Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Lilion]

What good looking chicken mugshots today!

I had an interesting discovery. Sheba may look like she's not well with that penguin posture but she's a sneak!

The hole she snuck down is a triangle about 15" by 6", and she popped back out of it too. But don't lay in the lovely box right in front of you.

Here's a mug of the little sneak.

 

[Lilion]

I still would feel much better having an experienced person show me the first time - you can seriously hurt them/kill them if you screw up!

Interesting that the 'cleaning' is just soaking in cold water until it looks clean - no 'sanitizing' of equipment, Was it the time and the lack of understanding of sterilization (it was printed in 1922!) - or lack of them feeling a 'need' to for just 'livestock/poultry' that would become dinner anyways?

Funny, my husband and I were just talking about this and I found a website about the procedure. Apparently it's again the law in several countries.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I am so sorry. She was lived dearly by you and her flock mates. I am gladthat she perked up a bit before she passed. I am truly very sorry.

Thank you. I’ve read your post about your friends horse and am sending good thoughts of the best for him!

I am glad she had a good last day, and that she got to eat a beloved blueberry, and have her friends with her, when she passed.

As hard as it is to let her go, it is good that she went peacefully and with little suffering - and had the comfort of her friends as she passed.

for you, @ChicoryBlue , and her feathered friends.

Thank you, BG, you have been a comfort and great help!

Oh no. I’m so sorry I missed this. I read on to see what ended up happening. I have not brought a travel Campania before, but it is a nice idea of the birds of how do you tonight at the vet just disappeared. I don’t want to die naturally at home, obviously the friends were aware of the death. I am so sorry.

Spellcheck mixed up things but I think I get your sense. Thank you, Michelle! Yes, they knew she wasn’t feeling well before all this, and bringing everyone was the best with four birds. When we got home I put her in her favorite hole/depression in the run while I dug her grave. They all hung out there too, so were with her at home for awhile. Hazel came over and picked a bit of dust off her back. Butters, though, stepped on her beak at one point…

Butters meanwhile has really gone off eating, though she forages and hunts and finds things, just doesn’t actually eat them. She earned a 1.5 on the OCS (overall condition score) when she was seen on Wednesday. She is feathers and bones. That score’s between emaciated and under-conditioned. She got a tube feeding Sunday, and the vet explained and trained me while she did it, if I wanted to try, as the “flock check” I’ve scheduled isn’t until next week. This was interesting, as she did not want to train me on draining ascites when I asked her on the phone prior. I don’t know which is potentially riskier, they both are I think. The hoped-for result is that a few feedings will jump-start her eating again.

Important information was her tip of going from the birds left side to the right with the tube angle, and using a strong light to try to see the placement (she herself found that difficult), but more important was the physical training of feeling her trachea and the tube next to it when it’s placed correctly. I knew if I couldn’t replicate that when / if I tried I would not continue.

I want you to know I was remembering your video and tips too. Today I was successful in giving Butters 8 grams of Exact baby bird formula (one tablespoon of Exact mixed with five tablespoons of hot water, which became a (measured) 93 degrees or less when she got it, though I was shooting for 100 degrees. At least it wasn’t cold.

Aww CB, I’m sorry to hear about Peanut.

Thank you, Lozzy!

I am so sorry. but glad Peanut had her last nice moment and passed with great company.

Thank you so much. Those things were blessings.

You truly did right by her. She was lucky to have you looking out for her. My deepest sympathies.

Thank you, Bob. It was so very, very sad, but felt like the right decision deep down.

 

[featherhead007]

My neighbor eats 2 dozen jumbo eggs a week - just himself - plus whatever his wife eats. Unfortunately, he doesn't like/want duck eggs, and only eats jumbo eggs during the week, so he doesn't buy any of mine - he buys the poor commercial farm hens' white jumbo eggs. He hard boils them and eats them for breakfast 'on the run' driving to work. ( 3 a morning), and then eats scrambled or overeasy on weekend. Those can be anything (well, size wise.) He saves his jumbo cartons for us, we use them for the duck eggs.

We bring him a dozen of our chicken eggs when he says he has a stack of cartons for us. He and his wife eat them on the weekends...but gosh, god forbid you have to peal 4 or 5 hardboiled eggs instead of 3 for breakfast.

I would hate TO BE your neighbors pair of jeans!

 

[Ponypoor]

I still would feel much better having an experienced person show me the first time - you can seriously hurt them/kill them if you screw up!

Interesting that the 'cleaning' is just soaking in cold water until it looks clean - no 'sanitizing' of equipment, Was it the time and the lack of understanding of sterilization (it was printed in 1922!) - or lack of them feeling a 'need' to for just 'livestock/poultry' that would become dinner anyways?

I think the later, hospitals definitely sterilized equipment. Though gloves I feel where yet to be had.

I couldn’t read the doc I my phone doesn’t have an app - I will check it out on my laptop tomorrow.

 

[bgmathteach]

Funny, my husband and I were just talking about this and I found a website about the procedure. Apparently it's again the law in several countries.

That is interesting that it is against the law - where many, many other animals are routinely castrated. Granted, most of the other animals have external testicles. But, castrating a slightly older bull is not a nice procedure!. (It they are too old for the elastrator, the vet literally crushes the 'tubes'. Or at least they did when I was a kid and we bought a 6 month old male 'calf'.

And how often are dogs and cats 'taken care of' in a not dissimilar fashion (though, under anesthesia and by a vet.)

 

[Ponypoor]

Thank you. I’ve read your post about your friends horse and am sending good thoughts of the best for him!

Thank you, BG, you have been a comfort and great help!

Spellcheck mixed up things but I think I get your sense. Thank you, Michelle! Yes, they knew she wasn’t feeling well before all this, and bringing everyone was the best with four birds. When we got home I put her in her favorite hole/depression in the run while I dug her grave. They all hung out there too, so were with her at home for awhile. Hazel came over and picked a bit of dust off her back. Butters, though, stepped on her beak at one point…

Butters meanwhile has really gone off eating, though she forages and hunts and finds things, just doesn’t actually eat them. She earned a 1.5 on the OCS (overall condition score) when she was seen on Wednesday. She is feathers and bones. That score’s between emaciated and under-conditioned. She got a tube feeding Sunday, and the vet explained and trained me while she did it, if I wanted to try, as the “flock check” I’ve scheduled isn’t until next week. This was interesting, as she did not want to train me on draining ascites when I asked her on the phone prior. I don’t know which is potentially riskier, they both are I think. The hoped-for result is that a few feedings will jump-start her eating again.

Important information was her tip of going from the birds left side to the right with the tube angle, and using a strong light to try to see the placement (she herself found that difficult), but more important was the physical training of feeling her trachea and the tube next to it when it’s placed correctly. I knew if I couldn’t replicate that when / if I tried I would not continue.

I want you to know I was remembering your video and tips too. Today I was successful in giving Butters 8 grams of Exact baby bird formula (one tablespoon of Exact mixed with five tablespoons of hot water, which became a (measured) 93 degrees or less when she got it, though I was shooting for 100 degrees. At least it wasn’t cold.

Thank you, Lozzy!

Thank you so much. Those things were blessings.

Thank you, Bob. It was so very, very sad, but felt like the right decision deep down.

Did you do the tube insertion at the vets? I fell I would be ok doing it but the bird in question is hard to get her ‘mouth’ open!

Draining the abdomen could yes be potentially fatal but if it’s needing to be done, then worth the risk.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Ask Aurora
Today's Question comes from @RebeccaBoyd Peep and the Marshmallows.

View attachment 3567415

And they ask..........

Dear Aurora,

Hi, it is Peep and my fellow Marshmallow crew here. We caught our hooman mom busy tending to the new chicks and I made a break for it and snuck in her window. We want to know what is "Hooligans" and why is she saying it around us like it is a bad thing? We were not doing anything wrong, just testing out our wings. Yes we were using the neighbors chain link fence like it was a tight rope. Yes we also launched ourselves off it into the top of the tree when she spotted us and came to shoo us down. It was fun! We would have stayed in it longer except dad came around the corner and we did not want to get into trouble with him. Momma Chiquita has given up and now just threatens to tell our father when we have fun. Did you know we can now fly up to the top of the main big roost between the stalls from the ground? Half the other flock cannot do that, they have to use the stall boards. I think we can fly higher, I've been eyeing the roof. Our Hooman mom see this and dares us to do it saying we will get in trouble if she has to climb a ladder and chase us down. Uncle Dirt says do it, we are only young once. Also do you have any advice on how to catch a squirrel? We terrorize the birds and cats that come into the yard but the sneaky squirrel is smart. He jumps as good as we can fly. He stole some of our corn yesterday before we spotted him, the nerve. Our queen Butter says we are growing up and it is time to act like ladies. Acting like respectable ladies sounds boring, do we really have to? If you were our Queen you would not make us act like boring chickens would you? We all agree you would come up with fun games to play. How many Squirrels live at your house? Maybe if we had more then one to chase we could figure out how to catch them. Ooh gotta go, I hear our Hooman coming around the house, do not want to get caught on the computer and be called a hooligan again, I think.

Respectfully yours
Peep and the Marshmallows.


Dear Peep and the Marshmallows,

I have been delayed somewhat in replying to your inquiry. I apologize for that, but a Queen’s life is not easy and there are always things that need to be done. You know, Phyllis needs pecked, I need to steal food from Hattie, Sydney needs reprimanded for something, Glynda needs instruction on what it takes to be a great leader, etc. etc. The demands on my time are endless.

First off, your name, I love it. I swear I heard a song once by a band with that name. I wonder what it was………

Maybe it will come to me later.

My hooman servant tells me you are leghorns. From the way he talks about leghorns you would think they are the best chickens to ever roam the earth. We all know that is not true as you do not have beards and muffs so there is no way you could be the best. He did explain that you have big wings and look much like Glynda. I very much like Glynda. She is willing to take on our cat which is more than 4 times her size. I like a chicken that is not afraid of big challenges and who can punch way above their weight. It kind of sounds like you lot might be much like her. If so, then you are OK in my book.

You are blessed with large wings and can fly well then fly. Fly for all you are worth. Don’t limit yourself to the ground like the rest of us. It is the nature of chickens to explore and be curious. Go flying and have adventures. That way you have stories to tell on the roost at night. This will make you very popular with many other chickens who can’t fly and explore like you. Frankly who wants to hear one more time about the giant nightcrawler that Hattie caught that one time which was so big she could not swallow it all in one bite. She had to pull it back out and break it up so it would fit in her craw. If I have to hear that story one more time……….Well let’s just say we could use a little adventure around here. If you can reach the roof, you go up on the roof and come back and tell everyone else what you saw.

Now squirrel hunting is a serious business. The queen here before me, Lilly, was a great squirrel hunter. She would put on her squirrel hunting hat and she would encourage us all to join in.

View attachment 3567433

Her and Phyllis, if you can believe it, once cornered a squirrel and would have killed it but for the squirrel’s ability to climb. She actually got several whacks on its head before it escaped. My best friend Maleficent was an excellent hunter. She worked with Lilly and the queen before her, Patsy, to organize a chipmunk hunt one time. I participated in this hunt, and we nearly had it when it wiggled under the fence and got away.

What makes a good hunt? Communication and Coordination.

You must talk to each other and work together. You want to spread the marshmallows out and coordinate movements. The idea is to herd the squirrel into an area from where it cannot climb out or run away. You need to identify a fence corner or something similar. Then you need to slowly drive the squirrel towards that location. It is important to tell your teammates when the squirrel is headed their way. Slowly keep driving the squirrel towards the corner. When you finally have the squirrel cornered you will need to take turns attacking its head until you land the knockout blow. Whenever one attacks, the others keep the squirrel cornered. This is the only way to beat the squirrel. They are wily opponents. They are cheeky and will steal your food whenever they can. Lilly was never able to kill one, but she truly believed it possible.

A famous hooman servant named Laurel Thatcher Ulrich once said “Well-behaved women seldom make history”. The same holds true for hens as well. Butter truly sounds like an old bitty. I bet she is an Orpington. Old bitties like to say behave yourself, follow the rules, do things the right way and they will never change anything. They want things to stay as they are. I bet they would love Hattie’s stupid worm story. I bet Butter looks something like this.

View attachment 3567423

You be you. If you want to play in the mud, play in the mud. You white chickens repel mud like water off a duck’s back. You want to chase cats, Glynda likes to chase cats and she kinda looks like a leghorn, you chase cats. You think up a great new game, you play it and encourage others to do so. You want to eat pepper plants in the garden, well you should be careful there. Hooman servants are touchy about their plants. You show everyone how much fun it is to be adventuresome and maybe you can offset the Old Bitties a little bit. Who knows maybe you can change chicken life where you are for the better. Besides, I’m willing to gamble that Butter is unable to catch you to peck you anyway.

I do feel a little reminder is in order. Butter is your better. In most things she will be right. Don’t let her control your fun but you MUST listen to her in all other things. It is “The Way of the Chicken”. Despite everything you are still chickens and need to follow “The Way”.

By the way, I think Hooligan is a compliment. My Hooman servant called me one the other day when I stole Hattie’s tomato............I mean when I replaced Hattie’s overripe tomato with a fresh green one.

Queen Aurora

View attachment 3567434

Crack up at this I really believed it was the chickens talking

 

[Ponypoor]

That is interesting that it is against the law - where many, many other animals are routinely castrated. Granted, most of the other animals have external testicles. But, castrating a slightly older bull is not a nice procedure!. (It they are too old for the elastrator, the vet literally crushes the 'tubes'. Or at least they did when I was a kid and we bought a 6 month old male 'calf'.

And how often are dogs and cats 'taken care of' in a not dissimilar fashion (though, under anesthesia and by a vet.)

Baby pigs are neutered without any anesthesia, they quite literally have their pompoms cut out of them.

Goats amd calves also - ever hear of mountain oysters? (Goat gonads), or Prairies oysters? ( calf gonads)
Apparently quite good BBQ’ed.

 

[RoyalChick]

I still would feel much better having an experienced person show me the first time - you can seriously hurt them/kill them if you screw up!

Interesting that the 'cleaning' is just soaking in cold water until it looks clean - no 'sanitizing' of equipment, Was it the time and the lack of understanding of sterilization (it was printed in 1922!) - or lack of them feeling a 'need' to for just 'livestock/poultry' that would become dinner anyways?

I am not sure about the no need to be careful because they will be dinner anyway.
It is a lot of trouble to go to just to have the bird die of infection a few days later.
My understanding is that capon meat was quite prized so presumably commanded a higher price.