Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I’m back. Everything works fine. I received my certificates and am ready for the Hawaii trip. I returned before dark, and dismissed my chicken sitters for the evening. I’m going to go spend some time with my feathered family now. (I will catch up with FBA later

I'm glad everything went well. This will be quite a fun adventure for you.

 

[BY Bob]

This is the best I could do for my Monday mugs today.

Ginger
View attachment 2748834

Maryanne
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Mrs. Howell
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Those are excellent mugs! We'll done. It is nice to see you beautiful ladies again!

 

[BY Bob]

I'm sorry to say, but my experience here leads me to the same conclusion. Their reproductive systems are messed up and I've had to come to accept it. We now just try to make the best of the situation.

It is indeed sad but true. The good news is that if they were in a production hen environment they will simply cull them. Instead they get to live their lives with caring people and experience the joys of being a chicken.

 

[BY Bob]

Note I started this post early Monday, but my internet connection is bad at the moment so:

Well, I have found a downside to the Chicken Trailer. Northern Fowl Mites… I candled some eggs under my broody bully girl on Sunday, and she, and I’m assuming the whole free range flock, have them. Going to make a “late night run” into the Barn as soon as Haying is done and just dose everyone with Ivomec. The eggs, from Little Red and my late “favorite” Girl of Roostie were all infertile. I have replaced them with eggs from my Friends flock, “BarnAucanas” from his not quite up to breed standards Barnvelder Rooster who looks amazing for 6+ years old, and some Ameraucana girls get took in from the person who has the farm I brooded at, where I’ve been gardening, and where we get our water from.

Saturday we had a great market day, our first real market since summer 2019. We netted $200 in about 4 hours, our friend cross marketed their amazing Sauerkraut and grossed $136.

And unfortunately I have some more really sad news. Today we lost Roostie. Early afternoon while we were moving the meat birds in preparation for tomorrow’s road trip to freezer camp, he squared off with Cass. No apparent physical damage was done, their hackles were raised and there were a few brief bits of sparring before I ran around the fence and broke them up. Not a drop of blood was spilled but Roostie was clearly strained he was droopy and listless. I worry about his heart as he’s well over 13lbs again (as a two and a bit year old Meat bird Rooster that’s not as overweight as it seems) I moved him and his ladies back to the proper side of the fence, fed him some egg yolk by hand and made sure he drank water. They were doing fine when I left for dinner at 6. Everything seemed back to normal. When we got home at 9:40 (some chickens were still even outside, as it was mostly light out!) he was gone. Very purple comb and wattles, so I am thinking this heat wave and the stress combined just pushed him past his limits. He had put all his ladies up for the night, so I tucked them in… and now I just don’t know what to do. Roostie my “free” Rooster with his adorable waddle, gentle Nature, and ability to parent the younglings is irreplaceable. I am quite heartbroken, he has two babies. One cockerel and one of unknown gender.

Oh Kris. I am so sorry.

He was a rock for you. The poor guy. Sometimes they leave us all too soon. That was a great life for a meat bird rooster. You surely did good by him.

 

[BY Bob]

I think amber laid this egg this morning. The second one this year

View attachment 2749058

Excellent! We'll done Amber!

 

[Marie2020]

I would totally be playing with that myself!

So would I

 

[Marie2020]

Amber and princess. Worried about ambers pale wattle

 

[Marie2020]

I can't leave out my flexi

 

[Kawi_girl]

Note I started this post early Monday, but my internet connection is bad at the moment so:

Well, I have found a downside to the Chicken Trailer. Northern Fowl Mites… I candled some eggs under my broody bully girl on Sunday, and she, and I’m assuming the whole free range flock, have them. Going to make a “late night run” into the Barn as soon as Haying is done and just dose everyone with Ivomec. The eggs, from Little Red and my late “favorite” Girl of Roostie were all infertile. I have replaced them with eggs from my Friends flock, “BarnAucanas” from his not quite up to breed standards Barnvelder Rooster who looks amazing for 6+ years old, and some Ameraucana girls get took in from the person who has the farm I brooded at, where I’ve been gardening, and where we get our water from.

Saturday we had a great market day, our first real market since summer 2019. We netted $200 in about 4 hours, our friend cross marketed their amazing Sauerkraut and grossed $136.

And unfortunately I have some more really sad news. Today we lost Roostie. Early afternoon while we were moving the meat birds in preparation for tomorrow’s road trip to freezer camp, he squared off with Cass. No apparent physical damage was done, their hackles were raised and there were a few brief bits of sparring before I ran around the fence and broke them up. Not a drop of blood was spilled but Roostie was clearly strained he was droopy and listless. I worry about his heart as he’s well over 13lbs again (as a two and a bit year old Meat bird Rooster that’s not as overweight as it seems) I moved him and his ladies back to the proper side of the fence, fed him some egg yolk by hand and made sure he drank water. They were doing fine when I left for dinner at 6. Everything seemed back to normal. When we got home at 9:40 (some chickens were still even outside, as it was mostly light out!) he was gone. Very purple comb and wattles, so I am thinking this heat wave and the stress combined just pushed him past his limits. He had put all his ladies up for the night, so I tucked them in… and now I just don’t know what to do. Roostie my “free” Rooster with his adorable waddle, gentle Nature, and ability to parent the younglings is irreplaceable. I am quite heartbroken, he has two babies. One cockerel and one of unknown gender.

I don’t say much on this thread yet this was very sad to read. I didn’t think I’d like chickens so much yet I now understand how they can bring so much joy, and that certain individuals really touch us somehow. I’m sorry for your loss

 

[featherhead007]

So sorry for the loss of your Roostie. I have no words for you. I’m still hurting over the loss of my other roosters BEN, and BLU. All I can say, is I understand just how you must feel. After all, they are pets, not just poultry.