Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

An old video for Fluffy Butt Friday!

 

[micstrachan]

Ugh these little critters are just a constant source of worry! I worry because Diana lays eggs almost every day (thank goodness she took a couple of days off).
Now I am worried because the Roadrunners are not laying eggs at all. And Minnie is sort of 'off'.
She didn't join in the fun from the bag of leaves but went to bed early instead. And when everyone came up and bothered her she just went and roosted on her own on another roost.
She did do that once before and then I was worried because it was very cold. It is chilly now but not dangerously cold so I am more worried it is a sign of something wrong. She looked fine on a cursory inspection while she was on the roost but if she isn't her usual perky self in the morning I will do a more thorough inspection and spend more time observing her.
It seems like it is always something!

I saw someone else, Bob, I think, post that her molt is probably about to start. I agree.

 

[bgmathteach]

Two little redheaded hens (totally out of control) free to good home. Just take over my headaches
I’m kidding, I wouldn’t ever give away Arizona and Dakota. But they are very headstrong!

Oh, you love it! Besides, you need a few 'head strong' ladies to keep you in check!

 

[micstrachan]

No Chicken Encounters

Tonight I held no chickens, no chickens roosted on my shoulder, and no chickens needed my help.

Phyllis roosted in the main coop and the littles put themselves to bed. I sat alone as they took care of their own business.

They grow up so fast.

View attachment 2859721

That’s a good thing, Bob. They still love and need, you, however. Just not every single moment.

 

[micstrachan]

My poor truffles, keeps getting rejected my his love emily. He got “stuck” in the fence (lost his way back out, we helped him after) and he stared at emily and slid a seed threw the fence, like tidbitting, and she walked away and he followed her til the fence ended, i felt so bad.

Awww… poor guy!

 

[micstrachan]

Thank you, I hope it does help.

It does.

 

[micstrachan]

I feel terrible Coco was in the coop trying to hatch a golf ball. She sat for an hour in there, so I picked her up and brought her inside. As I was carrying her, she dropped her egg out onto the floor and broke. I thought that maybe she was sick, but nope. She was only taking her time laying an egg! I feel so bad for even bothering her

Don’t worry; she’ll be fine. I once took someone I thought was broody out, too, only to discover she needed to lay. It happens.

 

[Scrambles83]

@Marie2020 : I hope I haven't come across as harsh. I feel very strongly that these high production breeds should never have been bred. It is the worst sort of abuse. I greatly admire those who are able to rescue them & give them good lives. I'm a lousy nurse & have learnt that's not for me but it's also why I won't have even young birds of this sort in my tribe.

I loved my 2 ISA’s but yes they are short lived (Bokky was 3, Penny just over 2&1/2) and couldn’t get them again due to this.
I’m hoping my sussexes will last longer the heartache is too much

 

[micstrachan]

There are a number of sicknesses that vets, even the good ones either cannot diagnose due to lack of knowledge, or due to lack of equipment and finances.
There are many case where further intervention are not in the best interests of the chicken
Briken limbs is one but I read of some truely barbaric lashups were people have made slings and put the poor chicken through maybe weeks of agony in an attempt to fix such things.
For a great many of the internal and reproductive problems in hens my view now is kep them as comfortable as one can, but either let them die or when it is apparent that they no longer have a reasonable quality of live, help them to die.
This belief we have that we can fix everything often causes more pain and distress than an assisted exit.

I get this, Shad. I feel terribly for assisting Ruby to live so long. At the same time, she really seemed to WANT to live. I do understand I could be anthropomorphizing, reading her prey behavior incorrectly. But I did my best.

Here she is the day before she died. Not perfect by any stretch, but did not necessarily seem ready to die. I knew there was nothing more I could do for her and was trying to make her as comfortable as possible through the weekend to have her euthanized on Tuesday when the avian vet would be open.

 

[bgmathteach]

Celebration of Maleficent

I accidentally posted this on @Ribh thread last night. For those who don't read her thread, if there are any, here is a link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ribhs-dcoopage.1295189/post-22366898

Thank you for posting the link to Mal's tribute here, @BY Bob. It brought tears to my eyes! I'm quite sure Aurora still thinks of/misses her friend, too.

I'm not on @Ribh's thread. I'm only up to page 930 on your link...the thought of trying to play catch up on another thread, too, is overwhelming!