Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Oh, @RoyalChick, I'm so sorry to see this.

I'm hoping it is just a vitamin/mineral deficiency and that she will be right as rain in a day or two!

How old are Maggie & Diana?

(How long do screws take to 'disintegrate' in stomach acid & pummeling by gizzard? Would their remains have been expelled by now? I assume the zinc coating has long ago worn off. However, could pieces still be in her and puncture something?) Just thinking out loud so to speak....I have absolutely NO idea about the answers to these questions.

Screws never disintegrate. They will likely be there forever. They wind up
Up acting like granite rocks for grinding. I was crazy trying to find every staple yesterday so there were none for them to eat.

 

[Marie2020]

@Marie2020 I had posted this before.....but reposting for your reference:

making a mouse trap with pop can and bucket & coat hanger.

Thank you for your input

 

[BY Bob]

How is Maggie today?

SHRA tax

 

[RoyalChick]

How is Maggie today?

She is definitely no worse, and the optimist in me says she is better, but I think objectively she is about the same.
Being about the same is probably on balance good news as it means whatever it is isn't rapidly rampaging through her brain and nervous system.
I also managed to observe her closely and she isn't suffering any kind of generalized brain issue - she is alert, she is accurate in her aim for a bug or a sunflower seed (or a Roadrunner for that matter!), and she is interested in her surroundings.

 

[RoyalChick]

If it helps, in another day (not more than 2) and if it's botulism she should start coming out of it. It does not last long.

Oh! That is very good to know. I thought it might be fatal - it is a nasty disease in people.

 

[RoyalChick]

I think it is too early to say that she is losing her. I'm being she starts to come out of it soon. Maggie is tough. She does not give up easy.

Yes she is a fighter for sure. She is enjoying being outside today - they are back in for now so I could get a bite to eat but I will be going out to sit with them again shortly. She and Diana are sunbathing and she has figured how to scratch even though she falls over when she wobbles on one leg.

 

[RoyalChick]

Screws never disintegrate. They will likely be there forever. They wind up
Up acting like granite rocks for grinding. I was crazy trying to find every staple yesterday so there were none for them to eat.

Yes - we went over visually three times and twice with a magnet - but she is so much more eagle-eyed than I am.
I will see how she does over the next couple of days and report to the vet and ask about another X-ray.

 

[micstrachan]

I've heard the Brown eggs take Easter egg dye colors and make them more vibrant. true?

I’d say darker and deeper, not necessarily more vibrant. Yellow wouldn’t be so great, I don’t think.

 

[BY Bob]

Winterizing

Yesterday I needed to cover the end of the run and porch with shower curtains as sustained winds up to 50 mph (80 kph) were due last night. I believe that @micstrachan asked how I secured it so I took photos of the process.

First, the end of the run takes a full shower curtain. I screw it on with the same screws and washers I use for the hardware cloth.

I then staple it to the bottom of the 2x4 as you can see above.

Then I use boards with screws to attach it via the 3 frame boards on the end. This pinches the shower curtain tight. See below:

I then staple it to the bottom board, top and bottom, and then replace the protective bricks.

With that we are done. It stood up to last night's wind storm beautifully.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I’d say darker and deeper, not necessarily more vibrant. Yellow wouldn’t be so great, I don’t think,

We used a dozen of my darker Marans eggs this year for easter. They worked great for blue, purple, red and green. You are right, yellow and orange do not work as great.