Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Just going by the girls' reaction I knew I was onto something good

They will tell you.

 

[Scrambles83]

Being Grandpa

Since rebuilding one daughter's bathroom I have been at the other's house babysitting. (boy do I miss my bed) Here is a couple of quick photos for all you Eve fans out there.

Hanging out watching Bluey.
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Watching the bawk bawks back in Hershey. Who is she pointing out?
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Riding the escalator over and over with grandma.
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She’s just gorgeous

 

[Kris5902]

I am far behind and may have to post some SHRA tax. After researching diatomaceious earth (DE) - (AFTER I bought it too) - all over the internet but especially here on BYC, I highly recommend against using it. If I read ahead and see no one agrees with this, I'll try to find the very good BYC posts here by members I grew to respect that convinced me and post links. I recall @Shadrach mentioned how in his coop builds he makes them very mite-intolerant, and blow-torch-able. I believe he did this so as not to use chemicals or DE.

Soapbox warning a la @Kris5902

Spoiler: Anti-DE rant

I don't think diatomaceous earth (DE) is safe to use around chickens that you are trying to keep alive for a long time and which you care about their quality of life. (So it might be often used in meatbird and large-processed chicken environments, I don't know). It is a fine glass-like substance that works to kill things by it's sharpness. I do not want it in my lungs or my chicken's lungs. Keep it for your garden where you can use it on the soil against slugs, but use it outdoors only and stay out of the dust if the breeze blows it around when you're placing it (you'll notice that masks are recommended when using it - why do think that is? Then why on earth would you put it in your chicken's dustbath?). It is effective, but terrible for the lungs, and something that would/should be a last resort to using in a coop - and not with any chickens around until treatment had finished and it had all been cleaned / hosed out.

Thanks for saying this! I was going to as well but lost the quote and haven’t had time to go back to it!

 

[MaryJanet]

"She's Gone" In Memorium

It was at approximately this time on June 28, 2019 (2 years ago) that my dear Patsy passed in my arms. I am going to commemorate the moment right now but I feel I need to do a full memorial celebrating her life. For now no Mr. Peabody, just a photo of her finally at rest in my arms.

Spoiler: Patsy at Peace

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I would love to read a Patsy tribute Bob. She was such an important hen in the history of Fluffy Butt Acres.

Also, this may seem like an odd thing to say, but you were lucky to be with her in her final moments. It's much nicer than discovering someone has gone. And it's so much easier to heal emotionally when you know you did all you could to honour the loved one in their last few breaths.

 

[MaryJanet]

I sure have! I will pay up immediately with SHRA tax.
It was supposed to be a fluffy butt picture of Minnie. But Dotty didn’t want to get left out.
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They have such a wonderful chickeny environment! Look at all those greens

 

[BY Bob]

I would love to read a Patsy tribute Bob. She was such an important hen in the history of Fluffy Butt Acres.

Also, this may seem like an odd thing to say, but you were lucky to be with her in her final moments. It's much nicer than discovering someone has gone. And it's so much easier to heal emotionally when you know you did all you could to honour the loved one in their last few breaths.

It's not odd. If I compare it to poor Maleficent who knew nothing but terror at the end.

Patsy knew love and comfort at the last. It was such a gift that I could be with her. I treasure those final moments.

 

[MaryJanet]

It's not odd. If I compare it to poor Maleficent who knew nothing but terror at the end.

Patsy knew love and comfort at the last. It was such a gift that I could be with her. I treasure those final moments.

I've read (perhaps it was one of Shad's drops of chicken wisdom) that because predation is part of life for chickens, they evolved to have a sort of shutdown when attacked and they go from Ok to coma very very quickly when a predator grabs them. It's why they're so easy to "hypnotise". If that's true, she would not have felt much terror at all, only deep sleep. I hope this thought is a comfort for you, it was for me.

 

[MaryJanet]

I am thinking about doing a thorough clean of my plastic Omlet coop as it's coming up on a year in late August. I haven't seen any mites though, and I've been looking now and then, basically looking for tiny moving specks. Or do you have to use a magnifying glass on the walls and cracks? Or on the chickens?

I believe you're safe from mites with a plastic coop if I'm wrong, I hope someone will speak up and correct me.

 

[Scrambles83]

It’s still Monday somewhere.
I haven’t been taking many photos lately, been busy so just enjoy the little time I get with the girls
Here’s some from this morning

I love Belle’s colours, she’s getting so many more spots as she grows, a lot more white through her, even on the tips of her tail feathers now.

 

[MaryJanet]

Hosing down the areas they hang out in is a huge help. @GrandmaDeKorte sprayed down her run yesterday and the air temp dropped 15 degrees!

Would that be evaporative cooling at work Bob?