Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Thank you

I do have to say that I would prefer to NOT have to learn how to do these things...but I'm glad that it worked out okay given I was in the position to either help them survive, or help them pass.

Short term pain long term gain

I know who to contact if my chickies need help

 

[Ponypoor]

Thanks. I have rigged up so I can have a flat panel heater facing their main roost. I will set that up before it gets cold.
Still warm, actually hot, for the next 24 hours.
In terms of food I haven’t found anything yet but I will keep trying.
She is foraging and seems keen on grass and plantain leaves. Also little wriggly worms.
It is getting close to dusk when the foxes are most active so I am sitting out with her so she can tank up on whatever it is she finds.
She still has a fluffy butt and for the wattle-lovers on this thread she isn’t doing too badly.
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What a lovely little princess she does have lovely wattles

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Are you going to give them supplemental heat?

It’s weeks and weeks for a real molt to finish I think. I set up a Cozy Coop in a draft free corner of the big run but it’s not on yet. It’ll be a while before Popcorn has her full fluff and I want to offer it once it gets colder. I tested it a few times and wonder if they can see the radiant heat maybe as infrared? They had seen it before but looked more closely at it when they got near it when it was on.

Popcorn has a lot of long pins under her outer feathers, discovered when I’ve given them their two mites permethrin treatments. I apologize every time for how uncomfortable it is for her with me ruffling them up getting the spray onto the skin on her back. Poor girl!

So I’ve been battening down, closing up the big and little run’s drafty spots with tarps getting ready for the cold. The drafts have been fine until yesterday, which was cooler but very windy. At one point I couldn’t find the ladies (with my eyes) anywhere in the yard or runs, then I checked the coop cam. There they were taking their late morning break back inside.

Peanut is still eating the bread antibiotic balls. Kind of funny yesterday - ended up holding her on my lap to get her alone after giving everyone meal worms. So I sat with her outside after locking everyone else up inside. She didn’t want the balls, so I offered her meal worms again, shaking the container, which she ate (somebody was running back and forth inside the run behind us trying to get some too), then offered the balls, which she didn’t want, then the meal worms again (yes), then the balls (no). So then I put the meal worms away temporarily, and kept the balls in front of her. I waited, and waited, then finally said, “Well it looks like we might have to do the pill popping thing?” And waited more. Then suddenly she began eating them! Lack of choice was the key here? Or the gentle threat?

A few days ago, Peanut's in the right back corner not feeling well. Hazel her winglady stayed close most of the time, that's her in the back on her right.

Got the teepee pole idea for the electric span to the run done a few days ago too. Thanks to YouTube I learned how to tie them together well!

 

[Ponypoor]

They have small amounts...some, like peas, clover, alfalfa have more than others.
Fescue: ~5-9%
Timothy ~ 7-11%
Alfalfa ~ 15-20%
Orchard Grass~ 7-11%
Red Clover ~ 13-16%

Note 2 things:
1) I got this from a general feed site, though I do think these are generally accepted values. Meaning @RoyalChick that it wasn't from a research paper.

2) Chickens are omnivours for a reason. Certain proteins (like us) they can't create/synthesize and need to consume them directly. I think that they aren't in many grasses at a sufficient quantity. [ I don't know this for a fact nor exactly where to find that info (?RC?)], but even soy based feeds are supplemented with the 2 proteins: lysine and methionine.

The big thing that grasses have is sugars - which is why lush grass is so bad for horses. The protein contents listed are correct, though the younger the grass is cut for hay the more protein it generally has. Spring and Fall grass has the highest amt of sugars usually, which when you think about it is when herbivores need those extra calories for new borns and to get ready for winter. So for herbivores it’s all about calories in the form of sugars.

Humans want protein in animal feed because it gives extra long time energy, and makes youngsters grow faster. Which has caused huge problems with horses cattle and poultry.

Chickens are opportunistic feeders, they thrive in many places because they eat a very wide variety of foods and thrive (like raccoons and possums, etc). As such they need to eat animal source proteins to obtain nutrients that cannot be found in plant based foods.

Sorry for the lecture - nutrition is important to me as I have had many issues with my horses with too much grass, too much high energy feed, poor quality dusty moldy hay good food an water is the first line of defence in a good herd/flock health.

Will give talk tax in a bit

 

[Ponypoor]

I have no idea what kind of grass. Just the kind that grows when you don’t maintain an area!
It is raining now so there will be lots of worms for her today which is good.

Diana’s food tax
View attachment 3321256

Poor Sophia is not handling the moult well - I need to weigh here again today. This cold weather is not good for her.

 

[Ponypoor]

We do also have some great talent here at BYC (Michelle/ Kelly)

Awwww gee thanks! Michelle and I should collaborate on a tune

 

[RoyalChick]

The big thing that grasses have is sugars - which is why lush grass is so bad for horses. The protein contents listed are correct, though the younger the grass is cut for hay the more protein it generally has. Spring and Fall grass has the highest amt of sugars usually, which when you think about it is when herbivores need those extra calories for new borns and to get ready for winter. So for herbivores it’s all about calories in the form of sugars.

Humans want protein in animal feed because it gives extra long time energy, and makes youngsters grow faster. Which has caused huge problems with horses cattle and poultry.

Chickens are opportunistic feeders, they thrive in many places because they eat a very wide variety of foods and thrive (like raccoons and possums, etc). As such they need to eat animal source proteins to obtain nutrients that cannot be found in plant based foods.

Sorry for the lecture - nutrition is important to me as I have had many issues with my horses with too much grass, too much high energy feed, poor quality dusty moldy hay good food an water is the first line of defence in a good herd/flock health.

Will give talk tax in a bit

Thanks. She is getting at least some animal protein. She is eating a little bit of the insect-based commercial feed and she seems quite adept at finding these little wriggling worms - I don't know what they are, they are not earthworms - just tiny little wriggly things.

 

[Ponypoor]

Maybe that's not tobacco in her cigarette?

Good grief is she rolling her own ‘smokes’ these days ??

 

[Ponypoor]

Thanks. She is getting at least some animal protein. She is eating a little bit of the insect-based commercial feed and she seems quite adept at finding these little wriggling worms - I don't know what they are, they are not earthworms - just tiny little wriggly things.

Oh ya the shiny black one about an inch or so? Have those here! Today I will let them up on mount poopmore before the snow squall starts - calling for about 12cm… not a huge amt but if the wind starts up then the poor silkies have a hard time and get blown about (teeheehee I know I shouldn’t laugh). Anyways there are still crickets up there as it’s warm

I have been giving Sophia treats that are mixed grain black sunflower seeds and meal worms and soldier fly larva. I save it for my moulting kiddies as it’s very pricy.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

It’s weeks and weeks for a real molt to finish I think. I set up a Cozy Coop in a draft free corner of the big run but it’s not on yet. It’ll be a while before Popcorn has her full fluff and I want to offer it once it gets colder. I tested it a few times and wonder if they can see the radiant heat maybe as infrared? They had seen it before but looked more closely at it when they got near it when it was on.

Popcorn has a lot of long pins under her outer feathers, discovered when I’ve given them their two mites permethrin treatments. I apologize every time for how uncomfortable it is for her with me ruffling them up getting the spray onto the skin on her back. Poor girl!

So I’ve been battening down, closing up the big and little run’s drafty spots with tarps getting ready for the cold. The drafts have been fine until yesterday, which was cooler but very windy. At one point I couldn’t find the ladies (with my eyes) anywhere in the yard or runs, then I checked the coop cam. There they were taking their late morning break back inside.

Peanut is still eating the bread antibiotic balls. Kind of funny yesterday - ended up holding her on my lap to get her alone after giving everyone meal worms. So I sat with her outside after locking everyone else up inside. She didn’t want the balls, so I offered her meal worms again, shaking the container, which she ate (somebody was running back and forth inside the run behind us trying to get some too), then offered the balls, which she didn’t want, then the meal worms again (yes), then the balls (no). So then I put the meal worms away temporarily, and kept the balls in front of her. I waited, and waited, then finally said, “Well it looks like we might have to do the pill popping thing?” And waited more. Then suddenly she began eating them! Lack of choice was the key here? Or the gentle threat?

A few days ago, Peanut's in the right back corner not feeling well. Hazel her winglady stayed close most of the time, that's her in the back on her right.
View attachment 3321261

Got the teepee pole idea for the electric span to the run done a few days ago too. Thanks to YouTube I learned how to tie them together well!
View attachment 3321263

Sorry, I forgot I posted this yesterday….