Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[fuentemoon]

I'm still 20 pages behind but there are joints with the plastic coop that I think could be hiding places for mites. It's not a one-piece extruded thing. However the plastic is probably easier to make very clean as it's a non-absorbent surface.

Mites like wood, it isn't just the crevices.

 

[Lady Red]

You all got me worked up about mites (no evidence of any...but still...)
So I grabbed a bunch of the mint we are growing around the yard and shredded them and sprinked around the run and coop.

Poor birds thought I had green treats for them and were massively disappointed it wasn't kale, collard or spinach.

 

[MaryJanet]

Mites like wood, it isn't just the crevices.

I was also thinking they'd prefer any wood nearby to plastic.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Well, today was heartbreaking and makes owning and raising chickens hard. One of my silkie chicks crashed today. Totally unexpected, it was perfectly fine yesterday and first thing this morning. At noon, it was found on it side seizing. I have no clue what happened, but before I could get it in the house it passed. This is the 2nd one out of 6 successfully hatched to pass and it was the 2nd biggest of the group. I'm going to be honest here, while they are adorable, and Rosie loves them if I can successfully raise just 2 of these for her I don't see myself hatching anymore for myself. After having large fowl raising true bantams is nerve wrecking. They were so tiny for so long that they were over 2 weeks old before I even felt comfortable letting them and momma free range for a few hours. I have a personal favorite of the group, and it is the tiniest but so sweet. I'm praying I do not loose anymore and that my tiny one thrives and turns out to be a pullet.

 

[RoyalChick]

I never want to eat properly in the heat. I'm usually too full from drinking so much water.

Honestly I just want to nap!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Well, I feel awful for adding this to the discussion. I have lost three Chickens in as many days. One Red Rock to the heat, I didn’t even know she was missing as I’ve been struggling with head counts with the new girls, four broody mamas, One batch of weanlings, and another attempt at brooding by my bully girl on top of this furnace we are experiencing as “weather”, and all the other chickens. Add in finger pecker and the buff lady in with Hawk and that’s 5 in less than a week. Roostie squashed his favorite hen, then accidentally cut her back when he was mounting her. She was on the road to recovery until today when I went into town. DH did not follow my I instructions for separation and she paid for it with her life. I was in town doing the feed run and letting my mother do her own shopping for a change. We also put down Little Red as his bumblefoot became complicated and was spreading rapidly. Roostie’s is responding to treatment though and the mamas are doing a great job with their babies. Also I soaked my cats today and it was so bloody hot they didn’t mind at all.

Hugs, for keeping it as together as well as you do during this really trying weather. which is just complicating everything! Everybody needs hugs here!

 

[BY Bob]

Geez. That is really hot. Poor chickens! My hottest day is tomorrow. I will repeat today’s regimen of keeping them in the shady complex until the sun starts to go down. And will hose down everything and provide frozen yoghurt.
Everyone has runny poo - but I assume that is just too much water. They seem OK otherwise. Well, apart from the continued egg issues.

Runny poo is to be expected from increased water intake. No worries there.

 

[BY Bob]

Everybody at one time or another, but especially Hazel, lightly pecks me and are continually inspecting, tasting and testing my various clothes while I work on something or just hang out with them, and I let them. When they peck flesh it's usually not hard, and if it gets hard I let them know I don't like it. Somebody, Popcorn? grabbed a mole on the back of my arm and really yanked and twisted the other day. I let out a yell and that ended that. "Oh, I guess that's NOT a bug? Sorry!" - and we'll see if that happens again....probably has to happen three more times though...

I do the same. However I scraped a knee once and Maleficent was certain the scab was a bug and hit me hard. Man that hurt.

 

[BY Bob]

I never want to eat properly in the heat. I'm usually too full from drinking so much water.

Same here. I drink so much when it's hot.


Oh no, I meant water. So much water.

 

[RoyalChick]

I do the same. However I scraped a knee once and Maleficent was certain the scab was a bug and hit me hard. Man that hurt.

Of mine I am only worried about Dotty. It is definitely an attack. She goes mainly for my ankles and when I turn around she stands up really tall and puffs her chest out and sort of runs at me. Definitely a fighting stance. I think she thinks I am a chicken from another tribe that needs to be run out of Dodge!