Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

The problem is the poison never goes away. A couple of weeks is one thing to kill the rats but the bodies will remain deadly as the original poison.

Yes which is why I haven’t used it any further than a couple years ago when they were just really running amok. Didn’t want to risk any of my chickens or other animals.

I am not so worried about them getting outside and dying as they tend to stay around their tunnels and homes. But my chickens are at risk.

They are so bad when I haul a bale of hay from the loft, mice run out from under the bales darn creatures.

I still want to do a bucket trap when I get a chance.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

FBA Chicken Synopsis, 10 to 17​

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@BY Bob :​

 Twofer photos : breakfast with Hattie !
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26930089
Aurora is back and as always, she gives excellent advice ! Enjoy ! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26933948
Hattie was the star of a lovely cornbread video : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26938902 which he commented here : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26940062
By bob had an unexpected blue gift ! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26938988
Fluffy Butt Friday: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26940117 and https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26940109, and a gleaming white chicken : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26940093

@bgmathteach
Her broody BR is doing well with a little help ! One of the chick has a crossbeak, but still seems to thrive. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26924053
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26926070
Posted some sweet twofers : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26930191
Shared detailed explanations on how she built her broody hut : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26943098

@featherhead007 : this week's very good news is that Henrietta seems to be better ! And he's preparing a crazy party for her birthday on the 6th of July !
As usual, Alex got into trouble with a rock. (I'm usually pretty cold to rock humor but even I had to laugh). https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26940506.

@Firsttimehens1234 shared a special chicken happy moment : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26937235

@fuentemoon shared some lovely fluffy butts : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26940776

@GregnLety found a copperhead in the Guinea's pen . That decided him a while after to turn the guineas loose ! Posted some lovely pics. Here is the son of Big boy, and Viajito's children : , https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26919845

@knoturavggrl :
Upgraded her coop with a ramp and an automatic door.
Mugs Monday :
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26929746
An update on her six weeks chicks : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26941153

@Lexicon 's chicks have begun interacting with the adults. She wonders if Viola could be a biefelder : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26928561

@LhickenChicken had to help sweet Lhicken go, she was too unwell . Hesitates to change username, but many FBA members suggested to keep it for a while in memory.

@Marie2020 posted some picture of her girls frolicking : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26938145
And princess wins sparkling white chicken contest https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26938381

@notabitail
Shared a lovely twofer : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26931115
Bath time picture for butt Friday and complaining chickens ; https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26938108

@Pastel The Rooster 's big news is that Willow is broody. She would really like to have her hatch ! But it's complicated, Willow is in an unsafe place uneasy to access, she has far too many eggs, and Pastel's father doesn't want chicks.

@Ponypoor
Hesitates on getting SASSO, azure, noirans chickens...or maybe next year ?
Fun pictures : soggy Mr P ! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26928842
He turns out to be a great roo but does need a feather trim regularly to be allowed to see the world .
Chicks are a lot of worries, especially with so many and different generations. Hopefully the silkie chicks will be weaned off soon. Chicken maths is getting complicated: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26939248
Seems Fluffy is giving up on Motherhood . And Sophia is broody, but Kelly after some hesitations decided not to give her eggs.

@RebeccaBoyd
Will her brother's conure learn to crow ? https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26933784
After sadly loosing again two chicks, things seem to get better with the little ones. Raven's chicks are out! Some videos and cute pics ; https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26934252
Rebeccaboyd also shared many beautiful pictures. First, the marshmallows : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26927309
The queen of the flock, Butter : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26941123
14 months old Lilly : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26941445
And Bubba : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26941481

Royalchick :
Had some very sad news, that I wish I didn't have to share. Eli the little flying chicken has taken her last flight to the stars and beyond.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26928980
RC shared a beautiful tribute and described Eli's amazing last day with her friends : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26930660

The Pentagonists are growing too big to roost in the brooder. But what a suspense story it is... https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26933865
Chicken democratic decision :
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26935607
Without Eli, it has become very difficult for RC to herd them back in at roost time.
In lighter news, this week also RC dreaded a new challenge : having to clean Bernie's butt.

@rural mouse
Monday Mug pictures with guests! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26926868
Official chick's names introduction! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26931933
Who are the daddy and mommy ? https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26932167
Shan and Chia are missing at roost time ? Happy ending. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26939418

@Sally PB :
Robin, pip and squeak ! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26928997

Thank you very much, @ManueB !

 

[BY Bob]

Mugs Monday
Sharing....

 

[RoyalChick]

Monday Mugshots from Babs and Piglet.
Have a lovely Monday everyone.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Mugs Monday
Doodle and Snicker ever curious and ready to pose:

 

[bgmathteach]

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.

Baking soda only kills them if they ingest enough - when it mixed with their stomach acid, 'bubbles up/expands with gas, and presses against their lungs (suffocating them). However, they won't easily eat baking soda on their own - due to the basic nature of it, it will give them a bit of a burn in their mouth if it is straight,

take a container (peanut butter jar cover is great for this)that has been cleaned (i.e. so it doesn't have human scent on it) and with gloves on place it just outside the chicken run* with food for them (peanut butter, tuna fish, scratch feed, whatever), And LEAVE it for a few days (check daily to see if they start eating it) Once they don't 'fear' it and start eating from it, start mixing baking soda with whatever you have been putting out. Again, USE GLOVES! Rats have a VERY GOOD sense of smell....and they are also very wary of new things - hence the wait period.

Once you have the rat population under control, sprinkling heavily baking soda around the coop & run will help deter them (they do clean their paws, so will lick some from their paws when cleaning them, and will learn to avoid that area IF THEY AREN"T ALREADY LIVING THERE!. Rats are smart, and learn...and because they live in colonies (unlike mice) also learn from/teach each other.

SO: I would also consider using a variety of different traps for Rats. (such as a couple of different types of snap traps.) Also set out with 'food' for them OUTSIDE the chicken run, and NOT SET for a couple of days. Then, the same time you start mixing Baking soda with the other food, also start setting them with the bait. Multi-pronged approach simultaneously.

You could also set out glue traps at the same time as actually setting the other traps live - surrounding their holes so they 'have to' step on them. Again, these only work once or twice, also. The rats soon leaner to scratch dirt on them and 'neutralize' them. Most rat glue traps come in pairs that are glue side together. Since they are so warry, you might want to put them out during the 'desensitization phase - as they are/not separated, so they get accustomed to the smell of the glue traps, but they are, at that point, harmless.

Any one of these things will not work alone...and they ALL need to be done so the rats get accustomed to them (3-5 days) - before deploying them in 'harmful' mode!

Trust me - I did not do this, and am suffering the consequences!

I would be so hesitant to use poison - because if your chickens (or your dog or any dog or cat) then eats the dead rat, it will kill them! (Just ask Alex! Poor @featherhead007 has lost a couple of chooks to neighbor throwing poisoned mice into his yard!

Best of luck!

If these don't work, it might be less expensive in the long run to pay shipping for dry ice. If you don't get them ALL, they can fully repopulate in only 8 weeks!

*Note, you might want to put it inside some kind of wire protection - something they can fit through, but that something larger like a raccoon, can't, so you don't start feeding other things!)

 

[bgmathteach]

Monday Mugshots from Babs and Piglet.
Have a lovely Monday everyone.

View attachment 3547877View attachment 3547878

I think Piglet is saying "Full-figured women can be beautiful, too! Don't you just LOVE my demur head cock????"

(I'm even batting my eyes - but that darn nictating membrane doesn't have the same effect as human's eyelids!)

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Ok, talked to my silkie breeder on the phone this morning. Eggs are being packed up this morning to be shipped tomorrow. She likes to put a few extra eggs incase of breaking. Her black girls are being uncooperative and she would not have extra black eggs to send. Needed to know if I wanted 2 or 3 blue or white silkie eggs. Decided on white as the extras. She shows her silkies and her whites do the best at shows. Confirmed they should arrive at the post office Thursday.
Uncooperative black silkies, who would have thought?
Yup those future chicks will be right at home here.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Oh those dratted rats I am so sorry to hear this, I really hate rats and mice now, chewing on everything, peeing and pooping everywhere. So infuriating. I sure hope Brownie’s eye is ok, I am reading to catch up it’s morning here





I am also waging war wth them, I noted they borrowed under my pavers in the stalls and the brick caves in.

I am worried to use poison with the chooks around - maybe I will lock them all away in the new summer house for a couple weeks

Brownie should be fine. I got a good look at her eye while she was on the roost last night. It appears minor and only a slight swelling. I will be monitoring it very closely though for any signs of infection. I will definitely update.

I have read more then I ever wanted to about rat poison and it falls into two main categories. Quick killing and the kind where it takes a few days. If you have other animals about and have no choice but to use it you definitely want the second kind. It greatly increases the chance they will go to ground and pass there verse out in the open. If I do find any bodies they will be burned.

I also chose Bell Labs products they were far more expensive but they dosage and type of poison is supposed to have a reduced impact on other animals. Also, bait boxes that lock well are very important. The ones I got require a key to unlock.

I hope it doesn’t come to that like it did for me but that is what I learned so Ill share it in case you do.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Mugs Monday
Sharing....
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Awll, beautiful girls!!