Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Lovely! Wonderful that they both are feeling better Your girls are lovely, and I just love that they talk back to you all the time...so sweet

 

[GregnLety]

That's awesome

Rosie might have stayed up until 12:30 this morning doing her 4-H project but she came home with a blue ribbon and moves onto the county fair in May. Also a month ago her grade took the PSATs for the first time. There was a incentive in math that any student who scored a 450 or better received a $50 gift card. I told her to try her best, but if she got a 450 I would match the $50. The math teacher announced their scores today over lunch and named the students who will get a gift card at the beginning of next school year. I owe my child some money.

 

[bgmathteach]

My other thought is to immobilize Bernadette somehow maybe using a sling, or wrapping her up. I could make her into a vet wrap burrito.

Wrap her up with a washcloth or hand towel...like a baby in a bunting, with just her legs out, wings tightly held against her, but loose by her head to breathe...but flopping over it so also dark & calming.

 

[LozzyR]

Are there really ever tame bees?

Think before you answer.........

Do stingless bees count?

 

[bgmathteach]

Grumble Grumble

Betty was throwing a fit this morning and it took me a minute to figure out what was happening.

I realized that only Phyllis and Lilly were ranging. Everyone else were laying eggs.

In box #1 we had Aurora
In box #2 we had Hattie
In the Cluckle Hut we had Sydney

So where was Betty to lay her egg?

Maybe nest box #3?

Apparently that was unacceptable.

So she chose to lay her egg here.
View attachment 3062063

That's right.

In a box with Aurora!

And Betty is the one grumbling. Listen to her in this video. You can hear Sydney in the background having laid her egg and celebrating.

Has anyone ever heard a hen do that before. I have not. Even Hattie seems perplexed by the goings on!

I have, but not too often, as usually one will evict the other. Poor Aurora...can't even lay an egg in peace! She was so patient with Betty, despite clearly being disturbed!

 

[rural mouse]

I've used cardboard feet to great success...but they also weren't as old as Hector & gang. Try placing feet on cardboard (like that from a cereal box or similar), arranging toes straight, and tracing the foot...cut out the pattern & using Vet rap, 'tape' the cardboard foot to his feet, and make sure to go around and up the leg a bit to keep it from sliding forward off his foot. He will walk a bit funny, but should last a couple of days.(if he doesn't peck it to peices...which the vet rap will help reduce.) FYI: I cut the narrow width vet rap in half lenght wise for little tykes ...I find it much easier to work with.

I hope this helps...and the Vit. B, too!

It does help. How long a strip of vet wrap? Multiple strips? Does the direction of the wrap matter? Eg: opposite the direction the toes are curving?

 

[fuentemoon]

My girls will climb in with another sometimes. Alinta climbed in with Rosie just the other day, despite being pecked at. They have both decided nest 1 is best. Brenna prefers #2 in the middle, she laid her first egg of the year today.

"Here let me get that for you"

 

[BY Bob]

Good grief - she has some nerve that Betty!

It's hard to suppress her. She has drive that one.

 

[BY Bob]

I don't know whether to hope there is something that can be improved environmentally (giving the remaining ones a better chance) or not - meaning it is genetics that you can't fix.

I'm afraid this is likely true. She wasn't with @LozzyR that long.

 

[bgmathteach]

Any advice on restraining chick while doing this? Any idea how long the vit B takes to make a difference?

Wrap snuggly with a washcloth like a baby bunting...with feet exposed and end of washcloth loosely flopping over head for some darkness. Should be snug enough to keep wings still. Have vet wrap pre-cut into usable lengths. Too long and gets tangled up. Too short and ends up useless.

@RoyalChick & @rural mouse
Merek's Vit. Deficiency in Chicks Seems to indicate riboflavin (vit, B2) for curled toes, and that a 100mcg dose, followed by adequate amounts in diet, should be enough.