Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

People I am tired. I am tired of being the nice person and having it come back to bite me in the rear. I am tired of stray animals and the idiots who think it is ok to dump them in a neighborhood hoping someone takes them in. I am tired of idiot dog owners letting their animals run loose with no care in the world. I am tired of dogs in general, I really do not even want to look at my own 2 and it was not their fault and they are innocent. I can understand foxes, coyotes bobcats ect. predating on chickens even though I do not like it. They are doing it to survive. Dogs are downright murderers and do it for fun and sport. A stray or lost dog not sure which, and frankly I do not care showed up day before yesterday. Bleeding heart neighbors fed it and let their kids play with it so it did not move on. For the 1000th time from these people when any animal showed up I heard "oh, it has to be someones, we have to find it's owners." I wish I knew who its owners are, we would not be having nice words at the moment. It tried to come in my yard once and I sent CeeCee after it. She actually ran it out of the neighborhood only to be called back by kids. I am cooking dinner last night when all he** broke loose. The chickens were starting to put themselves to roost when it charged around the house and attacked. I was outside fast, not fast enough. It was not hungry this was fun and sport for that menace. I lost one of my black girls and when it met it's maker it had Chiquita in its mouth. There was another pile of brown feathers in the middle of the yard and I could not locate Momma Hen last night once things calmed down. I am tired of being nice. No longer will something be allowed to step foot in my yard while bleeding hearts try to find a owner. The SSS method will now be strictly followed I do not care who knows it.

Oh my goodness. This is horrible. I am so sorry.

 

[micstrachan]

I still have not located Momma hen but Chiquita is gone. I am still shaking from anger from last night. Everyone of my neighbors witnessed this so maybe they will stop feeding and baiting in strays. I will not post them but I also have pictures of the bodies if someone were to report what I did. I was in my legal right to shoot it in my yard. Frankly I would love for it to be some ones and it get back to them. I would like to meet them.

Oh no! Chiquita! I wasn’t totally sure by the first post. Big hug to you. This is awful.

 

[micstrachan]

I found Momma Hen and she is accounted for. Her smarts saved her from harm. She was halfway up in the big pine tree where she apparently roosted last night. I had to bribe her down with corn. My flock is clearly still rattled though. The hens are nervous and the boys will not shut up crowing today. This is the most they have crowed past 8 am since I rehomed Twig and Madea.

I’m so glad Momma Hen is OK. So sad for her that she had to witness the mayhem.

 

[micstrachan]

She was gone when I came home.

I didn't give her any more fluids, when I checked before leaving she was just out of the plate flat on her chest and I think her crop had disgorged some, her beak was in a wet spot of towel and she did not look good. I moved her off there, saw she was getting trampled some by the others racing about, so I cut down a square Kleenex box to fit under the plate with the bottom of the oval hole facing out, she could leave if she wanted but the higher back and sides prevented the others from climbing over her while under the plate. I put a folded washcloth in it and laid her there slightly angled up so that her head was higher when she laid down her beak.

I'd like to know what if anything I could have done better. Is two hours after getting fluids too soon for food? They supposedly hatched on Monday, and arrived here Wednesday morning, by 8am they had a little nutridrench and then the sav-a-chick electrolytes & dextrose water, and 11am a few crumbles, noon or 1pm access to more crumbles. They each seemed fine all day. Something happened in the night. They have two nightlights with light paper over them for some ambient light during the night. The other four are seemingly doing great so far (knock on wood). 20% dying is the track record so far.

Five Buckeyes hatched on a Sunday, all got here alive on Tuesday, looked fine through Wednesday, and on Thursday one died similarly, just went downhill faster, found suddenly weak and not breathing well. Just like this then, there were four. This little buff Orpington lasted longer, suffered much longer than the Buckeye.

I’m sorry to hear this.

 

[micstrachan]

The second chick died in the night as I expected. The three remaining all have normal crops, soft but not large yet. Acting very normal.
Just found this this morning, I see a bit of suspicious dark bloody red blobs, on the right side from about 1 to 4 o'clock in the pics. I've removed the electrolyte water in case they're getting more B vitamins that are overcoming the medicated feed (just a theory?).
Without flash or light adjustment
View attachment 3600152

With light adjustment and flash
View attachment 3600151

Saw a chick just poop the below, liquidy and lots of tiny bubbles
View attachment 3600157

I had a horrible thought upon waking up, that mold might be the culprit - The box came from the barn second floor and I didn't disinfect it with chemicals, just wiped it down with a dry cloth. Some things up there have had mildew before being put up there. The box was near a motorcycle jacket and other jackets dear to DH that he refused to throw out that definitely are mildewy. And then also I thought of the wood chips, the bag was unopened with heavy plastic but it's been sitting on a damp floor in the barn for months.

I'm moving everybody into the clean tote for now with just paper towels for flooring.
I'm going to look inside the poor chick that died last night, on the theory if it's aspergillosis there might be visible white nodules.

A second one! I’m so sorry.

 

[featherhead007]

Report; I checked every conceivable source of trouble with the landline and DSL connection. Waiting for the technician on Monday evening to come out

 

[Ponypoor]

Happy Mugs Monday

Checking the barn cams and noted that Tuff was still awake

 

[Ponypoor]

Report; I checked every conceivable source of trouble with the landline and DSL connection. Waiting for the technician on Monday evening to come out

Good to hear from you! We were worried.

 

[Ponypoor]

A second one! I’m so sorry.

It’s been a hard week, Notabitail also lost his beloved Abygail this weekend it’s been a very sad week.

The highlight though was RM’s puppy Sherlock

 

[notabitail]

I still have not located Momma hen but Chiquita is gone. I am still shaking from anger from last night. Everyone of my neighbors witnessed this so maybe they will stop feeding and baiting in strays. I will not post them but I also have pictures of the bodies if someone were to report what I did. I was in my legal right to shoot it in my yard. Frankly I would love for it to be some ones and it get back to them. I would like to meet them.

This is so sad. I feel so sorry for you and your chooks.