Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Lilion]

It’s a lot to take in.

I think we all assumed you were asking if the brooder was ok for the setting and hatching. Guess we were all just so eggcited (well I was at any rate) about her hatching her eggs. We didn’t think ahead!

I think you will be fine to put her and her chickies in the other pen for a week or so. Safety first!

(What’s bbl??)

Be back later.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Fluffy Butt Friday:
The dotty crew are 10 weeks old today and every bit as big as their mama Brownie (FBCM).

All my OG girls seem to be doing very well. Brownie is trying to be broody but I keep taking the eggs and making her get out of the nest box.

 

[GregnLety]

Was just checking out another thread and came across someone stating that the Silkie black skin is on the Z chromosome so cockerels will have dark skin but pullets will have white skin!

Next time I will look for light skinned pullets

Post in thread 'Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/silkies-they’re-simply-spectacular.1334299/post-27021292

I'll double check. I have a bunch of young Silky crosses

 

[ChicoryBlue]

This is starting to sound similar to what happened with Sansa. I did not realize that Butters' molt did not finish right last time.

Here was Sansa's process:

1. The feathers from Sansa's second molt did not come in right. They were incomplete.
2. Then she suffered the weight loss.
3. We treated for a sibclinical infection and she gained the weight back.
4. Then she just passed away.

Is that similar? I can find photos of Sansa's incomplete feathers if you would like.

I think I remember how she looked, that’s why I mentioned her (saying it was Lilly by mistake) before, in regards to Butters. Before that, you might recall a brief discussion of whether feather shredding ran in Buckeyes?

She molted but never lost the old feathers on part of her. I think, but am not sure, it’s not that the new ones looked bad, or came in half-developed, it’s that the old ones just have been worn and need replacing. Butters’ front half looks better than the back, but not great.

She bopped around the winter and spring appearing to eat fine, though I do not weigh them regularly. But she ate from my hand definitely. I noticed she was “off” when she lost her appetite for mealworms. She would eagerly run with the others to get a little scattering when I brought them back to the run after a “free range” time. She’d peck in the group but not actually eat anything, and later she would just peck and then walk away. Once she looked at me sadly too. I should have picked up on that, cause Peanut did that also, looked at me a certain way. So I would give her a bit of walnut away while the others were finding the mealworms. She ate that gladly. Then, she went off walnuts and I tried sunflower seeds. Soon she was off that too, and she wouldn’t come back towards the coop for any treats, she knew she didn’t want any. Though more recently she acts hungry, she just can’t manage to get it down. She came over eagerly for sunflower seeds a couple of weeks ago, even making “ooh, ooh, I want this” sounds, but then nibbled one or two, dropping them. It’s not comfortable? She adjusts her crop a lot when she has eaten anything, like a very tiny bug today.

But the X-ray shows nothing. The liver and kidney function and bile (that very green stuff she’s pooping is bile) test will be in early next week. It wasn’t clear that a big $ blood panel test would give treatable information right now.
The vet thinks the lethargy and passing out could be heart, liver or kidney failure, hypoxemia, or low glucose levels from her starvation.

Popcorn is 6 lbs 1 oz, Hazel is 5lbs 4 oz, or so, and Butters is 3 lbs 5 oz. Butters used to be comparable to Popcorn in bulk size.

 

[Sally PB]

@featherhead007... what...? What makes you think Jaffar might be blind in one eye? Is this something new?

I really hope you're wrong about this.

 

[bgmathteach]

It's not like I can't open the pen door. I just want them to be able to escape. The other chickens have been so mean to Eenie while she was brooding...

Can you put a 'creep' where the pen door is? Anything that is high enough for the chicks to get under, but low enough for the hens to not fit under? Example of a creep

so, for your case, could you make a door similar size to the door on Eenie's pen, BUT have it a bit ;too short', make it match at the top, with the gap at the bottom that the chicks could go in and out of, but Eenie can't get out and Manny, Meanie, etc. also can't get in.

You could use something as simple as a bit of chicken wire, framed out with either sturdy wire or scrap wood, and 2 eye hooks or bolts in the top...and use 2 carabiner's through the top of the pen & the 2 eye bolts )or if you use hooks, have them face down, and use the hooks to 'hook' the top of the pen' and hang the door that way. You might want to lay a brick or rock against this 'door' so the bigs don't learn to get their heads under and push it up and out.

 

[bgmathteach]

Mama should protect them from rats as long as they are close to her.

Rats freak me out

Momma chickens are NO MATCH for a rat.
Kill cats

 

[featherhead007]

@featherhead007... what...? What makes you think Jaffar might be blind in one eye? Is this something new?

I really hope you're wrong about this.

Pupil doesn’t change. And I can wave my hand at him and he doesn’t respond to my actions. The other eye looks different and does change

 

[featherhead007]

OK

(Okay)
Hahaha

 

[Sally PB]

Pupil doesn’t change. And I can wave my hand at him and he doesn’t respond to my actions. The other eye looks different and does change

When did this come about?

for you and him.