Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

This young man right here, in my books he is a hero. Even mom admitted she did not know if she should love or hate him a hour ago.

What did he do you may wonder? He just killed a snake. I'm so proud of him, mom is slightly upset with him because it was a baby black snake. He also killed it right in front of mom so she knows it was him and not any of the other chickens that killed it. The reason mom is upset is she loves black snakes and will not let us kill them as they are a good snake to have around. Especially if you have a copperhead problem, which we do. The snake was trying to get into the coop with the baby chicks. I know it was little enough it could not have hurt them but it does not matter, Branch did his job. My big boys, they are terrified of it, will not come near it.

 

[RoyalChick]

They really look like grown ups!

 

[RoyalChick]

Farewell for Now

The time has come for me to step away for a bit. No I am not leaving permanently. The day has finally arrived and we are heading to Italy to marry my youngest off. I will be gone for 2 weeks and I will not be checking in on BYC. I will be in Italy for crying out loud. There will be no time for socializing about chickens.

I considered doing what @GrandmaDeKorte has done and freezing the thread thereby permitting no posts until my return. After all I am liable to be a 1,00 pages behind on my own thread when I get back. However, when I thought about what a wonderful hangout this is for everybody I decided to let you all roll without me.

I do need you to promise me you will all do some very particular things while I am gone.

1. Maintain the Holidays
   
   1. Fluffy Butt Friday
   2. Pony Sunday
   3. Mugs Monday
   4. 2fer Tuesday
   5. Thirsty Thursday
2. Keep on topic. For those that don't know, the topic is chickens. If you get off topic be sure to pay your tax. If someone doesn't pay their tax you are all empowered to call that person out.
3. Be Kind to Each Other. This is friendly place. Let's keep it that way. No nastiness, No "stalker-like" behavior. Silliness is OK. If a joke doesn't land, try to remember it was a bad attempt a humor and likely not meant to be mean.
4. Be Understanding and Supportive of each other. Remember, it is quite common for someone to be struggling with a chicken problem. We help each other here.
5. Be Welcoming to Newcomers. We were all newcomers at one time. Let them know this is a safe place and teach them the holidays.

I feel like I am leaving the teenagers alone in the house for the first time. I trust you to not wreck the place.

Most of all I need someone to do something for me. Could someone please keep track of all the important significant events which occur while I am gone. If you could please do that and PM me a summary on the morning of the 4/29 I would greatly appreciate it. My plan is to catch up while commenting in the current time. If I don't know what happened while I was out it might take me weeks to catch up.

Please know that I treasure you all and look forward to coming back to you. I knew that I had to tell you all i would be missing or else someone would call out a search party. You have no idea how much that means to me.

I will share photos when I return but here is one to provide some foreshadowing. This is the venue. It is an old monastery in Amalfi that has been converted to a hotel. The ceremony will be in either the old chapel or cloister depending on weather. The roof of the chapel collapsed hundreds of years ago. The reception will be on a patio looking out to the sea and the island of Capri.

View attachment 3064044

I will still be checking in today but once I board that flight I will be out of touch. If I'm lucky maybe I can see a genuine Italian Leghorn this time while I am over there.

So gorgeous - I am sure you will all have a wonderful time, and we will all try and behave ourselves. Most of the time.
Just one reminder - it is probably against any number of laws to smuggle an Italian Leghorn through US customs. I am sure you will be tempted. Just don't!
Have fun!

 

[RoyalChick]

Congratulations! I’m so pleased this can happen… I was wondering about the Italian Wedding Plans when the whole virus shutdown thing happened. I’m so glad it’s still on (I was afraid to ask). You clearly have a pet sitter arrangement all set up… you should have included a mandatory BYC account and daily chicken picture posting for us! Thanks for the heads up this time two whole weeks… yes, I’m fairly certain you would have had people literally showing up looking for you.

OMG of course ... ... ... part of the pet-sitting contract should have been daily updates to the thread.
Is it too late for that @BY Bob?

 

[RoyalChick]

This young man right here, in my books he is a hero. Even mom admitted she did not know if she should love or hate him a hour ago.
View attachment 3064121
What did he do you may wonder? He just killed a snake. I'm so proud of him, mom is slightly upset with him because it was a baby black snake. He also killed it right in front of mom so she knows it was him and not any of the other chickens that killed it. The reason mom is upset is she loves black snakes and will not let us kill them as they are a good snake to have around. Especially if you have a copperhead problem, which we do. The snake was trying to get into the coop with the baby chicks. I know it was little enough it could not have hurt them but it does not matter, Branch did his job. My big boys, they are terrified of it, will not come near it.
View attachment 3064125View attachment 3064126View attachment 3064127

Good job Branch!

 

[RoyalChick]

I just posted an update on Bernadette here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-leg-any-advice-please.1519956/post-25604835

Not much new news really but certainly no real progress so I am beginning to lose hope for her.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I just posted an update on Bernadette here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-leg-any-advice-please.1519956/post-25604835

Not much new news really but certainly no real progress so I am beginning to lose hope for her.

I just read your update, please do not give up on her. Remember Butter's injury? She was completely paralyzed on one side and could not stand at all for almost a week. We were very close to calling it quits and euthanizing her when she managed to stand with assistance for short periods of time. That led to taking a few steps with a very bad limp. She was in the house for a week and a half, then cage rest for another 4 weeks. When she was released from cage rest she was able to get around slowly with a noticeable limp that I thought would never go away. Now almost a year later if you look at her you would not know anything at all had happened to her. With Butter I learned muscle and nerve injuries take time to heal. If you are able to provide that time and tlc you may get your miracle. She definitely has 1 thing going for her, she is young and still growing so she may not need as much time as a adult or older hen.

 

[RoyalChick]

I just read your update, please do not give up on her. Remember Butter's injury? She was completely paralyzed on one side and could not stand at all for almost a week. We were very close to calling it quits and euthanizing her when she managed to stand with assistance for short periods of time. That led to taking a few steps with a very bad limp. She was in the house for a week and a half, then cage rest for another 4 weeks. When she was released from cage rest she was able to get around slowly with a noticeable limp that I thought would never go away. Now almost a year later if you look at her you would not know anything at all had happened to her. With Butter I learned muscle and nerve injuries take time to heal. If you are able to provide that time and tlc you may get your miracle. She definitely has 1 thing going for her, she is young and still growing so she may not need as much time as a adult or older hen.

I am not giving up yet but it is taking its toll on her. I can feel she is losing body condition. I really hope that youth will help her heal faster, but it also means she is missing more in her life. I cannot honestly say right now she is living a good chicken life for her age.
I do remember Butter but not all the details - could you post or pm me the link to her story?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

So, I don't know if any of you are aware of this...but I went from around 35-40ish chickens to around 70-75ish this past year (permanent ones, after processing extra boys and some of the older girls..plus 9 ducks). Well part of the reason for this 'explosion' was that TSC was A) selling chicks for 50 cents each REGULARLY last year, and B) I practically live there...and when some were getting too old & flying - setting off the alarm at night - the assistant manager said 'I"ll sell them to you for 10 cents each if you take all of them.' And he didn't count well. Of those, I sold a few to someone who works with hubby (at cost) once they were 10 weeks old, as she wanted to get into chickens for her grandkids...who now live with her (and there parents)

Okay...so I never wanted hybrids after all the talk here....nor leghorns due to all the production related issues. I now, however, have a number of ?Isa Browns?. Two days ago, one had a prolapse. She is only 8 mos. old, and is already frequently laying super huge double yolkers a couple of times a week I 'fixed' the prolapse. Well, Last night was my late night at work, so hubby let the chooks out to free range when he got home, topped them up with feed & h2o. I go to check on them and she is A) Prolapsed badly. B) The outside edge of prolapse is dried out & has feces caked on it, and is sticking out about twice as far as the other day. Sure enough, there is another HUGE egg in teh nest box she uses. I tried cleaning everything off, but the tissue doesn't look good...and she clearly was having trouble pooping...she had to force it out around the prolapse. I did the bet I could last night, but I don't see this as ever getting betterSo, I decided to cull her. I will do it tonight when I get home...so I have good light to work...and won't waste her body. Blessed and cursed...she was the friendliest of the ISAs..Blessed because she was very patient when I tried to help her, cursed because it only makes it harder to make that decision. I was on the fence about it last night...but, this morning, I realized it was the best thing to do for her.

@BY Bob : This is why I wouldn't intentionally get a leghorn. It is hard enough for me to process chickens that I KNOW I am going to process...but to have to put one down that is so young and I was planning on keeping...that is the pits.

 

[rural mouse]

Farewell for Now

The time has come for me to step away for a bit. No I am not leaving permanently. The day has finally arrived and we are heading to Italy to marry my youngest off. I will be gone for 2 weeks and I will not be checking in on BYC. I will be in Italy for crying out loud. There will be no time for socializing about chickens.

I considered doing what @GrandmaDeKorte has done and freezing the thread thereby permitting no posts until my return. After all I am liable to be a 1,00 pages behind on my own thread when I get back. However, when I thought about what a wonderful hangout this is for everybody I decided to let you all roll without me.

I do need you to promise me you will all do some very particular things while I am gone.

1. Maintain the Holidays
   
   1. Fluffy Butt Friday
   2. Pony Sunday
   3. Mugs Monday
   4. 2fer Tuesday
   5. Thirsty Thursday
2. Keep on topic. For those that don't know, the topic is chickens. If you get off topic be sure to pay your tax. If someone doesn't pay their tax you are all empowered to call that person out.
3. Be Kind to Each Other. This is friendly place. Let's keep it that way. No nastiness, No "stalker-like" behavior. Silliness is OK. If a joke doesn't land, try to remember it was a bad attempt a humor and likely not meant to be mean.
4. Be Understanding and Supportive of each other. Remember, it is quite common for someone to be struggling with a chicken problem. We help each other here.
5. Be Welcoming to Newcomers. We were all newcomers at one time. Let them know this is a safe place and teach them the holidays.

I feel like I am leaving the teenagers alone in the house for the first time. I trust you to not wreck the place.

Most of all I need someone to do something for me. Could someone please keep track of all the important significant events which occur while I am gone. If you could please do that and PM me a summary on the morning of the 4/29 I would greatly appreciate it. My plan is to catch up while commenting in the current time. If I don't know what happened while I was out it might take me weeks to catch up.

Please know that I treasure you all and look forward to coming back to you. I knew that I had to tell you all i would be missing or else someone would call out a search party. You have no idea how much that means to me.

I will share photos when I return but here is one to provide some foreshadowing. This is the venue. It is an old monastery in Amalfi that has been converted to a hotel. The ceremony will be in either the old chapel or cloister depending on weather. The roof of the chapel collapsed hundreds of years ago. The reception will be on a patio looking out to the sea and the island of Capri.

View attachment 3064044

I will still be checking in today but once I board that flight I will be out of touch. If I'm lucky maybe I can see a genuine Italian Leghorn this time while I am over there.

Have a wonderful time! Try to smuggle some fertile Italian leghorn eggs back . Some one will incubate I'm sure!