Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

Pretty soon I'm going to have to go get pictures and do a formal introduction to Squirrels hatch mate Basil. I've been watching this little guy very closely now ever since momma hen weaned him and his sister. Basil is wicked smart and very respectful. He shadows his daddy imitating everything he does. In doing so he's learned that if his daddy doesn't have to get on the roost himself and waits for me to put him up, why should he? He and Squirrel sleep beside him and while Squirrel hops up by herself, Basil waits. He sits right beside Drummie looking at me expectantly every night for his turn to be placed up. He also has just started in the last few days trying his hand at nest building. When a new nest spot is made or a old one has the hay messed up Drummie is the one to build or fix it. While Drummie does this Basil has been right there sometimes with his head in the way watching everything he does. Now he's trying his hand at it, all the while making the same noises and calls that Drummie does. Right now, Squirrel and Remi are the only 2 that pay attention to him but he's learning. I will consider myself very fortunate if he ends up being half the boy Drummie is, but so far he has been the only one who when I observe them its like watching a baby Drumstick all over again in behavior.

Oh my gosh, this is so adorable. Someday I will have roosters.

 

[micstrachan]

Beethov-Hen bit me when I was holding little Xzit today. Very jealous chicken, but it made me mad. View attachment 2728645

Bridge sometimes pecks at depending on who and how I’m holding. She’s the alpha, so…

Actually, sometimes it seems like jealousy, but other times it seems like she’s protecting the other bird, which is interesting, since Bridge totally trusts me.

 

[micstrachan]

Are the urates really that yellow or is it the picture?
Consistancy is good but the colour is worrying.

X2… those look quite yellow to me.

 

[micstrachan]

Naenae update

She laid (edited to say laid...originally said "passed" and don't want to scare anyone!) a soft shell egg last night. Full sized, just soft. We thought she would be ready to rejoin the others this morning.
Unfortunately, Naenae was still off this morning. Hubby put her outside before checking with me. I brought her back in bc she hadn't pooped in the "hospital" overnight. Good thing I did too - the other birds were curious about her backside and wanted to peck her
So bath time again.
Gave her fresh yogurt and feed mix and she ate a little. Had to get to my day job (yeah, the one that pays the chicken bills). Checked in on her about 90 minutes later and still no poo.
I wore gloves and lubricated a finger to determine what was going on with this poor girl. I could feel the egg. She expressed some watery poo.
I had adjusted the hospital to be darker in hopes it would prevent her internal clock from producing more eggs and to also feel more like a nesting box.
She used the bedding mat I put in, made a nest and sat.
About an hour later she had a hard shell egg under her. Wrinkly, but a full shell.

She still wasn't pooping, so I gave her an Epsom salt bath and wrapped her in a towel and held her while I wrote up contracts.
She was getting fidgety and crying for her sisters.
Took her outside and let her explore in front of the chicken yard. Her sisters were VERY jealous.
Naenae was feeling much better and scratched at the ground and ate at least FOUR worms.
She pooped 2x too!
So I put her back with the others and her tail is high and she is happy and running around and took a long dust bath too.

I'm telling you...I don't know if my heart can take all this! I've been crying off and on for these past 36 hours with literal tears because I'm trying my best to make sure she is healthy. And I didn't know if she would be past a 24 hour mark of feeling poorly.

Aww… Red. You sound like a mini Me. The heartache will continue, but clearly you are an attentive chicken mom and are doing well with them. All the good times are worth the heartache. I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve cried for Ruby and she’s still going!

 

[featherhead007]

Bridge sometimes pecks at depending on who and how I’m holding. She’s the alpha, so…

Actually, sometimes it seems like jealousy, but other times it seems like she’s protecting the other bird, which is interesting, since Bridge totally trusts me.

My Alpha hen The beautiful Beethov-Hen won’t let me pick her up ever!

 

[micstrachan]

They didn't look that yellow in real life - I was celebrating the passing of anything at that point however!

Oh, good! SHRA!

 

[micstrachan]

My Alpha hen The beautiful Beethov-Hen won’t let me pick her up ever!
View attachment 2732493

Sorry she won’t let you pick her up. She’s gorgeous. Love me a Brown Leghorn.

 

[micstrachan]

I found this, hopefully that helps!View attachment 2728990

Edit to add pic

This is great! And zucchini isn’t even on the list.

 

[featherhead007]

Well, yes. If Alex's all survived and the others didn’t… clearly there’s a difference in conditions.

My Roxy really struggled on the third day of heat recently, even though the temperature was dropping. I hadn’t implemented all the little extras since it wasn’t so hot, but did not take into account it was the third day in a row. Thankfully, I caught it in time and helped her through.

Whenever these things happen (sick birds, heat, whatever), I think, “What happens with birds with less attentive humans? They just die?”

Apparently… YES. So sad.

My birds don’t die, not on my watch! I will pay any price to protect my chickens!! And actually I have. (Bought a piece of land and moved back to California just for my feathered family)

 

[featherhead007]

This is great! And zucchini isn’t even on the lust.

List …. Spell check!