Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Or be a chicken yourself

Yup. That would do it.

 

[featherhead007]

Yup. That would do it.

 

[BY Bob]

Snow? In October? In the UK? WOW

I was thinking the same thing!

 

[BY Bob]

Maybe but it could also be it is the only famlier comforting item in the coop.

They had never met the heater before. Their heat block which they have known since they arrived here is in the other (nest box) end. Their food and water dishes are at that end though and they could have been seen as familiar.

 

[RoyalChick]

They had never met the heater before. Their heat block which they have known since they arrived here is in the other (nest box) end. Their food and water dishes are at that end though and they could have been seen as familiar.

I am guessing they will own the whole space within 24 hours. The next challenge is roosting!

 

[Shadrach]

No I think this is not right.
Euthenize when an animal is unable to live a good life. The cause doesn't matter. Chickens (and cats) are hard to judge because as prey animals they hide weakness, and that is why careful observation of your chickens is so important.
To me that is the lesson here.
@micstrachan watches her ladies very carefully and I have full confidence that she was able to tell when Ruby had good days and when she stopped having good days.
We should all aspire to knowing our friends that well so we can make those difficult judgements at the right time.

This ^^

 

[AfiafiAfi]

I’m sure u do Bob, Lilly brought me a rat today and I’m not so mad at her I guess…
Era tried finding me more rats as a sorry but he got me (at last) a tissue paper. And I dumbly admire it.
And he also did ‘the’ bad stuff on it….

 

[BY Bob]

I would guess from my own experiences and what little I know of you that this is one of the harder things in life you're had to do.
They're chickens Bob and much as you may love them they need to live with other chickens.
The next step I assume will be trying to introduce Phyllis. That will also be very stressful.

If I stick to chickens, this is probably one of the harder things things I have done in my life as a chickeneer. Your comment got me thinking as to why.

• First, I think it is clear that we have bonded. I know that it is an artificial thing because they had no Mum to raise them. I have provided food and safety for them.
• But why did these bond with me while Hattie and the others we brooded did not? This is the first time I brooded them in my office. In the past we have used the spare bedroom or the basement. These ladies were with me most of the daylight hours 5 days a week and several hours each weekend.
• After the disaster of the mail order chicks, I was essentially "like a mother hen". I worried over every sound, every peep. I was (am) constantly watching them sleep on camera. I am going from watching their every move to letting them be on their own now. This is not a gradual pulling away but a dramatic shift in the time we spend together.
• It was very difficult to give up Ned and Lucky last year. But I knew from the start I would need to and I kept a little distance because of that. Not that they accepted that. I knew they were going to a great home and just look at them now. @CrazyChookChookLady has given them a better home than likely even I could have done. I have had no need to keep a distance from these two and have thus dived into the relationship with no restrictions.
• I have great anxiety about this next portion. Raising them in the brooder was essentially the easy part. Now we are going to find out if they can live with Phyllis and if this whole project will be a success. There is a lot at stake here. I could mess it up and ruin some chicken lives in the process.

This is just a smattering of what I think is driving me emotionally right now. They are only 6 weeks old right now. We have a long way to go and many bridges to cross. At this point though, their first night outside seems to have been a success. I will take that and try not to worry too much about the next step and just enjoy each challange as they come.

But it definitely is hard to give them up. Even a little.

 

[BY Bob]

I lost my Clover earlier this year. She had a prolapsed vent, a really bad one. I just was torn in two because she was acting normal, but couldn't live the rest of her life in a box! Her sisters tried to peck at it, which would have made it much worse. I did end up putting her down but had to leave her. I just couldn't stand to see her in pain. I tried everything, and so did you @micstrachan .

I am so sorry for your loss.

Thank you for sharing that. I know it is not easy but I'm sure that it will help @micstrachan

 

[Chicken poppy]

Emmy! What are you doing on that?