Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I suppose if you're trying to be sort of "bio-secure" you ought to dispose of the shavings where sunlight and high temps will kill any virus eventually, but where the chickens can't get to it, as in not on Mt Poopmore! Also, when some birds (I know phoebes) leave their nestlings and fly off, they take their poop sac with them and drop it somewhere along their flight path. Do swallows always just poop over the side?

When they all roost at night along the power line there is a line of poop under them, hence a line of bedding under them.

The parents do haul out poop sacs from the real young, but once start to fledge they perch on the nest edge turn around poop in place. Hence a good pile of shavings under the nests.laat summer I worked from home so I just cleaned the doodoo up almost every hour while the chicklets were running about the barn.

Now that the snow is gone they don't go out on mt Poopmore, so I can put the shavings out there. They are out in the temporary run at the front of the barn.

It hilarious in the morning, with the swallow flying around inside the barn - the hens start growling and ducking, running for cover... Meanwhile poor Mr swallow is just wanting to sleep in!

 

[GregnLety]

Weedeating around my pond today. Hopefully I can get my granddaughter over here soon. She is as anxious to go fishing as I am.

 

[GregnLety]

Fishing tax, Viejito getting his tail feather's back

 

[featherhead007]

So for anyone who has never had a stye I can tell you they are very irritating (I would say painfully so). How can something so small cause such irritation!!

Mine is a horrid ugly mess which has me all feeling very self conscious... I feel that one good peck from a hen would rupture it

This is one of the worst I have ever seen. Sorry it's graphic...
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That’s one ugly, painful looking style. I would sterilize a needle and poke it from the side. Then some antibiotic ointment.

 

[bgmathteach]

I had the feather footed bird lover close the coop last night. He didnt turn on the heat. Dawn temps: 30F outside the coop. littles did just fine. Kept tripping over them whilst distributing breakfast...even had one perched on top of my shoe....no signs of hatching yet, but eggs due any day now....provided they do hatch....no candling, mama Jessica is more protective.

Also removed wraps from Hectors feet. 2 times, twice he's pulled the wrapped off the worst toe. Looks like the rest are normal again, nut watching throughout the day

I'm so glad Hector is doing better...that all but the worst toe are normal is WONDERFUL!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

After I got back grandma was sleeping. So I sat outback with the chickens for a hour until she got up. At first all was well. Branch made his way in the back door and came to visit. I was holding him and he was sleeping in my arms when she asked to hold him. I handed him over and he melted. 20 minutes later Branch is still asleep and she asked me to take a picture of them. Here it is.
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Not long after these were taken her brother showed up. She was having a good visit with him, when out of the blue she blew up. I do not know what started it, but she started shouting she was going home. She was tired of being held here against her will and if we did not let her leave she was calling 911. Her brother was trying to calm her down, saying she was not being held here against her will, and then said if we let her leave he was calling the health department to have her place condemned due to the mice and her hoarding. She threatened to shoot him. Mom had to intervene and she jumped down her throat and said me and her were treating her like dirt, starving her and keeping her here when she was able to go home. Then just like that she was calm and forgot entirely about that incident. After her brother left a hour later she calls him and asks why did he not visit today. Rages like today, are becoming more frequent, and me and mom are coming to the end of our ropes.

As others have written, it is hard to not take it personally, and impossible to keep steady when these things happen. I'm sorry you are bearing this load now and that I cannot take it from you. At least you and your Mom have each other, and your great- Uncle too. It might help to keep in mind that she is feeling the emotion and coming up with ways / words to vent it or express it. It's the feeling, not the words, that she is communicating. I hear frustration and grief.

She had a stroke. The brain does weird things when stuff happens to it. All kinds of changes are happening to her as she recovers. She is being put through the wringer (and you all too). Not all the changes you see now are necessarily permanent, that takes time to tell. Her doctor may be able to adjust certain meds to help ease her through it.

Medicare /Medicaid or other resources may help pay for you all to get at-home respite help. In New York State the county Office For The Aging is a great resource. Your hospital can also point you in the best direction for help.

 

[bgmathteach]

Thank you, but my roo deserves all the respect. My little buddy is a great protector of his ladies. And they are a handful!
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That's a good pic of Jaffar!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Is it possible to drive her to her home when she gets emotional? And she can calm down, then bring her back to your place?

This is an interesting idea.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Here is Bernadette’s mugshot for Monday. She has settled down on Maggie’s favorite roosting spot. Playing with fire!

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I see the knot-hole of that branch makes a little chair out of it. No wonder it is Maggie's favorite spot!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this, it’s such a hard situation

Maybe try sharing some resources on talking to people with dementia with her brother and her other visitors. Something very small may have set her off. This really isn’t that uncommon from what I’ve learned about living with and caring dementia patients. If you can learn the triggers and surround her with things that keep her in a happy place it makes things easier. You never know though, sometimes the complete change from “normal” of going into a care home can really change things positively as well. Complete strangers are strangely less likely to trigger negative reactions. My grandmother, surrounded by strangers, with no expectations of her to remember them, simple routines, and games, was much happier in her final five years, with very few moments of fear and paranoia.

Remember this is a huge adjustment for everyone in the family. And Grandma’s probably very afraid too.

With my mom I’ve been working on not saying “remember” at all in conversation, and this tiny change has helped with the hostility. And not arguing with false statements like “I’ve never seen this movie before” (it was a favourite from the Nineties, we watched it at least a dozen times!) and I know damn well the last time she rode a horse was when we went for a trail ride on vacation on a whim when I was 15… and focus on the things that being out the good memories of childhood/youth. Music and TV shows can be great tools. The chickens are clearly one of those as well.

Great post, and informative!