Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

So, I had a rough night last night. I was putting the littles away, and one of my roosters gave a horrendous, terrified ?squawk? at the top of his lungs & continued with it....I ran as fast as I could, but it wasn't quick enough. A fox got one of my hens....and it took me a full 20 min. to get the rooster to calm down...he was missing a few more saddle feathers (he is in the middle of a hard molt and doesn't have any tail feathers at the moment.) A good boy sounding the alarm....but I still lost a sweet Astralorp

I suppose I have been beating the odds for too long this year...my neighbor has lost multiple to both foxes and raccoons. But, I just can't see sequestering them to the run 24/7...when I get home from work they run to the gate and are begging for out time.

 

[Marie2020]

So, I had a rough night last night. I was putting the littles away, and one of my roosters gave a horrendous, terrified ?squawk? at the top of his lungs & continued with it....I ran as fast as I could, but it wasn't quick enough. A fox got one of my hens....and it took me a full 20 min. to get the rooster to calm down...he was missing a few more saddle feathers (he is in the middle of a hard molt and doesn't have any tail feathers at the moment.) A good boy sounding the alarm....but I still lost a sweet Astralorp

I supposed I have been beating the odds for too long this year...my neighbor has lost multiple to both foxes and raccoons. But, I just can't see sequestering them to the run 24/7...when I get home from work the run to the gate and are begging for out time.

I'm so sad you lost your hen

 

[RoyalChick]

So, I had a rough night last night. I was putting the littles away, and one of my roosters gave a horrendous, terrified ?squawk? at the top of his lungs & continued with it....I ran as fast as I could, but it wasn't quick enough. A fox got one of my hens....and it took me a full 20 min. to get the rooster to calm down...he was missing a few more saddle feathers (he is in the middle of a hard molt and doesn't have any tail feathers at the moment.) A good boy sounding the alarm....but I still lost a sweet Astralorp

I supposed I have been beating the odds for too long this year...my neighbor has lost multiple to both foxes and raccoons. But, I just can't see sequestering them to the run 24/7...when I get home from work the run to the gate and are begging for out time.

Oh I am so sorry. They are quick those foxes.

 

[Marie2020]

I'm waiting for my dinner

 

[Marie2020]

Caturday


Never mind Caturday, where's my food

 

[knoturavggrl]

So, I had a rough night last night. I was putting the littles away, and one of my roosters gave a horrendous, terrified ?squawk? at the top of his lungs & continued with it....I ran as fast as I could, but it wasn't quick enough. A fox got one of my hens....and it took me a full 20 min. to get the rooster to calm down...he was missing a few more saddle feathers (he is in the middle of a hard molt and doesn't have any tail feathers at the moment.) A good boy sounding the alarm....but I still lost a sweet Astralorp

I supposed I have been beating the odds for too long this year...my neighbor has lost multiple to both foxes and raccoons. But, I just can't see sequestering them to the run 24/7...when I get home from work the run to the gate and are begging for out time.

Oh I am so sorry to hear this Also, proud of your rooster he tried hard and maybe saved others of your flock.

 

[bgmathteach]

@RoyalChick I'm almost afraid to ask, but how is Maggie today??

How are you holding up?
Sending my love to you and your 3 girls!

 

[RoyalChick]

@RoyalChick I'm almost afraid to ask, but how is Maggie today??

How are you holding up?
Sending my love to you and your 3 girls!

I honestly have no idea how she is still alive, but she is.
She stayed holed up in her nest box again today. She has eaten maybe 4 kernels of corn and a similar amount of shrimp and had a few sips of water.
She really only eats when I offer it to her by hand - it is like she does it just to please me.
I tried to encourage her to have more but she scolded me and moved to the box next door to stop me bothering her.
There is no question in my mind that she is dying. I check with her every hour or so and each time I expect I will find her dead, instead she lifts her head and says hi, and then goes back to sleep.
I don't know whether to hasten the inevitable. I don't want her to suffer, but I am fearful of needing to put her down. I don't see a lot of signs of distress or pain. She just seems very, very tired. I am hoping she goes in her sleep. Of course I am really hoping she suddenly turns a corner, but I know we are well past that stage.
I am a bit of a wreck. She has been a real companion, more so than any of the others, though I have loved them all. In a way I am already mourning because she hasn't been in my face for several days now and I miss her.
I am also constantly stressed by the thoughts around whether I need to put her down, and dealing with her body.
I am also worrying about my depleted flock of two, and will Diana survive through the winter.
I think Bernie and Diana know Maggie is dying. Up until today they were sitting with her. Diana once even got into the nest box and sat with her beak-to-beak for a couple of hours. But today they are not paying any attention to her at all. It is like they already said their good byes.
Sorry, probably too much information.

 

[ManueB]

I'm so sorry that you have to go through another loss so soon. She probably knows how sad you are, and is trying to cheer you up by perking up when you come to visit.
As long as she is dosing and half conscious, I wouldn't think about putting her down. She is just taking her time to let go. Only you can know how you feel about this though.

Take it one step at a time - you don't need to worry now about Diana and Bernie. As you said, they are coping in their own way. Let your own goodbyes be said first to dear Maggie.

 

[featherhead007]

I honestly have no idea how she is still alive, but she is.
She stayed holed up in her nest box again today. She has eaten maybe 4 kernels of corn and a similar amount of shrimp and had a few sips of water.
She really only eats when I offer it to her by hand - it is like she does it just to please me.
I tried to encourage her to have more but she scolded me and moved to the box next door to stop me bothering her.
There is no question in my mind that she is dying. I check with her every hour or so and each time I expect I will find her dead, instead she lifts her head and says hi, and then goes back to sleep.
I don't know whether to hasten the inevitable. I don't want her to suffer, but I am fearful of needing to put her down. I don't see a lot of signs of distress or pain. She just seems very, very tired. I am hoping she goes in her sleep. Of course I am really hoping she suddenly turns a corner, but I know we are well past that stage.
I am a bit of a wreck. She has been a real companion, more so than any of the others, though I have loved them all. In a way I am already mourning because she hasn't been in my face for several days now and I miss her.
I am also constantly stressed by the thoughts around whether I need to put her down, and dealing with her body.
I am also worrying about my depleted flock of two, and will Diana survive through the winter.
I think Bernie and Diana know Maggie is dying. Up until today they were sitting with her. Diana once even got into the nest box and sat with her beak-to-beak for a couple of hours. But today they are not paying any attention to her at all. It is like they already said their good byes.
Sorry, probably too much information.

Very sad situation. I have been there many times and it never gets easier either. (Some things are just out of our control)