Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Marie2020]

I try to be rational at least three times a year!

Now don't go pushing that too hard.

 

[Marie2020]

Hmmm, not many feathers on that chicken Alex. Is she going through a bad moult?

I'm wondering what happened to her comb and wattles hmmm.

 

[BY Bob]

Hi folks. Sorry I’ve been absent. Last Thursday the power went out at our office and the middle school, which is a problem when you have COVID airflow requirements to meet. Then we had a board meeting that night. Then… wait for it… I HAD A GIRLS’ WEEKEND! Sorry about the shouting, but I’m excited!! We had a good time. I’m the one in the back with my hand holding a wine glass up in the air. I wasn’t having any fun at all. LOL. My sister is beside me under my other arm.
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In other news, Ruby is still with us, but open beak breathing a bit here and there. She’s still doing normal chicken things and even roosting.

Then there is this poor, sweet thing. Dear Minnie is in significant molt and having neurological symptoms. She can’t walk tonight and can barely stand. I’m not sure if she starved herself to the point of malnourishment while I was gone, if she injured herself, or if she has Marek’s and the molt is bringing out symptoms. Sadly, I think Marek’s is most likely. She’s inside for the night. Her crop is full of water, sardines and brown rice. She wouldn’t touch baby bird formula spiked with poultry vitamins, so I may tube that in the morning. I forgot which vitamins support neurological symptoms, so will need to look that up. I’m thinking B complex, selenium and E, but could be way off.
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I did also see Minnie preen while sitting and can stand for a short stint, if I stand her up, before she sits back down. Glad she’s doing normal chicken things besides standing, but she may be off her regular feed. I’ll try all the things I would recommend to anyone else… wait and see plus supportive care for a few days. I might try a chicken sling tomorrow, but she might be self-limiting her activity if she’s sore. Time will tell.

So many emoticons for his post.

First I am so happy you enjoyed the girls weekend. We need those times to reconnect and get away. They are too few these days.

Second I am really glad you did not do anything drastic with Ruby before going away. It is good to hear that she is still being a chicken.

I'm glad that you have caught Minnie's problems. Please keep us posted especially on how she is in the morning after having eaten.

 

[BY Bob]

Monday is once again done. Got called to work by the stagehand union for the first time since the shut down, so I will be going in for my first covid test tomorrow. Luckily they are doing saliva tests at the university testing center, so no nasal swab. Excited for the extra paycheck, hopefully the results are back in time. They require a negative test within 48 hours of working, but that us about the usual processing time

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Congrats on the call up. the test is negative. Lovely mugs.

 

[BY Bob]

Yeh, I had a feeling she was going to be aggressive. So glad you were there to intervene.

It was knowledge I wanted to have. This will influence how I do the integration now.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Well If it could go wrong with Holly setting this time around it did. I gave her 8 eggs when she went broody. She did everything right but a week in had terrible rains and flash flooding, her nest got wet. She refused to move so I rebuilt the nest for her. 2 1/2 weeks in had a egg explode under her. My god the stench was terrible and it got all over her and the remaining eggs. Cleaned the eggs as best I could, stripped and rebuilt the nest again and this time had to clean Holly. She did NOT appreciate it at all but after 30 minutes got all the goo and stink off of her. She had 2 chicks start hatching but die under her before they finished. Upon examination they never absorbed the yolk sacks and it looked like blood vessels got hit and they bled out. She had 2 chicks successfully hatch and she came off the nest with them yesterday. Did eggtopsies on the 3 that were left. 1 never started to develop but the other 2 I think the chicks died around the time the egg exploded under her. The 2 that made it are very strong and healthy. Again these 2 were Clover eggs that hatched and 1 has clean legs and 1 with feathered legs.
Introducing Frick and Frack.

 

[BY Bob]

Bob, I have 100% confidence in you for integration. No worries here at all.

Thanks I appreciate your confidence.

 

[BY Bob]

Your girly outing looked like fun.

I hope Minnie recovers. You are a good nurse.

She is one of the best chicken nurses I have seen. Just amazing!

 

[RoyalChick]

Well If it could go wrong with Holly setting this time around it did. I gave her 8 eggs when she went broody. She did everything right but a week in had terrible rains and flash flooding, her nest got wet. She refused to move so I rebuilt the nest for her. 2 1/2 weeks in had a egg explode under her. My god the stench was terrible and it got all over her and the remaining eggs. Cleaned the eggs as best I could, stripped and rebuilt the nest again and this time had to clean Holly. She did NOT appreciate it at all but after 30 minutes got all the goo and stink off of her. She had 2 chicks start hatching but die under her before they finished. Upon examination they never absorbed the yolk sacks and it looked like blood vessels got hit and they bled out. She had 2 chicks successfully hatch and she came off the nest with them yesterday. Did eggtopsies on the 3 that were left. 1 never started to develop but the other 2 I think the chicks died around the time the egg exploded under her. The 2 that made it are very strong and healthy. Again these 2 were Clover eggs that hatched and 1 has clean legs and 1 with feathered legs.
Introducing Frick and Frack.
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OMG Frick and Frack. Sooooooo cute!

 

[BY Bob]

Well If it could go wrong with Holly setting this time around it did. I gave her 8 eggs when she went broody. She did everything right but a week in had terrible rains and flash flooding, her nest got wet. She refused to move so I rebuilt the nest for her. 2 1/2 weeks in had a egg explode under her. My god the stench was terrible and it got all over her and the remaining eggs. Cleaned the eggs as best I could, stripped and rebuilt the nest again and this time had to clean Holly. She did NOT appreciate it at all but after 30 minutes got all the goo and stink off of her. She had 2 chicks start hatching but die under her before they finished. Upon examination they never absorbed the yolk sacks and it looked like blood vessels got hit and they bled out. She had 2 chicks successfully hatch and she came off the nest with them yesterday. Did eggtopsies on the 3 that were left. 1 never started to develop but the other 2 I think the chicks died around the time the egg exploded under her. The 2 that made it are very strong and healthy. Again these 2 were Clover eggs that hatched and 1 has clean legs and 1 with feathered legs.
Introducing Frick and Frack.
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Hello Frick and Frack. Welcome to the world little darlings.

Are you hoping for boys or girls?