Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

I have not offered mine treats yet where they've not been allowed outside to get natural grit. I've offered chick grit, yeah they ignore it so its all been chick starter. Now if they were being broody raised, at 2 weeks old i start offering treats. Even if i didn't offer it, momma would encourage them to eat whatever everyone else was getting.

I made a sand pit in the brooder from the dirt outside.(sifted) and they all fight for possession of the pie tin it’s in. I see them dig, and eat the granules. Thanks RB

 

[BY Bob]

Did you get a video of this game?

That would be fun to see

 

[featherhead007]

I made a sand pit in the brooder from the dirt outside.(sifted) and they all fight for possession of the pie tin it’s in. I see them dig, and eat the granules. Thanks RB

Ps. I’m the only “mamma hen” they will ever know. I’m up to the task to be the best chicken daddy I ever can be.

 

[micstrachan]

I think I’ll catch up tonight! In the mean time.. a couple updates.

1. I think Dorothy dropped another softie from the roost, but had great body language and energy today, at least in the morning and evening. I gave her calcium citrate again this morning, but today I took her out of the run and let her eat it in baby bird formula freely. She fights HARD when I administer a capsule to the beak. There are a few white feathers here snd there and she hasxs bit of a bald spot on her head, so maybe that’s a factor.
2. Ruby was first to roost, but her body language is good and she does not seem to be swelling. She was a little “clicky” when I gave her ibuprofen yesterday. Since she seems to be doing well, I only gave ibuprofen once a day for 3 days vs. twice a day for 3-5 days, which was prescribed (AFTER I made the call). She is still slow and not as agile as a healthy hen, but she’s wating and drinking normall, as well as playing with rice hulls amd coming out with her mates during free range time.
3. Ester has still not laid an egg since the few she laid after her brutal molt, which was her first. I hope she’s just taking a break. She is a prolific layer and laid for well over a year straight with no break of any kind, so a break would do her good if that’s all it is.
4. There is a BEAUTIFUL tabby cat that does not belong to my neighbor and seems to be stalking the chickens. Lots of alarm calls when it is around, despite the fact that the chickens are very comfortable with the neighbor’s cats. Its body language does look like it wants to hunt chickens, but I think it’s a pet? Really healthy looking. A couple of the young chickens are very curious, but I think said cat would win if it came down to an encounter. Without a rooster, I’m pretty sure the flock would not help each other to defend against the cat.
5. Lexi the dog treed the cat. It might not come back. Pretty sure it did not appreciate a quick, growling dog with hair raised on its back in pursuit. Lexi seemed to sense this cat was trouble. Good girl protecting the chickens! I tried to call her off, as I did not want her actually harming the cat, but she ignored me. Thankfully the cat got away.

So I’m on the app so I could do this numbered list, which Chrome on my phone no longer allows, but I can’t sekect words to bold face or anything. Is anyone else almost exclusively on their phone?

 

[micstrachan]

The younger group is 2 1/2 weeks old and growing well. No one has popped their wattles yet and screamed "I'm a boy" but I have my eye on 2. Bigger then the others with tree trunk legs. Unless they are late maturing, which my line tends not to be any boys will reveal themselves in the coming week.
View attachment 2551936
View attachment 2551937
View attachment 2551938
That one on the right with a chick in front of it. If there is a male in the bunch it has to be one of them. Attitude, stance, chunky legs, just waiting for the wattle pop.
View attachment 2551940

They look fantastic!

 

[fuentemoon]

Another lovely day here, and made better by it being my weekend supposed to last another 2 days
Planted a ton of kuri squash seeds I had sprouted, and some primroses I bought last week, and dug out more grass. I think we got about 2/3 of the cardboard area finished, about 3'x5'

The ladies are enjoying a nice snack of scratch after all that hard work digging for bugs. The dryer section was done in the fall, you can see the "good" grass growing in between at the bottom.

 

[featherhead007]

It’s a very quiet night EXCEPT, I heard a strange, sound in the barn/coop. Jaffar is sneezing and coughing. (Jaffar my emotional support rooster) He seems to be having problems breathing. He’s inside with me now. Wish my beautiful friend roo, luck.

 

[BY Bob]

I think I’ll catch up tonight! In tge mean time.. a couple updates.

1. I think Dorothy dropped another softie from the roost, but had great body language and energy today, at least in the morning and evening. I gave her calcium citrate again this morning, but today I took her out of the run and let her eat it in baby bird formula freely. She fights HARD when I administer a capsule to the beak. There are a few white feathers here snd there and she hasxs bit of a bald spot on her head, so maybe that’s a factor.
2. Ruby was first to roost, but her body language is good and she does not seem to be swelling. She was a little “clicky” when I gave her ibuprofen yesterday. Since she seems to be doing well, I only gave ibuprofen once a day for 3 days vs. twice a day for 3-5 days, which was prescribed (AFTER I made the call). She is still slow and not as agile as a healthy hen, but she’s wating and drinking normall, as well as playing with rice hulls amd coming out with her mates during free range time.
3. Ester has still not laid an egg since the few she laid after her brutal molt, which was her first. I hope she’s just taking a break. She is a prolific layer and laid for well over a year straight with no break of any kind, so a break would do her good if that’s all it is.
4. There is a BEAUTIFUL tabby cat that does not belong to my neighbor and seems to be stalking the chickens. Lots of alarm calls when it is around, despite the fact that the chickens are very comfortable with the neighbor’s cats. Its body language does look like it wants to hunt chickens, but I think it’s a pet? Really healthy looking. A couple of the young chickens are very curious, but I think said cat would win if it came down to an encounter. Without a rooster, I’m pretty sure the flock would not help each other to defend against the cat.
5. Lexi the dog treed the cat. It might not come back. Pretty sure it did not appreciate a quick, growling dog with hair raised on its back in pursuit. Lexi seemed to sense this cat was trouble. Good girl protecting the chickens! I tried to call her off, as I did not want her actually harming the cat, but she ignored me. Thankfully the cat got away.

So I’m on the app so I could do this numbered list, which Chrome on my phone no longer allows, but I can’t sekect words to bold face or anything. Is anyone else almost exclusively on their phone?

Android or Apple phone?

 

[BY Bob]

Another lovely day here, and made better by it being my weekend supposed to last another 2 days
Planted a ton of kuri squash seeds I had sprouted, and some primroses I bought last week, and dug out more grass. I think we got about 2/3 of the cardboard area finished, about 3'x5'
View attachment 2552834
The ladies are enjoying a nice snack of scratch after all that hard work digging for bugs. The dryer section was done in the fall, you can see the "good" grass growing in between at the bottom. View attachment 2552836
View attachment 2552840

Good work ladies! Way to go!

 

[BY Bob]

It’s a very quiet night EXCEPT, I heard a strange, sound in the barn/coop. Jaffar is sneezing and coughing. (Jaffar my emotional support rooster) He seems to be having problems breathing. He’s inside with me now. Wish my beautiful friend roo, luck.

We are praying for you Jaffar. Be strong.