Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Pic as promised…

 

[featherhead007]

Well if Paul came here and house sat for me I would make sure it was. Huge T-bone with a backed potato and all the fixings

Makes me wonder why my bowl of mashed potatoes is gone too!

 

[featherhead007]

Tell her to get her butt back on those eggs! I am living vicariously through you!

Don’t do that! I’m dangerous!

 

[rural mouse]

Thinking how you refer to them as "the clones," Cling and Clang came to mind.

If they're children of my white Sapphires (color and build make that likely) and inherit their penchant for screaming until desired box is empty, then Bang and Clang would be appropriate!

 

[featherhead007]

I believe that little Xzit has given up on her broody. She has decided to perch upstairs with the rest of the hens. Not a problem, she’s young

 

[GregnLety]

Grab your sunglasses , your chickens, and come enjoy California for a visit. I even have a lake to cool off with. It’s only a two day drive

I have to admit that California weather is much more pleasant especially north of the bay area

 

[bgmathteach]

Yes indeed. Cellulase is an enzyme that breaks down cellulose - so my logic was that if she has a fibrous grass plug that I can't feel - say in her gizzard - that the cellulase would help dissolve it.
I have also given her Sodium Bicarbonate in her food and ACV in her water in the hope that the bubbles created will dislodge something. That would be what the Coca Cola would do but without me needing to syringe something else into her!
And like you I am very upset at the idea that the blockage may be dead worms. How awful! I wondered whether to give her something like Papaya extract - it acts as a meat tenderizer so would break down the worms - but I was worried with complete blockage it might inflame the lining of her crop so I have held off that.
She does seem to be improving a little bit. More crud is emerging from the other end and her crop was smaller this morning than it was yesterday.

Oh, good!! The more crud from the back end the better!!!



(Hmmm, never in my life did I EVER think I would be cheering for more & cruddier poop!!)

 

[RoyalChick]

Oh, good!! The more crud from the back end the better!!!



(Hmmm, never in my life did I EVER think I would be cheering for more & cruddier poop!!)

Never in my life did I think I would be so happy getting drenched in foul smelling black stuff from Minnie’s rear end!

 

[bgmathteach]

According to a paper published two days ago, rice growing may have contributed to chickens domestication?

https://www.science.org/content/article/how-wild-jungle-fowl-became-chicken

My chickens surely love rice, ummmm.

This got me thinking.... @RoyalChick how far have you gotten into the book about chickens around the world (sorry, don't remember the exact title...) does it mention anything about this?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hello everyone.
I have a little question that I'm sure some of you can answer, those who have both chicks and cats in their household.
How do you handle it, do you let the cats come near the chicks or keep them away until the chicks get bigger?

Grochatila and princess Hibou are both very good hunters, unfortunately they love birds ( love as in finding them delicious ). They are scared of my standard hens but the chicks mother is a bantam and they are definitely not scared of her.
View attachment 3138675

Many people keep chickens and cats together. Has the bantam never faced off with them? Do they attack the bantam, or play roughly with her? I think small chicks are in danger with cats who are unfamiliar with chickens and who regularly hunt songbirds.

How trained and trainable are they? I would be concerned to let any cat near chicks at all without tight wire between them. Our Buckeyes were in the brooder and the cat was not let in the room (but he slept on the bed in the next room and could hear and smell them and hear me interact with them ) until they were a few weeks old, and then only with me present. The brooder was at waist height and fine netting enclosed all sides above 12" of wall, and there was no ledge that the cat could get on next to it, but he could sit on a countertop and watch me with them from there. He was introduced to them at ground level outside when they were pullets maybe 5 weeks old, and that started with me on my knees holding him so that he could not make any sudden move forward, but he could back away.

If they can be taught that the bantam is an unassailable family member then it may at some point be safe for the chicks but they should probably be much bigger. I trained our cat with our pullets, but to eventually trust your cats you have to know them well (our cat does not hunt songbirds and is VERY eager to please us, remarkably so) and they would have to demonstrate to you that they are wary of all the chickens, bantams and standards, and that they have no interest in hunting them. In training I would not let two cats at the same time near the bantam or the more-grown chicks even unless you had a good helper and you each held the cats firmly, the risk is too great.