Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Lexicon]

Not something ive ever come across. Shadrach wrote a rooster article (spent a number of years in Spain with some semi-feral chickens). There isn't much rooster behavior he hasn't encountered.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

Thanks, I have read his article. As in most things, there's a range of advice for any topic or question. I just wanted to check with people who have good relationships with their roosters if this was a common perspective.

So far, Cesario has been a model cockerel at 11.5 weeks old. I want to give him the best chance to turn out to be a good boy.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

So no more stringy poops after 8/3? Hope that was it!

Nope, got this late today. The poop tray was fine, only two poops in there, normal looking.
First pic, as it lay right after Butters pooped

This pic I pulled it apart, in a couple places, I'd say it's grass

Seeing her eat only tiny bits of pellets and sweep the rest I tried a little Starter crumbles with her, and she loves it and has kept coming back to it this afternoon. Also did it with the idea that a new food she might be more inclined to try. It's medicated so I don't want to continue her on it but thought it would be an experiment and it might help her, as she does not like the Exact baby formula powder. She has kept coming back to it so I'll buy some high-protein crumbles for her, either non-medicated Starter (thoughts?) or adult high protein, if I can find it.

She ate three blueberries offered to her, one after the other, which is completely new behavior. Then she stopped on the fourth, trying to eat it, but put it down and was adjusting her crop with some neck twists. A bit later she yawned and stretched her neck again. It ain't right in there possibly. But overall she is really perking up. Tail's up, moving very well, lots of energy, not standing around hunched, her neck's not quite right but looks much better. This is her on the left, with Popcorn's butt.

On the right, with Hazel on the left.

I felt her crop tonight - like a small firm golf ball, the bottom of the ball very delineated, like I could feel the curve up into her body on the underside. I felt Popcorn's - she's a pig - like feeling a third of a softball, also similarly firm, but flatter to the body though, no underside curve.

Butters' left eye seems the same, it bothers her and she scratches around it. I'll take another look closely tomorrow when I weigh her. I will be updating the vet again.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Good idea! Grit, or gravel or dirt, I read somewhere that someone take a chunk of sod and puts it in with the chicks to peck at grass and dirt, gives their immune system a boost.

I did that with the school chicks and they demolished the chunk!

What about potential Marek's in the soil? These guys have been vaccinated and that takes two weeks to "ripen" doesn't it?

 

[rural mouse]

Thanks, I have read his article. As in most things, there's a range of advice for any topic or question. I just wanted to check with people who have good relationships with their roosters if this was a common perspective.

So far, Cesario has been a model cockerel at 11.5 weeks old. I want to give him the best chance to turn out to be a good boy.
View attachment 3600819

That particular concept of "not in front of you" etc al is (in my opinion) about as fragrant as @Ponypoor's Mount Poopmore.

He could start attempting to breed any day now. More than likely he'll get thumped by the lady. This will likely follow with a period of him treading lightly around said lady, being very skittish, and turning tail and running away from lady charging at him. (Twirp did this to Hector, I would have been baffled except I happened to witness the thumping).

Being as Cesario doesn't have an older rooster to model good behavior and apply additional thumping, he may require several such incidents while he figures out how to court the ladies. You can assist him in that by giving him the treats so he can call the ladies over. If he eats the treats himself, he hasn't figured it out yet. If he's twittering, chirping, picking it up and setting it down again, he's trying to call the girls for goodies. Once he starts doing that, he'll eat the treat if the ladies dont.

 

[RoyalChick]

Nope, got this late today. The poop tray was fine, only two poops in there, normal looking.
First pic, as it lay right after Butters pooped
View attachment 3600705

This pic I pulled it apart, in a couple places, I'd say it's grass
View attachment 3600706

Seeing her eat only tiny bits of pellets and sweep the rest I tried a little Starter crumbles with her, and she loves it and has kept coming back to it this afternoon. Also did it with the idea that a new food she might be more inclined to try. It's medicated so I don't want to continue her on it but thought it would be an experiment and it might help her, as she does not like the Exact baby formula powder. She has kept coming back to it so I'll buy some high-protein crumbles for her, either non-medicated Starter (thoughts?) or adult high protein, if I can find it.

She ate three blueberries offered to her, one after the other, which is completely new behavior. Then she stopped on the fourth, trying to eat it, but put it down and was adjusting her crop with some neck twists. A bit later she yawned and stretched her neck again. It ain't right in there possibly. But overall she is really perking up. Tail's up, moving very well, lots of energy, not standing around hunched, her neck's not quite right but looks much better. This is her on the left, with Popcorn's butt.
View attachment 3600726

On the right, with Hazel on the left.
View attachment 3600727

I felt her crop tonight - like a small firm golf ball, the bottom of the ball very delineated, like I could feel the curve up into her body on the underside. I felt Popcorn's - she's a pig - like feeling a third of a softball, also similarly firm, but flatter to the body though, no underside curve.

Butters' left eye seems the same, it bothers her and she scratches around it. I'll take another look closely tomorrow when I weigh her. I will be updating the vet again.

Sounds like she is improving but still has stuff to break up and get through her system.
Are you massaging her crop?

 

[RoyalChick]

What about potential Marek's in the soil? These guys have been vaccinated and that takes two weeks to "ripen" doesn't it?

That is why I did not do the sod thing until the vaccine had enough time to take.
I found a scientific paper that indicated 10 days. I went 14 to be safe.

 

[Lexicon]

Being as Cesario doesn't have an older rooster to model good behavior and apply additional thumping, he may require several such incidents while he figures out how to court the ladies. You can assist him in that by giving him the treats so he can call the ladies over. If he eats the treats himself, he hasn't figured it out yet. If he's twittering, chirping, picking it up and setting it down again, he's trying to call the girls for goodies. Once he starts doing that, he'll eat the treat if the ladies dont.

Okay, I have seen him dropping food over and over before eating it himself. He didn't make any sounds though. Maybe he is still figuring that out. He is really skittish around me and the hens and is the smallest chicken in the yard, so it may take him some time to build up his confidence.

I have tried to give him some wheatgrass fodder to share, but it's hard to do because he is so shy that he won't take it. Brave Beatrice gets it and shares with the youngsters! She is a real firecracker!

 

[notabitail]

That’s good, I am glad, while I feel for your chickens, your safety is of the utmost importance. After all you’re the one caring for your chooks - right?

Of course I am. All of my family helps in one way or another.
I don't know how safe the current setup is but it's got to be safer than what was there before, both for us and my precious chooks.
I am so sad. I miss Abigail and telling her goodnight. I still told her even though she wasn't there. Gaby went to where Abigail usually sleeps. I feel she was trying to make me feel better. Josey did too.

 

[notabitail]

I found out that dryer sheets are made from polyester (one of my allergens). Now we line dry or use vinegar in place of fabric softener in the washer, and either wool balls (without scent) or nothing in the dryer (natural sunshine smells best, but dryer generates softer clothes)

View attachment 3600804Cardhu agrees on the sunshine

For me it's the scent. All of these scented things have some kind of underlying chemical I can smell. No one seems to smell it but I do. And I hate it. Stuff that uses real spices as a scent is better. But I still am allergic to it depending on the smell and the spices used.

 

[rural mouse]

Okay, I have seen him dropping food over and over before eating it himself. He didn't make any sounds though. Maybe he is still figuring that out. He is really skittish around me and the hens and is the smallest chicken in the yard, so it may take him some time to build up his confidence.

I have tried to give him some wheatgrass fodder to share, but it's hard to do because he is so shy that he won't take it. Brave Beatrice gets it and shares with the youngsters! She is a real firecracker!

View attachment 3600852

He's definitely following his instincts. And it's coming. He'll get it together eventually. It's not uncommon for the young cockerel to "cry wolf" over anything, edible or not. He does that too much, and the ladies will ignore him, making his courtship that much more difficult. The goodies will help with that, and the ladies will learn to look to him for the goodies you bring.