Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[knoturavggrl]

I'd be beside myself.
I hate killing anything but my old friend and neighbour put his foot down and killed a lot of rats last year.

Behind where we live we had the lowest of lives living. They breed dogs and neglected them cruelly. I tried everything to get that situation sorted but not one of the appropriate authorities helped and I begged three, which I won't name and shame. These people were allowed to continue and have a small holding away from here now. My heart breaks for those animals.

They even starved these dogs and rats came by the dozens, spreading into my neighbours next door. Thank goodness my friend did the deed.

I really hope you can sort this problem out soon. I'm really sorry for yours and your hens loss

Yes, they must go. I understand they are just living and doing normal natural things but this is really out of control. We have flooded tunnels, moved food, I bought a automatic door to help ensure it sealed tight at night. We dug up the coop floor removed the picnic table top we had buried under there to stop bigger critters from digging up into the coop and there we found and destroyed a nest, killing all the newborn rats. Put out baking soda poison that supposed to safer but it had no effect whatsoever. We reinforced every corner and entry and exit hole we could find and still they come. Apparently, they are being starved out with no easy access to the chicken feed and now are desperate enough to go for the chicks. Tomorrow the Bell labs poison will go out in locked bell lab bait boxes. I tried not to do it but this just can’t continue.

 

[The Chick Addict]

Sad news:
Today being Fathers day, I was cooking baking bread and the kids were up at our pond with their dad catching and releasing fish. Usually we go out to check on the chickens several times a day but today I only got a chance to go out once to collect eggs, change the wee ones water and we brought them a cool treat. All looked fine till I went to count, all the bigs accounted for. One of the littles was missing. I found a trail of feathers into the corner we had reinforced against the gd rats . Brownie has a minor eye injury I will address in the morning, I assume she got it trying save Fable.

Idk when this happened which is driving me crazy. All the babies still sleep in the tote. I went out tonight well after dark and stuck them all up on the roosts. They were quite unhappy with me but I feel like they may be safer up there then on the ground. I really hope they stay up there and don’t jump down.

I am really at a loss, and I am heartbroken and angry all at the same time. I think I am going have use poison. I made it much much much harder for them to eat the chicken feed so now they are going after my chickens instead.

Oh I am so sorry for your loss!

 

[Marie2020]

I've ordered bird cage sand with oyster shell for the coop run. Hopefully this will be a better environment for my two little soldiers

 

[Marie2020]

Yes, they must go. I understand they are just living and doing normal natural things but this is really out of control. We have flooded tunnels, moved food, I bought a automatic door to help ensure it sealed tight at night. We dug up the coop floor removed the picnic table top we had buried under there to stop bigger critters from digging up into the coop and there we found and destroyed a nest, killing all the newborn rats. Put out baking soda poison that supposed to safer but it had no effect whatsoever. We reinforced every corner and entry and exit hole we could find and still they come. Apparently, they are being starved out with no easy access to the chicken feed and now are desperate enough to go for the chicks. Tomorrow the Bell labs poison will go out in locked bell lab bait boxes. I tried not to do it but this just can’t continue.

It has to be done... you can't keep letting them kill your precious girls.

 

[Marie2020]

I notice the same in myself. I was much harder hearted when I was younger.
I also noticed it in my father. When he hit 90 he would watch the news on TV with tears streaming down his face at the suffering of others.

I've always been hit by animals suffering or losing their lives...many people think me strange for my emotions with animals.

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes, they must go. I understand they are just living and doing normal natural things but this is really out of control. We have flooded tunnels, moved food, I bought a automatic door to help ensure it sealed tight at night. We dug up the coop floor removed the picnic table top we had buried under there to stop bigger critters from digging up into the coop and there we found and destroyed a nest, killing all the newborn rats. Put out baking soda poison that supposed to safer but it had no effect whatsoever. We reinforced every corner and entry and exit hole we could find and still they come. Apparently, they are being starved out with no easy access to the chicken feed and now are desperate enough to go for the chicks. Tomorrow the Bell labs poison will go out in locked bell lab bait boxes. I tried not to do it but this just can’t continue.

Make sure you dispose of the bodies where your chickens cannot get at them. But also wildlife. And your kids! Incinerate them maybe?

 

[The Chick Addict]

I've always been hit by animals suffering or losing their lives...many people think me strange for my emotions with animals.

I have the same feelings! Sometimes I'll mention the sufferings of all creatures around us and people will go "ughhhhhh".

 

[ManueB]

Wattles developing! Do these look like they belong to a four week old female?
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Sorry, I'm very late catching up and maybe this has been said later on. @MaryJanet 's Eddie, a speckled Sussex, had a huge comb and body as a pullet and for a while she even wondered if she was a he.

It's been hard to catch up with traveling. I want to share some update on my flock.

Tina has been sick. She laid a lashed egg about 2 weeks ago. She just finished a course of 10 day antibiotics. She is not better.

She perked up a bit today but before that she was not moving much at all. My husband has been thinking where to dig her grave. He said he has come to terms with it. He spends a lot of time with her. I'm really sad that I won't be there when it comes the time.
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Due to Tina's weakness, she has started to be bothered by other chickens.

Meimei was chasing poor Tina in the yard.
Shortly after, Wendy, the alpha, was fighting Meimei.
Meimei, being the junior, did not submit. So the two had a serious fight.
Light wanted to help Wendy, but Wendy did not want it.
Foxy, meimeis only ally, helped meimei.

In the end Wendy won.

Meimei the instigator
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Wendy
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Foxy
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Poopy has been super nice to Tina. She would sit by her during the day.
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Light
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I know how sad you must be that you can't be there. We have to let go of what we can't change.

 

[MaryJanet]

Sorry, I'm very late catching up and maybe this has been said later on. @MaryJanet 's Eddie, a speckled Sussex, had a huge comb and body as a pullet and for a while she even wondered if she was a he.

Yes! And Edie was doing a lot of chest-bumping too. She very much looked and behaved like a cockerel... and then she started laying eggs!

 

[lightm]

I couldn’t smile when I took a selfie because she kept trying to peck my teeth.

Foxy once got a piece of corn out of my husband's teeth. She did it so quick that he was stunned. But it was nice of her to do so.