Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

I’m so glad that my rooster Jaffar is taking care of his ladies today (major dust bath under the willow tree) as he stands guarding them. I have BLU in with me tending to his bad hair day

 

[featherhead007]

I’m so glad that my rooster Jaffar is taking care of his ladies today (major dust bath under the willow tree) as he stands guarding them. I have BLU in with me tending to his bad hair day

Pics may follow, but don’t count on them. I need a nap

 

[Kris5902]

Well speaking of Roasting... My morning chicken chores are now done, it is raining, and I am pleased to say that a very dark time in my relationship with DH is about to come to a close... it all goes back to this November, and it was so embarrassing I initially didn’t want to talk about it; now that it’s almost over, I feel I can share this with all of my dear friends here. We had our 11th anniversary this fall (though we don’t really celebrate it), but this very nearly ended our relationship. Sometimes it’s like you just don’t ever really know your spouse.

As most here will know, I do the bulk of the animal and housekeeping chores around here, things like fence repairs, oil changes in the generators, keeping the water jerrycans and propane tanks properly rotated so we don’t run out un-expectedly (splitting firewood is going to be on this list once we get the woodstove, I know it). DH, bless his heart, works far too much at too many “real” jobs, and thanks to his travel schedule between the islands, he also does almost all our shopping. He usually does the cooking as well, a 70/30 split with me only really doing big stews, pasta, and such. He also has a congenital heart defect, repaired by a modified Fontan surgery, a pacemaker, and is on medication to help control an arrhythmia, tachycardia, and atrial fibrillation. We mostly have a very low sodium diet because of this, which once you adjust to you honestly don’t really notice until you eat out. Or a disaster strikes...

Well, in early November I sent DH a shopping list (perishables, feed, etc) for his return trip, with some added winter staples. This was a little prelude to our big winter stock up shop, as thanks to ‘the Covid’ item limits were being introduced on some things here again. (We are ok for TP, don’t worry...) I usually get several flats/cases of canned condensed soups for the year on this big winter shop (enough to see us through the full year). Our “Covid shopping protocols” have included picking up, whenever it’s on sale or in stock: catfood, cat litter, the cheap TP we can use in the RV without clogging the plumbing or our DIY septic system. I added to this “Cases of soup, just the ones we usually eat” (vegetable, chicken noodle, and cream of mushroom) especially the cream of mushroom because we also use it in some casseroles and it’s often sold out.

He bought the low sodium cream of mushroom soup A full case of the Crud... It has been horrible, but I am finally down to the last two cans! I have been forcing myself to eat it, and far more frequently than I would normally, just to get it gone. I briefly considered donating it to our local food bag program... but then realized I couldn’t do that to people. We may not salt things, or usually cook with salt, but some things are just not to be messed with!

Chicken Tax: Little Red this morning

 

[ChicoryBlue]

You need to be rational about the quarantine setup you have. It sounds like you have a sort of partial quarantine going. If for example you don't change your clothes, shoes to, after handling the newcomer, before you visit your current flock most of the quarantine precautions are wasted.
Quarantine is one of those annoying things you have to do properly for it to work at all.
So, if you were to do it properly then 30 days in the minimum.
Given what I've read about your setup I don't think it will make any difference when she joins the others.

Thank you for your observations, @Shadrach! Has there been any benefit in regards to potential respiratory issues, they're not being together, breathing each other's air?

I don't have the same shoes, I have special outside run boots that stay outside, but my winter overclothes have been the same mostly, though I've not been handling the other flock as much since this began. So yes this sounds like I'm doing a partial quarantine. Hmmm. Well, Queenie does not seem to be sick, and the Buckeyes have not gotten sick either yet.

Today Queenie has been doing a low purring/growly sound a lot, with her beak closed. This amount of it is new. She stops when I go over to her and pay attention or scratch with her. I wonder if this a lonely sound? Given that maybe all this has been for naught, I could set up a see /no touch barrier in the Buckeye run and put her there tomorrow. I've been thinking about how to make a place for her to roost in the divided area when she could go there, maybe the dog crate on a stand, with cardboard around it and a roost bar up in there.

 

[Kris5902]

I have a little problem, or maybe a big one... it’s definitely a BIG bad-big-bird. And it has been lurking. I am almost certain it’s a bald eagle, especially having listened to it squeak/squeal all morning. I delayed letting the chickens out even longer than usual this morning, and I went out armed with my nerf gun. I think it has figured out that the big plastic pointing thing had less range than the brown long pointing thing (.22) I’m considering dipping a nerf ball in varathane, hoping to increase the distance/impact... any thoughts?

To put this little birdie in perspective:

That’s about 130-150 feet up in the tree, from about 400 feet away... it has to be at least two or two and a half feet tall! Als DH got me more ammo for Christmas! (An attempt at redemption for the soup incident?)

 

[LozzyR]

Well speaking of Roasting... My morning chicken chores are now done, it is raining, and I am pleased to say that a very dark time in my relationship with DH is about to come to a close... it all goes back to this November, and it was so embarrassing I initially didn’t want to talk about it; now that it’s almost over, I feel I can share this with all of my dear friends here. We had our 11th anniversary this fall (though we don’t really celebrate it), but this very nearly ended our relationship. Sometimes it’s like you just don’t ever really know your spouse.

As most here will know, I do the bulk of the animal and housekeeping chores around here, things like fence repairs, oil changes in the generators, keeping the water jerrycans and propane tanks properly rotated so we don’t run out un-expectedly (splitting firewood is going to be on this list once we get the woodstove, I know it). DH, bless his heart, works far too much at too many “real” jobs, and thanks to his travel schedule between the islands, he also does almost all our shopping. He usually does the cooking as well, a 70/30 split with me only really doing big stews, pasta, and such. He also has a congenital heart defect, repaired by a modified Fontan surgery, a pacemaker, and is on medication to help control an arrhythmia, tachycardia, and atrial fibrillation. We mostly have a very low sodium diet because of this, which once you adjust to you honestly don’t really notice until you eat out. Or a disaster strikes...

Well, in early November I sent DH a shopping list (perishables, feed, etc) for his return trip, with some added winter staples. This was a little prelude to our big winter stock up shop, as thanks to ‘the Covid’ item limits were being introduced on some things here again. (We are ok for TP, don’t worry...) I usually get several flats/cases of canned condensed soups for the year on this big winter shop (enough to see us through the full year). Our “Covid shopping protocols” have included picking up, whenever it’s on sale or in stock: catfood, cat litter, the cheap TP we can use in the RV without clogging the plumbing or our DIY septic system. I added to this “Cases of soup, just the ones we usually eat” (vegetable, chicken noodle, and cream of mushroom) especially the cream of mushroom because we also use it in some casseroles and it’s often sold out.

He bought the low sodium cream of mushroom soup A full case of the Crud... It has been horrible, but I am finally down to the last two cans! I have been forcing myself to eat it, and far more frequently than I would normally, just to get it gone. I briefly considered donating it to our local food bag program... but then realized I couldn’t do that to people. We may not salt things, or usually cook with salt, but some things are just not to be messed with!

Chicken Tax: Little Red this morning
View attachment 2467612

OMG Kris, you had me worried there for a bit!

 

[Kris5902]

OMG Kris, you had me worried there for a bit!

sorry... but it really is quite serious! (No matter how much salt I add to it, it just isn’t the same!)

 

[micstrachan]

So if anyone can appreciate this, you guys can. Apparently my support efforts for Ester are helping. Earlier I saw her squeeze out a minuscule poop, but I just let them out now that my half workday is over and saw her drop this:

She’s not venturing too far and is enjoying some sunshine at the moment. I don’t think it shows in the photo, but one of her shoulders is already bare.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm having trouble getting a picture that illustrates the problem well.
Mag is the rooster on the far left of this picture. You can just see that his comb is dull compared to the other two.
View attachment 2467511

This is a bit better; Mag in the middle. You can see that his comb and wattles are paler and more purple than red.View attachment 2467512

Mag in the middle. By roost time his comb and wattles wil be even more purple if the past is anything to go by.View attachment 2467513
As you can see, Mag is behaving normally and his tribe don't see a problem apparently. Odd to note that Lock, left hand lower corner doesn't lay eggs but has the brightest comb of the group.

I can see it Shad. He is definitely paler than everyone else. My hens get that kind of pale when they are molting. See Aurora below. She however does not turn purple.

 

[BY Bob]

I'll do my best, but it won't be until at least the weekend. It's dark when I leave and dark when I get home. I only get to hear my boys as I'm leaving.

No problem. I have something to look forward to now.