Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I love the tyre idea! What do you put under the wire for them to get at?

I filled them to the inside rim with dirt and put in a mixture of wheat and grass seeds. The wheat sprouts very quickly and gives them something to peck at through the mesh while the grass grows.

I have put herbs like mint, parsley and oregano in other tyres. This looks good but isn't as popular.

 

[Scrambles83]

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I filled them to the inside rim with dirt and put in a mixture of wheat and grass seeds. The wheat sprouts very quickly and gives them something to peck at through the mesh while the grass grows.

I have put herbs like mint, parsley and oregano in other tyres. This looks good but isn't as popular.

awesome, I’ll pop that on my list of things to add! Keep them amused!!

 

[BY Bob]

She is such a cutie. I even think she looks a little bit like her poppy...

She looks like her Mum but thanks for saying.

 

[featherhead007]

Bob. I’m glad you had that time with family

 

[BY Bob]

Poor Cillin! It will sort out eventually, though. This is where I usually start to meddle in The affairs of my chickens, though I do respect your decision on letting it mostly play out on it’s own. If he keeps losing the footpad you might want to try another thin band looped under the pad with the ends coming up and gently crossing the top of the foot, then crossing again between his back toe and spur then ending under the foot again. Sort of like tying a shoe or scrappy sandal on. I know, easier said than done, especially if he’s a wiggler or decided to kick while you’re trying to wrap it. I am lucky that Roostie is such a patient and tolerant guy. View attachment 2492176

How is Roostie? Goats are cute but I'm worried about him too.

 

[BY Bob]

She’s getting so big!

Yup. Today was so much fun. I have not seen her in 2 months.

 

[BY Bob]

Hazel broken beak report
I don't have pictures of her beak yet, sorry, the wind today made them all quite jumpy and it was hard enough to get her quieted enough today to get a good look at her beak. I'll try tomorrow, when I check both her and Peanut.

It's been 5 days since I examined her with a magnifying glass and smoothed it with the fine side of an emery board nail file. It seemed to work well and I went really slowly and talked softly to her. Interestingly, the other hens gathered round together on the litter to the left of my feet and faced Hazel. She could see them sitting down there preening and making happy noises while this went on. She soon let me file on one side while I kept her beak from moving much with a finger on the other side, and she didn't fight it. I didn't read this anywhere but I filed in motions that only went towards the tip, like you would doing human nails. I only smoothed the rough bits and jags, wasn't trying to reshape it, but it didn't seem to need much reshaping. It ended up smooth to the touch. From what I had read and researched (there is NOTHING in my new Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow about this that I can find!) this seemed to be a pretty minor case. I thought I'd check her again in a few days.

Unfortunately she has now a thin short crack on her upper beak, a little less than 1/8" long, in the middle of her upper beak tip. It wasn't there before. I didn't file enough perhaps? but I wanted to not do very much at a time then. It seems to end about where her lower beak meets it. What do I do about this, if anything? Is it likely to lead to something worse, and if so is there a way to stabilize it before it does? I can try to get a pic tomorrow.

This situation was sidelined because I had a cat emergency the last three days, poor Big Boy was in a lot of distress, it is crystals in his urine, and he had a bout of something intestinal on top of that. After a long trip and 2 nights at the vets, subcutaneous fluids, an antibiotic shot, new food and pain meds, he is doing much better today. We've been tracking his every move, and now he is acting much more like himself. He's drinking on his own, going to his litter box without too much encouragement, and peeing more each time he goes.

Wow! You have had a rough go of it. I'm glad to hear that Big Boy is on the mend.

I would really love to see beak pictures. I've never had to deal with this and would like to learn from your experience.

 

[BY Bob]

Bob. I’m glad you had that time with family

It's been wonderful. Thanks.

 

[BY Bob]

3,000 Pages!

It somehow feels fitting that my posts pushed us over 3,000 pages.

 

[BY Bob]

Caturday