Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I couldn't be more sad. Found out why I've had stomach problems. It's been bad. I have C. diff. Yes, they are finding that animals .. birds...can transmit it. I have a pretty sad immune system. No antibiotics to have caused it. I did this last year. Same time. We tried to figure out what I did the same that caused me to be sick. I hatched! Had this last year but got over it without the help with meds. This year I have to take something and cross fingers it helps. Placing ..all..of my chickens. I don't want to hurt like this again!

That sounds horrible. I'm so sorry to hear that.

Is there any chance that it is caused by the extra close proximity during hatching time and you might be able to keep your outside flock? I can understand not wanting to risk it though. I looked up Clostridium difficile and it sounds thoroughly miserable (and dangerous).

I hope you feel better and get better soon.

 

[micstrachan]

In the US, there are Blue Jays and Scrub Jays. Scrub Jays have prominent white patches above and are slimmer than Blue Jays, which appear almost all blue above. I believe the Scrub Jays are Western birds, we don't have them here in the Northeast.

I checked him out again this morning, snd he’s a scrub jay. We have blue jays, too, which is why I wasn’t sure/could not remember.

 

[micstrachan]

They had fun exploring! View attachment 2647427View attachment 2647428View attachment 2647429

Awww... cuties!!!

 

[Lady Red]

I couldn't be more sad. Found out why I've had stomach problems. It's been bad. I have C. diff. Yes, they are finding that animals .. birds...can transmit it. I have a pretty sad immune system. No antibiotics to have caused it. I did this last year. Same time. We tried to figure out what I did the same that caused me to be sick. I hatched! Had this last year but got over it without the help with meds. This year I have to take something and cross fingers it helps. Placing ..all..of my chickens. I don't want to hurt like this again!

I'm so sorry you've been suffering. And whereas I'm glad things have been figured out, I'm sorry to read that placing the chickens has to be part of the solution

 

[RoyalChick]

The girls are enjoying their new roof, as it’s raining today. I road-tested my raincoat.

View attachment 2648535

And??? Did the magnificent raincoat work?

 

[Lady Red]

I'll pass on the compliment! In case you are thinking the pale golden hen is Butters, though, actually Butters is the mahogany Buckeye and Queenie is the yellow Buff Orpington. Butters the Buckeye got her name because as a chick she WAS a pale yellow, with with a plain yellow head with no stripe. But they are both very beautiful!

Busted! I did think Queenie was Butters.

If it excuses my assumption, I have a hard time keeping my own crew's names straight. Dr. Tacky and Pingu swap names on a daily basis, and when I'm scolding a human they've sometimes been called the dog's name while I'm running thru the list until the right one sticks.

 

[BY Bob]

The girls are enjoying their new roof, as it’s raining today. I road-tested my raincoat.

View attachment 2648535

And the results of the road test I assume are good?

 

[BY Bob]

Miss Rosie demanding her bedtime cheese snack.
View attachment 2648537
Brenna suddenly has a golden streak on one feather, it flashes when she moves just so. Very hard to photograph!
View attachment 2648538

I love these random feathers. Hattie and Phyllis have them too.

 

[BY Bob]

Fact: A lot of animals can transmit C diff. Dogs and cats are well known carriers and far more likely transmitters than chickens.

Fact: Once you have C diff, you always have C diff. It is the normal flora (the bacteria already in your colon) that keep it at bay.

Fact: C diff is highly resilient and is frequently found on the skin of people who have had it for long periods of time afterwards.

Fact: The typical C diff outbreak requires something to upset your normal flora. Usually that is an antibiotic but it could be something as seemingly innocuous as eating too much broccoli.

Opinion: I believe that it is far more likely that you are having a reccurance of your own C diff than you caught it from hatching eggs, chickens, dogs, a friend who is a nurse, anything else.

My mother suffered with C diff for years. It is a terrible disease. Her's was antibiotic associated. It recurred at random. We could never figure out why it decided to recur at any particular point. It was only cured by fecal transplant. Despite that, she still lives in fear that it still could recur at any point.

Chicken tax

 

[LozzyR]

And??? Did the magnificent raincoat work?

Seemed to! Although the hood kept slipping back a bit so kept getting spots of rain on my glasses, which was a bit annoying. If I wear my hubby’s cap underneath, it’s peak would fix that. It seemed to keep the rest of me dry though! Need to wear it when it buckets down, see how effective it is, although my shoes and trouser hems would get soaked. A random stranger complimented me on it at the shop!

Chicken tax