Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Eli hung out with the Littles. No blood was shed.
Babs gave Sylvie a quick peck on the head but I can’t blame her because she was trying to eat and Sylvie came up to her and pecked her on the face. Sylvie pecked first!
There is a lot of chest bumping going on as the littles establish their pecking order.
Sylvie is particularly active in these little fights. Gulp. Might she be a little boy?
Piglet and Pooh get into it with each other a lot too.
I have officially hit mayhem stage.
Finally I am worried about Eli. I am hoping it is just broody?/not-broody? hormones, but I can’t forget she was sick before she went broody. She isn’t eating a lot and she is sitting like this with her rump up in the air. Any thoughts?

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Not seeing anything that says roo. They're how old again?

 

[rural mouse]

No! I am already overwhelmed and questioning why I thought adding five was a good idea!
I also don’t want to be responsiblefor killing such a fine fella by exposing him to Marek’s.
He should stay home.

He'd babysit! Keeping him clear of illnesses is very valid

 

[RoyalChick]

Not seeing anything that says roo. They're how old again?

They turned 5 weeks on Monday.
They have totally taken over. I caught Bernie running to get away from them!
Sylvie is probably just an assertive pullet - just like Bernie was.
Any thoughts on Eli?

 

[rural mouse]

They turned 5 weeks on Monday.
They have totally taken over. I caught Bernie running to get away from them!
Sylvie is probably just an assertive pullet - just like Bernie was.
Any thoughts on Eli?

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Not seeing any roo signs i the faces of the 3 facing.

Eli: I have several who sit in nest boxes that way before and/or after they lay eggs. I've also seen them resting in the shade that way. When they're not in a nest, it appears they're semi on sentinel duty.

 

[RoyalChick]

Not seeing any roo signs i the faces of the 3 facing.

Eli: I have several who sit in nest boxes that way before and/or after they lay eggs. I've also seen them resting in the shade that way. When they're not in a nest, it appears they're semi on sentinel duty.

Thanks. It is Sylvie - second from left - who has a very assertive personality.
She went after Bernie for goodness sake!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Thanks. It is Sylvie - second from left - who has a very assertive personality.
She went after Bernie for goodness sake!

There is nothing wrong with being a assertive hen. Raven and Corona will tell you that much.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

No, I had not realized that she had been laying internally. When my friend cut her open there was LOTS of fluid buildup, as well as yolk ALL over her stomach cavity.
Here's how I think it happened:
I told you that she is was a cannibalism victim. So when it happened, that STUPID Bananito picked her backside and kinda messed up her insides if you know what I mean. The other hen Snowflake had her guts coming out *blergh* and, as you know, I called my friend over. Friend culled Snowflake and two other girls who weren't going to make it. When it was over I saw Mrs Clean-egg near a nest box, and her backside was bleeding and she had a prolapse. Not having known this site I put polysporin on it daily and wiped it with a paper towel. This is where I think the peronitis started.
So eventually she was well enough and I had enough confidence in her, so I re-integrated her in to the coop. Eventually she was accepted.
Then, one morning I saw her standing in the corner, not being herself. I thought it was coccidiosis and treated the whole flock for that. I brought her inside, treated her aswell and gave her a bath. This should have been my warning sign for peronitis: she had poop caked around her vent. She was interested in drinking water, but not in eating, even when I put out her favorite treat, which is sunflower seeds, chick food, and cooked meat. I found out this was impacted crop, but someone mentioned that they can have crop issues when they have peronitis. Again, a warning sign missed.
Then Mrs. Clean-egg stayed with the injured chickens until last morning, when I noticed (again) something wasn't right. She looked into my eyes as if to say, "It's my time."
I called that same friend to do the processing. And then I saw the yolk, and the fluid, and little to no food in her crop. I nearly dropped her in surprise, screaming, "PERONITIS!"
(I nearly dropped Mrs Clean-egg, meaning, not my friend. I had to hold Mrs. Clean-egg's legs.)Mrs. Clean-egg's first name, gained today, is Mrs. Katniss Clean-egg.

Mrs. Katniss Clean-egg
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Beautiful hen. Was she a leghorn? Her tail is not like a leghorn, but I rank myself with @RoyalChick here in expertise, she’s definitely a pretty chicken!

I think it’s very difficult to really know what’s going on internally. Much less put a cause or causes to laying problems and a subsequent egg yolk peritonitis. Leghorns and other high production layer breeds have more laying problems than other breeds, don’t they? Another chicken, even a good layer chicken, might go through all what you describe and be okay. You just can’t know.

So I don’t think it’s reasonable to blame yourself here, if that’s what you’re inclined to do. Your deep grief is not reason to find blame. This illness happens, and you did help her greatly by preventing further pain and suffering. I’m so sorry.

 

[rural mouse]

Thanks. It is Sylvie - second from left - who has a very assertive personality.
She went after Bernie for goodness sake!

She's a character!

 

[RoyalChick]

Ballet Practice
Winnie is too grown up for such nonsense but joined in later. Tassels of course was sporting her feathered leg warmers.

 

[Ponypoor]

Hatchlings are now here