Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Very helpful.
I think I will adjust my cut off to bringing her in when we hit the teens rather than single digits which will be several nights this week.
I would bring her into the garage and put cardboard boxes around her because I think there are drafts underneath the garage doors (or maybe put her container in a wheel barrow so there is some draft protection all around).
The garage is unheated - at single digits outside I had an issue with the utility sink faucet freezing so I will have a small (750W) heater under the utility sink. I doubt it will make a huge difference to the area as a whole.
I could move her into the mud room which gets down to about 35 degrees when it is single digits - but again I am worried about a utility sink freezing so I may put a little heater under that sink too. Garage probably best and I will put a thermometer in there so I know what temperatures she was experiencing.

Straw bedding is an excellent insulator if you have it I would bed with that.

 

[Ponypoor]

Hopefully she’s okay

Well she just came galloping down the alleyway with the rest, it's almost scratch grain time at 3pm hahaha.

Heaven forbid she misses that!!!!

 

[Ponypoor]

I need advice from all you chicken-people.
This is the back of Diana’s head. It has been like this for weeks now. The rest of her seems to be fully feathered so I am not so worried about her in the cold - but my guess is she cannot reach to preen the back of her head.
Will the casings fall off on their own? Should I help?
Maggie had the same thing but her feathers emerged just fine.

View attachment 2971122View attachment 2971123

She should be able to scratch there herself, having said that my Rooster-Brat seemed to enjoy when I groomed his neck feathers, the casings would break open when I was rubbing them and scratching with my nails.

Does she enjoy being handled ? I would guess it all comes down to that.

 

[Ponypoor]

Monday Mug:
Isabella checking out the path I dug for them.
View attachment 2971027
Bonus:
Rema (beta hen) keeping an eye out while the others are occupied with the compost bin.
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Awesome pics! That's a good chunk of snow you have.

I see it's warmed up a bit for you way up there and you sent the cold here thanks...

 

[RoyalChick]

She should be able to scratch there herself, having said that my Rooster-Brat seemed to enjoy when I groomed his neck feathers, the casings would break open when I was rubbing them and scratching with my nails.

Does she enjoy being handled ? I would guess it all comes down to that.

None of mine like being handled. Diana will tolerate it but I prefer not to impose myself if possible. She sat on the arm of my chair today taking in the sun and I tried to preen the top of her head but she politely moved further off.
I guess I will just have to be patient!

 

[MaryJanet]

Fish is good also, no-salt sardines. Are you going to try the heating pad wrap on her roost spot? She will love it. Go on, spoil her!
I'm way behind again, trying to read MJ's thread too!

It's not good news. Give it a miss.

 

[MaryJanet]

I need advice from all you chicken-people.
This is the back of Diana’s head. It has been like this for weeks now. The rest of her seems to be fully feathered so I am not so worried about her in the cold - but my guess is she cannot reach to preen the back of her head.
Will the casings fall off on their own? Should I help?
Maggie had the same thing but her feathers emerged just fine.

View attachment 2971122View attachment 2971123

Mary sometimes carries her head feather casings for a while. I didn't do anything about it and they fell off eventually.

 

[MaryJanet]

Very helpful.
I think I will adjust my cut off to bringing her in when we hit the teens rather than single digits which will be several nights this week.
I would bring her into the garage and put cardboard boxes around her because I think there are drafts underneath the garage doors (or maybe put her container in a wheel barrow so there is some draft protection all around).
The garage is unheated - at single digits outside I had an issue with the utility sink faucet freezing so I will have a small (750W) heater under the utility sink. I doubt it will make a huge difference to the area as a whole.
I could move her into the mud room which gets down to about 35 degrees when it is single digits - but again I am worried about a utility sink freezing so I may put a little heater under that sink too. Garage probably best and I will put a thermometer in there so I know what temperatures she was experiencing.

I'm thinking of how chickens feel stress when separated from the flock and I'm wondering if providing warmth in the palace might be a better option. Is there something you could plug in?

 

[Lexicon]

Awesome pics! That's a good chunk of snow you have.

I see it's warmed up a bit for you way up there and you sent the cold here thanks...

Yes, our weather has been incredible! Funny when those of us in the sub-arctic are so warm while others are dealing with our usual weather!

We do end up with copious amounts of snow every winter though, just because we keep every flake that falls. Temperatures above freezing are very uncommon here from November through March.

 

[Ponypoor]

Yes, our weather has been incredible! Funny when those of us in the sub-arctic are so warm while others are dealing with our usual weather!

We do end up with copious amounts of snow every winter though, just because we keep every flake that falls. Temperatures above freezing are very uncommon here from November through March.

We were really spoilt here due to the mild autumn and early winter

Then when winter kicked into high gear with freezing temps we were all 'surprised' hahaha. Still have hardly any snow though.

Guess I need to post my chicken tax for Whining about the weather...

Blast from the past, my 3 wee Silkies as wee babies back in April