Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

LE RAT is KA-PUUT!

Woohoooo!!!

 

[micstrachan]

Oh gosh - I am sorry @featherhead007, I too assumed it was a joke. So sorry if I offended.

Oh goodness, me, too!

 

[micstrachan]

I didn't get my full beauty sleep last night. Around mid afternoon after a fairly busy day I hit that must have a nap bump and went to lie down for a while.
My bed has a permenant mosquito net around it which gives a tent like cosy feel and after covering myself with a blanket, I drifted into that almost getting warm again type fuzziness.
I head Tribe 1 arrive. They were quiet but I could here their beaks tapping the base of the plastic food tray I keep near the door. I did fall asleep for a while and woke due to a brief outbreak of bickering between Hurry and Moon.
I was just about to throw aside the net and swing my legs out when I saw Fat Bird, still with her eyes closed, in the bedroom, partially lying on the edge of the net right next to my bed. Cillin was standing just on the right side of the black tape I have stuck to the floor looking slightly anxious.
The only adult chicken that has ever gone into my bedroom has been Fat Bird a few years ago. For whatever reason, they just don't. I do evict the pullets and cockerels immediately if I see them cross the tape and they learn that the bedroom is a forbidden area for them.
Fat Bird snores. I'm sure she didn't used to.

Soooo sweet!

 

[micstrachan]

This is one of my new favorite phrases.

same here!

 

[micstrachan]

How about Dirty butt acres? How much dirt/forest debris can a chicken pack into their bum feathers? Lots

Spoiler: Dirty white chickens

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How? Really... it’s a wonder!
Partial chicken tax payment...

These are fabulous!

 

[micstrachan]

Spot on! But that stuff rusts, so if outdoors it is better to use copper. You can buy it on Amazon surprisingly cheaply. I got 200’ of the stuff and plug up any hole big enough for my little finger to get in.

Excellent tip I would not have thought of!

 

[micstrachan]

A Bad Time to Molt

Aurora kind of waited until pretty late in the year to have her molt. She is pretty full on right now. So far the weather has not been too bad but she needs to get on with it before we get a real cold snap. Poor thing.
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Poor Aurora! That’s a significant molt. How many days did it take her to get to that point?

 

[micstrachan]

I am realizing now, that a hens personality won’t change by showing her more attention. Beethov-Hen is still as stubborn and headstrong as ever, even after days of personal contact. My dreams are shattered. I wanted her to be as loving to me as Canna and Roxy were. Canna and Rocket I miss you so much RIP

 

[micstrachan]

I was making supper for the tribes when Tribe 1 turned up. I looked down at the floor and there were little pools of blood in a trail from the door!
I checked to see who was bleeding and it was pretty easy to spot because Cillings foot looked like he had been standing spur deep in tomato ketchup.
I got him on the chair where he did a bit of don't fuss me Bucket Boy, I'm fine, probably because the hens were there.
A bit of stern talking to and a closer look revealed he had broken a spur. The thing was, it wasn't broken all the way through. Got a problem now. Broken right off is easy. Can't do anything about it. Clean it. Keep him calm so the blood clots and by the morning, if he doesn't do anything stupid, it will have scabbed over.
Mostly broken off often means it won't stop bleeding because any movement pulls on the spur.
I sprayed plenty of Chlorhexedine on the break, cleaned up his foot and checked for any other damage and then let him escort his hens off to roost.

I know I'm going to have to go and get him and cut the spur off. There was no way it was going to heal back. This is not something I was lookinng foreward to.
I checked on him about an hour after roost and there was fresh blood blobs below where he was perched.
Came back to the house, had a cup of tea (tea is essential before undertaking unpleasent tasks like this) and went to get Cillin.
When I opened the coop the spur was on the floor below him.
Didn't even have to take him to the house. Cleaned the hole while he stood on the perch. Another spray of Chlorhexedine and a couple of pieces of walnut and that was it.
Sorry about the gory pictures.
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Woohoo! Lucky it fell off! How sensitive are spurs? Ruby has a significant spur (for a girl) on the same foot with the broken toe. I’m not sure if I have a photo.

 

[micstrachan]

And at the other end of the spectrum.......I was doing a mite check.

Just check behind my ears again
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I love this. Does he seem to enjoy it?