Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Marie2020]

@Shadrach I can answer your question now. I wanted to wait until things settled down with the chicks, out of respect. My flock/tribe is mostly fine. I lost Dorothy last week… she was the mostly White Leghorn that had trouble making egg shells. Ruby, the Buckeye on hormones, has had three episodes where I thought for sure it was the end. But she has fought like hell. There is an incredible will to live in that bird. I had vowed not to tube feed her, as I thought it would be cruel to force her to live. She started getting very, very weak, but still seemed to want to live. So I changed my mind and started tubing. I kind of regret not doing it sooner, as she is responding well. At the same time, sometimes I think maybe I should have had her euthanized at her last avian vet appointment. I’m kind of thinking I’d like to build her up and then the moment she turns the other way, end it. Here was this morning’s feeding:

As for me, I got extremely stressed and ended up with high blood pressure and tachycardia. Stopping my morning cuppa joe and taking a break from work brought my blood pressure down, but the tachycardia still pops up now and then. Was allergic to a med and ended up in the ER, but I’m mostly well. I will need to wear a heart monitor for a couple weeks to get a definitive diagnosis, as my little pocket heart monitor thought it might be atrial fibrillation (diagnosis is currently supraventricular tachycardia).

You may remember last year the rats ravaged my tomato garden. This year, my tomatoes are kicking a$$. Happy about that!

You are incredibly gentle. Lucky chicken

 

[Scrambles83]

@Shadrach I can answer your question now. I wanted to wait until things settled down with the chicks, out of respect. My flock/tribe is mostly fine. I lost Dorothy last week… she was the mostly White Leghorn that had trouble making egg shells. Ruby, the Buckeye on hormones, has had three episodes where I thought for sure it was the end. But she has fought like hell. There is an incredible will to live in that bird. I had vowed not to tube feed her, as I thought it would be cruel to force her to live. She started getting very, very weak, but still seemed to want to live. So I changed my mind and started tubing. I kind of regret not doing it sooner, as she is responding well. At the same time, sometimes I think maybe I should have had her euthanized at her last avian vet appointment. I’m kind of thinking I’d like to build her up and then the moment she turns the other way, end it. Here was this morning’s feeding:

As for me, I got extremely stressed and ended up with high blood pressure and tachycardia. Stopping my morning cuppa joe and taking a break from work brought my blood pressure down, but the tachycardia still pops up now and then. Was allergic to a med and ended up in the ER, but I’m mostly well. I will need to wear a heart monitor for a couple weeks to get a definitive diagnosis, as my little pocket heart monitor thought it might be atrial fibrillation (diagnosis is currently supraventricular tachycardia).

You may remember last year the rats ravaged my tomato garden. This year, my tomatoes are kicking a$$. Happy about that!

That video was very informative, and you are so soft and calm. I’m not sure I could ever tube feed but so much respect for you

 

[LozzyR]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who chickens in her PJs.

You most definitely are not!

 

[Marie2020]

That video was very informative, and you are so soft and calm. I’m not sure I could ever tube feed but so much respect for you

That takes some doing. I've never observed that before

 

[RoyalChick]

Put peanut butter on the nipples, then press a couple of pieces of scratch (or mealy worms or whatever their favorite snack is)

Clever idea. Turns out the young ladies learned on their own by copying the big Princesses.

 

[RoyalChick]

It looks like she’s wearing epaulettes
Or has eagle wings!

 

[RoyalChick]

Let's Talk Rediculous

After everything that has happened it is like the rest of the tribe has been ignored. Well they sort of chose the morning to act up. After Phyllis had Sylvie and things seemed OK, I thought I could rest for a moment under the magnolia tree.

That's when the ruckus started.

This went on and on. It all seemed focused on the run where the big, no longer needed, new coop is.

So I had to quiet them down, so I went and investigated. Someone finally figured out there were new nest boxes. It's only been almost a week. Guess who!

Spoiler: Who is in the new coop?

View attachment 2788095

This lead to everyone trying to find a place in the run to lay an egg. Including this exploration of the nest box in the run.

View attachment 2788096

Well as you can hear, everyone was calling to everyone. No one was where they should be. Lilly was extremely put out by all of it.

Guess how many eggs were laid in the run today.

0

After all that. Go figure.

---

I don’t know why, but I love that!

 

[Marie2020]

My cat is being such a good protector. He's on constant watch out with the chickens.

He fought off a cat that tried to get Into the garden yesterday and is keeping vidual even when it rains, the girls go into the coop and he goes under the shelter to keep out of the rain. I'm giving him extra food because he's working a full time job now

I'm really surprised and deeply impressed how dedicated he is too keeping guard on my girls I haven't seen a mouse since the other morning

They are not bothered at all when he's there anymore

 

[Marie2020]

You most definitely are not!

You should see what I wear or nearly wear. Thank goodness no one can see me

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

My cat is being such a good protector. He's on constant watch out with the chickens.

He fought off a cat that tried to get Into the garden yesterday and is keeping vidual even when it rains, the girls go into the coop and he goes under the shelter to keep out of the rain. I'm giving him extra food because he's working a full time job now

I'm really surprised and deeply impressed how dedicated he is too keeping guard on my girls I haven't seen a mouse since the other morning

They are not bothered at all when he's there anymore

What a clever boy.