Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LaFemmeKatia]

You need a nice tenant who can help with those things.

That is a good suggestion!

 

[MaryJanet]

I was very despondent last night. I'm not sure quite what prompted me to do it; maybe having a phone easily to hand. I rang my friend Mohammed. I think I've mentioned, he keeps Game Fowl.
I told him as much as I could about Fat Birds problem. He suggested massage. He said back in thhe day when his father had fighting cocks, sometimes a cock would get upended and land on his lower back. This dislocated caudal vertebrae
and sometimes damaged the nerves that send balance signals from the 'tail' nerves to the brain. We think, Gloria and I, that Fat Bird either banged her back just above this region, or now I think in retrospect that it is more likely that a tool handle such as a rake or broom got knocked over and hit her. All Tribe 1 was spending a lot of time in the care port at the time and stuff is always falling over.
Mohammed explained what I should feel for and a bit about how to massage gently pushing the joints upwards.
I gave it a try early this morning.
You would not believe the difference it made.
Fat Bird has been with her tribe all day. Her balance while not great is much improved. Considering yesterday she sat in just about the same place all day and hardly ate anything the change in her general demeanour is remarkable.
Let me show you.
This is the North earth retaining wall next to my house. There was no way Fat Bird would have attempted to come down this way yesterday; she would have split from the tribe and come down the South wall which has steps.
View attachment 2597817View attachment 2597819View attachment 2597822
Here she's having a bit of a sunbath and grooming. She hasn't been grooming much for quite a few days.
View attachment 2597823
Much better overall posture here and although you can't see it her feet are much better positioned.
View attachment 2597824
This is the one that had me worried. This slope is steep and if I have to go down it at this point I use a rope tied to the fence. The whole tribe had been down there and I saw the rest come over the top without Fat Bird and looked over the top of the fence expecting to see her stuck and sat down. She's eating on her way up. She made it all the way no problem.
View attachment 2597825View attachment 2597826

Mohammed says that the bones are unlikely to properly align again and if a nerve is damaged it's doubtful that it will properly repair. However, he believes that provided some relief is possible a chicken will in time learn to compensate for the lack of nerve response.
His view is that much like humans after an accident that damages the nervous system and may make walking almost impossible, if some relief can be provided they will learn to adapt. If on the other hand it is always too difficult then they stop trying.
Fat Bird still stumbled a bit today but I didn't see her fall over and she was normally active all day from what I could see. She went to roost with her tribe this evening. She was already on the perch when I went to look for her expecting she wanted carrying to the coop.
None of the above will sort out her internal problems but while she's coping with those I want to see her active, with her tribe and eating at least some commercial feed.
We all have to die, but I don't want her suffering needlessly on route.
I'm going to give her a half dose of Metacam in the evenings. Being in pain during the day for me at least is bearable. Being in pain when I'm trying to sleep, which is our natural escape, pisses me off and in time just brings me down.

That's wonderful news! Mohammed's advice is incredible, you're lucky to know him.

 

[Cynthia12]

My babies. I got Nn's. . They have fluffy butts. Didn't hatch the silkie. Not getting eggs after all. Bought her.. Hope it's a her.

 

[LozzyR]

I was very despondent last night. I'm not sure quite what prompted me to do it; maybe having a phone easily to hand. I rang my friend Mohammed. I think I've mentioned, he keeps Game Fowl.
I told him as much as I could about Fat Birds problem. He suggested massage. He said back in thhe day when his father had fighting cocks, sometimes a cock would get upended and land on his lower back. This dislocated caudal vertebrae
and sometimes damaged the nerves that send balance signals from the 'tail' nerves to the brain. We think, Gloria and I, that Fat Bird either banged her back just above this region, or now I think in retrospect that it is more likely that a tool handle such as a rake or broom got knocked over and hit her. All Tribe 1 was spending a lot of time in the care port at the time and stuff is always falling over.
Mohammed explained what I should feel for and a bit about how to massage gently pushing the joints upwards.
I gave it a try early this morning.
You would not believe the difference it made.
Fat Bird has been with her tribe all day. Her balance while not great is much improved. Considering yesterday she sat in just about the same place all day and hardly ate anything the change in her general demeanour is remarkable.
Let me show you.
This is the North earth retaining wall next to my house. There was no way Fat Bird would have attempted to come down this way yesterday; she would have split from the tribe and come down the South wall which has steps.
View attachment 2597817View attachment 2597819View attachment 2597822
Here she's having a bit of a sunbath and grooming. She hasn't been grooming much for quite a few days.
View attachment 2597823
Much better overall posture here and although you can't see it her feet are much better positioned.
View attachment 2597824
This is the one that had me worried. This slope is steep and if I have to go down it at this point I use a rope tied to the fence. The whole tribe had been down there and I saw the rest come over the top without Fat Bird and looked over the top of the fence expecting to see her stuck and sat down. She's eating on her way up. She made it all the way no problem.
View attachment 2597825View attachment 2597826

Mohammed says that the bones are unlikely to properly align again and if a nerve is damaged it's doubtful that it will properly repair. However, he believes that provided some relief is possible a chicken will in time learn to compensate for the lack of nerve response.
His view is that much like humans after an accident that damages the nervous system and may make walking almost impossible, if some relief can be provided they will learn to adapt. If on the other hand it is always too difficult then they stop trying.
Fat Bird still stumbled a bit today but I didn't see her fall over and she was normally active all day from what I could see. She went to roost with her tribe this evening. She was already on the perch when I went to look for her expecting she wanted carrying to the coop.
None of the above will sort out her internal problems but while she's coping with those I want to see her active, with her tribe and eating at least some commercial feed.
We all have to die, but I don't want her suffering needlessly on route.
I'm going to give her a half dose of Metacam in the evenings. Being in pain during the day for me at least is bearable. Being in pain when I'm trying to sleep, which is our natural escape, pisses me off and in time just brings me down.

How awesome is Mohammed?! And Fat Bird, and you, big hugs for everyone!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I agree. They aren’t livestock to me, they are my pets.
Hubby and I just buried Dorothy today. I found her dead in the coop under the roost. I have no idea what happened. I examined her and she is perfectly normal except she is dead.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I walked in the coop and saw her lying there.
As you can imagine I am really depressed.
She was going to be a year old in May.
Dorothy
View attachment 2593907

Thank you. It’s good I can tell you guys. I tell my family members and they are respectful of course, but I know they think “it’s only a chicken”.

Exactly. I raised these girls from day old chicks. I kept their heat in their brooder exactly so, I fussed over their pasty butts, gave them vitamins and electrolytes. I kept their brooder in my room so I could be a helicopter mom.
I’m so fussy over their food and treats.
I did everything I could to keep them safe.
Now I’m wracking my brain trying to think if the coop isn’t safe enough. Did she have an accident getting on the roost? It’s depressing.

I am so sorry you've lost Dorothy, it is very hard to lose a dear pet friend. You can forgive your family who don't know what they're talking about, but you can let them know that those kinds of comments are hurtful, if they don't care about the chickens they ought to care about your feelings for them at least. Hugs to you

I found your own thread with your first post about Dorothy, and the time you posted indicates it was probably some time before 6pm that she passed. I don't know much but I doubt any roosting accident because that is at least an hour and a half before sunset. Did she usually roost that early? I'm guessing she was in the coop and just happened to be under the roost when she passed. I am so sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful hen, and more importantly, so precious to you.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

This is the downside to keeping chickens. They die. Sometimes we will never know why. Sometimes there's just nothing to be done but we make a difference to our chicken's' lives. They are well looked after, well fed, kept as safe & well looked after as we possibly can & they will still die ~ but for the time we have them we give them the very best we can & that is more than most chickens ever get so it is a very big thing.

Well said, very well said, @Ribh !

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

RC, Finding a nice tenant in this small town (Who doesn't do drugs, or drunk on alcohol, can be hard to find) My Bar as an ex US Marshall (Somewhat still active), is kinda high. But maybe a small family wanting to start out could work?

That’s what I was thinking. A small young family who would like a few chickens and a small veggie garden.

 

[featherhead007]

(To music) ol Mac Donald has two farms, I owe, I owe, I owe!

That’s what I was thinking. A small young family who would like a few chickens and a small veggie garden.

Jeanette’s property is two acres next mine. Big enough for a “small veggie garden “ I’m thinking.

 

[Scrambles83]

Happy Easter to you all

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

You don't owe me anything Bob.
I was on the verge of leaving BYC when I found your and MJ's and Ribh's thread.
I had tried a few threads before and they all ended up largely people whinging about their lives, their health, their friends health, their dogs, cats and goldfish.
I joined BYC to talk about chickens. Your thread enabled me to do that.

When I first joined BYC I tried a bunch of threads, and none of them worked for me. It’s pretty much as you described.
Then I found this little tribe, and I have been happy ever since. I stumbled across Fluffy Butt Acres first, and then I ended up on everyone’s threads.
Every practical piece of information about chickens I learned from you guys. It would have taken me years to learn what I have learned in 10 months.