her tribe, I was a bit concerned about the cold.
I shouldn’t have worried. When I checked Tribe 1‘s coop Mel had her infected side squeezed up against Fat Bird and her other side against the coop wall. There is a noticeable gap between Fat Bird and I think that’s Fudge. This is no accident. Fat Bird is helping to keep Mel warm and the other away from her.
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I read over and over on BYC the advice that you should isolate a sick or injured chicken and I wonder each time I don’t take that advice if I’m doing the right thing. Gloria my vet and those who know about chickens here tell only isolate if absolutely necessary. Today once again I’ve witnessed the wisdom of their words.



It is true that an isolated chicken is easier to treat but the cost in recovery time it seems is considerable.

Yep, getting the antibiotics into her will be more difficult while she’s out and about and yes there is always the risk that a predator identifies her as a weak chicken. But, there is no doubt in my mind that the extra speed of recovery and the protection of the tribe far outweighs these inconveniences and risks.
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That's great news Shad and most interesting observations too. Obviously state of mind plays an important role in recovery.

For a while there I was thinking that you would have the whole of Tribe 1 roosting in your house so you could keep an eye on Mel. 🤣
 
Kris5902 said:
The other good thing in the argument for isolation is is you are dealing with a potential infectious disease! How I missed point that basic reason out earlier in my post is mind boggling. Especially with the whole social distancing and all with the little pandemic situation?
We have been put on another two week lockdown here, after a recent spike. Some of the health order makes sense but other aspects? None at all. Don’t see anyone socially before or after work, you’re only permitted contact with those in your immediate household, but send your kid to high school with 2000 other kids? Give your head a shake B.C. government! Take public transit into work, but don’t see a friend for tea?
No chicken pics to pay the tax... so here is “Attack of the Giant Land Chickens”
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I have some repairs to do, I was trapped in the barn for over an hour I had to climb through the rafters to the other side to get released... they pulled the hay bales out from under me, so I went up, then they pulled out the bales I would have used to climb down stranding me. The other door is a slide bolt, so I couldn’t even open it from the inside! Outmaneuvered by Bovines:lau
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OMG Kris! :eek: Those land chickens are HUUUUGE! You probably could have swung down from the rafters onto one of those backs and they wouldn't even notice! (kidding of course ;))

Maybe you can convert the bottom of the trailer screen door into a pop door so the cows can't get in. 🤔
 
Kris5902 said:
The other good thing in the argument for isolation is is you are dealing with a potential infectious disease! How I missed point that basic reason out earlier in my post is mind boggling. Especially with the whole social distancing and all with the little pandemic situation?
We have been put on another two week lockdown here, after a recent spike. Some of the health order makes sense but other aspects? None at all. Don’t see anyone socially before or after work, you’re only permitted contact with those in your immediate household, but send your kid to high school with 2000 other kids? Give your head a shake B.C. government! Take public transit into work, but don’t see a friend for tea?
No chicken pics to pay the tax... so here is “Attack of the Giant Land Chickens”
View attachment 2421745View attachment 2421760View attachment 2421766
I have some repairs to do, I was trapped in the barn for over an hour I had to climb through the rafters to the other side to get released... they pulled the hay bales out from under me, so I went up, then they pulled out the bales I would have used to climb down stranding me. The other door is a slide bolt, so I couldn’t even open it from the inside! Outmaneuvered by Bovines:lau
Click to expand...
Is that a cows head sticking out of the hay bale in the bottom picture, bottom left? I can't quite wrap my brain around what I'm seeing.
 
Aussie-Chookmum said:
Is that a cows head sticking out of the hay bale in the bottom picture, bottom left? I can't quite wrap my brain around what I'm seeing.
Click to expand...
Three, maybe four cows can get their heads in the barn door at once. That one is trying to push in from the side. The angle makes it look off, but there was no getting down on that side without breaking something, it is too far a drop. I have scrambled across their backs before, but that was a different barn and less of a drop, and without the bull in the midst. (I do keep threatening to make a saddle for him though)

And the pop door in the screen door was planned, but we just moved the cows out... and really if Gus decided to, it wouldn’t stop him anyway.
 
Kris5902 said:
Three, maybe four cows can get their heads in the barn door at once. That one is trying to push in from the side. The angle makes it look off, but there was no getting down on that side without breaking something, it is too far a drop. I have scrambled across their backs before, but that was a different barn and less of a drop, and without the bull in the midst. (I do keep threatening to make a saddle for him though)
Click to expand...
Ah, I think I can see the cow's body beside the door now.
It looks like it has a really long neck. You're sure there are no giraffes in their heritage? 😜
 

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