Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

As awful as it sounds, I hope all those b

We were not abusing chickens! Or at least I wasn’t. It was Poultry Eval for my FFA chapter at my school. I knew that it was going to be bad. They are meat birds and laying hens straight from a bird factory, so they have never gotten the proper care. It is a competition, to see how well you can judge meat and laying birds, cooked chickens products, raw products, and whole chickens carcasses. As awful as it sounds, I hope that all those live chickens pass away soon, that way they stop suffering. I wanted so badly to make an offer to buy the four laying hens, but I knew that I couldn’t. It broke my heart. I almost broke the silence that was in the room by screaming at people for dropping the birds and throwing them the the cages. It was awful. I was the only one who felt bad for the hens. I was the only one who pet them and gave them quick chin rubs. I was the only one who didn’t throw them in the cages or drop them, nor yank them out of the cages without getting their wing or feet stuck. I promise, I was not abusing them. I just want them to be put out of their misery and suffering. I hate hen factories. I’m sorry. It just really upset me, needing to be quiet and not being able to help people grab the chickens. It hurt me just as bad as it hurt the chickens. My dad wouldn’t give a crap, because in his mind, they are livestock that should die when they slow down egg production. It was pure animal abuse.

I came across this article just now and thought you might find it interesting. It is on differing perceptions on what chickens are.

https://bitchinchickens.com/2023/02/23/culture-clash-questioning-the-consensus-on-chicken-care/

 

[Ponypoor]

so do I.


Hoping for the best.

Hi MaryJanet - haven't see you in a while - hope all is well.

 

[Ponypoor]

The entire toenail is gone right to the base of the toe. It will have to be watched for infection and I have serious doubts it will grow back.

Pangoo somehow ripped his whole nail off also - it bled like crazy! poor thing was so lame... I kept it washed and cleaned, and it eventually grew back.

 

[featherhead007]

I’m still having trouble training Dakota. She won’t snuggle. She refuses to do anything I say. She knows every thing that I do and chooses not to care. I think she misses her sister Arizona. And she poops on me lately!

 

[bgmathteach]

I actually think it is a shame that they are not in general prone to go broody. I love a momma with that sense of awareness they already posses.

Oh, you mean like 'Evil 'ol Bat'/Momma hen??

 

[MaryJanet]

Hi MaryJanet - haven't see you in a while - hope all is well.

No, you haven't seen me. This thread has way more traffic than I have time for. I keep to the slower threads.

I'm sad about it because Bob's a friend and I miss out on his updates.

 

[bgmathteach]

Well I want to get her early morning or middle of night so I can check her crop is emptying. I am wondering if I take the food away and go with sunflower seeds very early in the morning.
I don't think I will do that tonight - I already freaked her out by grabbing her - but if she is still having liquid diarrhea and or looks poorly tomorrow that is what I will do.
I really hate when they get sick. Like really, really hate it.

I would feel absolutely terrible if she is really sick. I wanted you to have healthy, happy girls!

 

[RoyalChick]

I would feel absolutely terrible if she is really sick. I wanted you to have healthy, happy girls!

Well she was until I got a hold of her. I tell you, I shouldn't keep chickens. I have the chicken raising equivalent of a brown thumb.

 

[bgmathteach]

I must be missing something as you both had the same idea. Why is grabbing her before bedtime helpful? I mean I did today because the chance presented itself, but all I could tell was she was drinking a lot and had quite a liquid crop. I could tell that by observing her with the wild water.
I am missing something.

Check just before bed to make sure she has some solid food in it, and to then compare with how it is first thing in the morning. With the added benefit of maybe encouraging her to roost in a more accessible place by placing her on the main roost as it is getting too dark for her to attempt to fly up to the rafters. (If you toss a few sunflower seeds to the others, maybe Babs will roost where she should, as well!)

 

[Ponypoor]

I must be missing something as you both had the same idea. Why is grabbing her before bedtime helpful? I mean I did today because the chance presented itself, but all I could tell was she was drinking a lot and had quite a liquid crop. I could tell that by observing her with the wild water.
I am missing something.

My thought would be to get hold of her before she flies up into the rafters and settle her on the roost - and give lots of treats! you know scratch grain, mealworms, rice, steak.... anything she loves! and keep her down on that roost till she settles down. Do that every evening so that she associates the roost with treats.

Getting her to link nice things with the roost would be my aim.

What other symptoms is she showing? any lethargy, going off alone, not eating... ?