Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValarieF]

That’s great! It’s a wonderful feeling isn’t it

yes it is! I have a little stool I sit on in the run she comes right out.

 

[Ponypoor]

yes it is! I have a little stool I sit on in the run she comes right out.

Can’t wait for the pics

 

[cfonts]

I can hardly put this into words, but little Lulu is in trouble.
She went into the nest boxes this morning and stayed about 4 hours. No egg. She came out on her own and wandered around but looked bad (tail down, not moving fast). I gave her some calcium pills and had a feel around but I cannot feel an egg, so if one is stuck it is stuck higher up in the system.
She went back into the nest boxes this afternon for another couple of hours.
Still no egg.
She is out now but not looking great.
I managed to get some more calcium into her but I have a horrible feeling of impending doom.

If I lose Lulu I think I really need to rethink keeping chickens. I just don't seem to be very good at keeping them alive. Or maybe I keep a much larger number and care more about the flock than the individual and accept losses as just one of those things that goes with keeping chickens.

Poor little Lulu - I knew she was too young and too small to be laying eggs (albeit very small ones).

Praying for Lulu Please keep up posted.

 

[featherhead007]

It started last fall when a juvenile arrived here. I believe it has grown up in the last year and these are now its hunting grounds.

I am truly surprised that it tried for a big girl. There are tons of other things upon which it could feast. There are no other predators for rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, etc. around here. I do not understand its obsession with my ladies.

But obsessed Satan is.

“Let me at that hawk! I’ll get ‘em and I will protect those ladies from any harm!”

 

[Ponypoor]

I changed the feed as soon as I saw the weird pink stuff.
I don't know where to get the feed tested - the new feed looks perfect and I do store it in a good place.

Sorry meant test for Minnie (sorry was it Minnie? I am terrible with names).

 

[Ponypoor]

“Let me at that hawk! I’ll get ‘em and I will protect those ladies from any harm!”
View attachment 3231066

And I bet he would too!

 

[RoyalChick]

That’s good! Ok so we can work on how Lu is feeling now. What’s up with her at the moment?

She had a bit of a scratch around and has roosted in her usual spot between Maggie and Bernadette.
Given Epsom Salts are supposed to relax, I figured I should wait until the morning to soak her and not stress her out by pulling her off the roost.
I am really hoping she drops an egg from the roost overnight and that solves her little problem.

 

[Ponypoor]

Wow - is it ever coming down here! It’s raining so hard and straight down, no wind, glad everyone is in the barn! My silkies still are ‘rain challenged’, and don’t have enough sense to come in out of the rain hahaha!

I sure wish I could send some to those who need it

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes horses can have sedation like humans take, but the issue with sleeping pills is that they still don’t give a proper sleep with REM sleep, which is what she is lacking. Horses only need REM sleep about 3 times a week.

But it is an option I am thinking of trying. Just to get her off her feet a bit.

I am beginning to suspect it was her stumbling and falling and knocking the ground boards off the fence earlier.

Bob has crazy hawks, I have a crazy horse…

Weird question, but is there such a thing as a sling for a horse to sleep in so she can get REM without going to the floor? Like a hammock sort of.

 

[RoyalChick]

Sorry meant test for Minnie (sorry was it Minnie? I am terrible with names).

Yes. Came back negative for Marek's and for the ILT virus that Bella had. So no more clue what she died from nor where Bella got ILTV (my bet was Minnie).