Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

It’s cold (54°F and expected to drop at least another 12° tonight) and Flo’s molt is pretty heavy with lots of bare spots. I closed the window shutter beneath where she is roosting (still has doorknob holes drilled) and right now I’m heating up the coop by blowing a heater in the door. The pop door will remain open, as well as other window. I hope their body heat helps maintain some warmth for Flo. I’m about to go turn off the heater and shut the big door. If it were December and she were molting this hard, I might have to bring her in like Ester last year, but Flo seems to be handling it OK and separating her, even at night, would stress her out.

 

[LozzyR]

Just because. 4-minute video of nothing in particular. Just my lovelies on a Friday after work.

Aww, I love your videos Michelle; it feels like a mini-visit.

 

[micstrachan]

It’s cold (54°F and expected to drop at least another 12° tonight) and Flo’s molt is pretty heavy with lots of bare spots. I closed the window shutter beneath where she is roosting (still has doorknob holes drilled) and right now I’m heating up the coop by blowing a heater in the door. The pop door will remain open, as well as other window. I hope their body heat helps maintain some warmth for Flo. I’m about to go turn off the heater and shut the big door. If it were December and she were molting this hard, I might have to bring her in like Ester last year, but Flo seems to be handling it OK and separating her, even at night, would stress her out.

Correction. It’s already 48°. Poor Flo! I think I’ll get up early tomorrow, open the door and turn the heater back on until I leave for work. There is a wind advisory for tomorrow night and I’ll do the same thing I did tonight. She was working hard preening, so hopefully there’s a tiny bit of fluff on the ends of her pin feathers.

 

[BY Bob]

Informative!
Unfortunately, my tap water is not suitable (well water) it is extremely hard water, so it is distilled (only able to be gotten by the gallon), or sterile saline that are my real options.

Why would a poultry vet site say it is okay if it isn't? Like @BY Bob and others, I have no access to avian vets here. My dog/cat vet has given general advise (like when I had to amputate a leg...she confirmed that my dressings and topical applications were suitable to prevent infection and allow wound to heal...but only because I happened to have a dog annual visit that coincided with this need. She won't address things otherwise.

There is a lot of confusion around treating chickens in the vet world. Many are simply unprepared to do so. My veterinary textbook on treating chickens does not even mention cleaning things from their eyes.

 

[BY Bob]

Chicken taxes...View attachment 2890616View attachment 2890618View attachment 2890619View attachment 2890621View attachment 2890624

Beautiful chickens. You need to pay more tax.

 

[BY Bob]

Great idea! Heads up, after a break with a few days of none, there's another wave of Red-Tails coming south, 41 counted on Friday at the Franklin Mountain Hawkwatch site (25 miles from me).

Good lord! Thanks for the heads up. No free ranging today and maybe for a while.

 

[BY Bob]

And beautiful. I love the way they always look like they have places to go and things to do.

They love to be out ranging. Although at one point Saturday they wanted a break and chose this place to rest for a while.

I just love their attachment to home.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

They love to be out ranging. Although at one point Saturday they wanted a break and chose this place to rest for a while.

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I just love their attachment to home.

What a great portrait! Is that Sylvie on the right? Legertha is darker and has more poof? Or am I mixing them up? Anyway, that sideways look is quite dashing!

 

[BY Bob]

I feel in a good place with Maggie. She lays an egg every 3-5 days, is not letting her molt get her down, stays busy with her hobbies (sunbathing and destroying the long grass), and is chatty and friendly to me. She pops up onto the little side table by my chair for a chat every so often before jumping off back to whatever is on her to do list. I also love her rich mahogany feathers. She seems to have a very active oil gland and she keeps her new feathers well oiled.

Here she is demonstrating her philosophy of life which can be summarized as ‘keep your butt in the sun at all times’

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She is a special lady. I also love her beautiful feathers.

 

[BY Bob]

We had a good bit of sun today so the girls got 9 hours and 50 minutes outside. I feel good for the battery girl's having a good time after their awful ordeal being locked up and forced to lay then coming here and my three being so mean too them. Tina always came too tell me when she felt something was unfair and still does.

It didn't stop them finding their way around and taking the lead in some ways. They have taught everyone too tap the plant pots, I think they have now formed their own fluffy butt beat band

In return my old three have shown them very quickly how to dig into the mud and which grasses to eat.

Today was good for everyone now they are all tucked up as the sun retires

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I'm so glad everyone had a beautiful day. Sounds ideal.