Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Saybrook go, Butters! (Auto correct struck again: "way to") figured the funny is needed. Next question: what is "saybrook"?

Knew it was a spell check thing, and exactly my question too!

 

[bgmathteach]

Hi! Thanks for asking. It’s actually Little Mill (Speckled Sussex) who has the limp. She actually seems to be doing great, despite molt. She still has the limp, but it’s leas pronounced. I think it might flair up worse when she is in lay, but I’m not sure. I do have the same CBD Bob uses and have tried it on her. I wasn’t sure if it helped, but will keep it in mind. Thanks for the reminder!

Sorry, Little Mill!!! I just hope you are feeling better - I remember the last video your mom posted of you (that I saw, anyways), and my heart went out for you limping around, but still determined to be a chicken!

 

[BY Bob]

I need a major training focus.
They know I bring food and they know about the rattle of the tin cup with seed, but the littles don’t rush because they know Bernie will chase them off so they wait until she wanders off.
I wonder if I should train them that I will put feed in multiple locations or spread it widely in the run so it is worth their while even with Bernie.
It is hard though because she and Babs are fast. They can clear a large area of scattered seed in no time!

I always set up at least two separate places with whatever I am feeding and then I make certain that Lady Featherington and Hattie get some personally. I do the best I can to make sure that everyone gets a portion even with Aurora stalking and bullying everyone.

I slso call them all by name and try not to use a generic "chook chook". That way they associate their name with the food and come when I call them or talk to them.

 

[BY Bob]

Do any of you add ACV to your chickens water? and if you do what noticeable difference's do you notice?
I have read 1 to 2 Tlb per gallon?? is this what you do?

I do not. There is no scientific evidence to support any benefit from it. I know others do but I do not.

 

[RoyalChick]

I always set up at least two separate places with whatever I am feeding and then I make certain that Lady Featherington and Hattie get some personally. I do the best I can to make sure that everyone gets a portion even with Aurora stalking and bullying everyone.

I slso call them all by name and try not to use a generic "chook chook". That way they associate their name with the food and come when I call them or talk to them.

Hmmm.
Doesn't Aurora chase them away?
The reason Babs gets to eat so much is that Bernie spends so much of her time ensuring that nobody can get anywhere close!
She operates a roughly 10' 'no chicken zone' when treats are on the cards.

 

[Ponypoor]

They are bug group specific. Trust me, we still have plenty of bugs!

I had a visitor in my ‘office’ (my work truck) yesterday - a locust decided to fly in the window of my truck while I was parked on site.

The thing kept trying to get back out flying around, finally I had to go and walk around my truck and open the other door for it. Away it went merrily flying off into the corn.

Ya, bugs, the joys of being working in the field - I was thinking how my chooks would have had a field day with that locust! Yummy!

 

[Marie2020]

She seems to be much better! She's gained a little weight even. Over the first part of the weekend she did not get a late afternoon feeding due to my schedule. She seemed to be eating more on her own too. So yesterday and today I did not tube-feed her. I am weighing her now each day, and she's holding her own.

The problem was not her crop, it was / is further down, and I put coconut oil in the baby bird formula I tube-fed her, to help things move along and to try to add calories.

I found that slipping tiny amounts into the beak helpful. I sort of copied a mother birds way

Not a fan of diatomaceous earth, it is sharp and fine, a dusty material not good for their lungs, in my opinion. I think one has to weigh the seriousness of an infestation and what options one has, and their relative side effects.

You gave her a great life, and a long one for a production hen. I'm sorry for your loss, even expected ones are hard, and it's even harder being away.

Thinking of you all and Honey, and have been following your updates. Such heartbreak but if she passes know you've done what you could, reproductive issues are really tough. Hoping she'll pull through

I have similar concerns as @bgmathteach about predators - here in the north raccoons can reach through that wire size, weasels can totally get through it, & both can climb. As a daytime run it might be okay with your dogs around, would be concerned for roosting at night.

They all seemed a little out of sorts for several days, so I felt they were grieving her, and adjusting to her not being there. They knew she was ill, and were there with her when she died, and were with her body for several hours.

They do grieve
Princess screamed when flexi and Agatha died. Thankfully she has connected with Tina now.

 

[Marie2020]

@bgmathteach Butters has gained weight to 3lbs, 5 oz and has held it for two days. So she's gained at least six ounces. Developments in the last few days are that she seemed to be favoring the bigger crumbles, so I'd try to gather them in my hand when offering her feed, and today I got into town and got a bag of Nutrena Feather Fixer pellets,18% protein which would be good for Hazel and Popcorn to be eating because of the calcium.
Oops accidentally hit the post button. Editing --
So they all loved it, fed them out of my hands which Butters seems to like, and she stuffed herself on it this evening. She still favors the smaller bits, but she'll take a bigger one and break it up. She stopped to do some crop adjusting, I am hoping it just feels funny to her because her crop has not been filled like that for so long. Later I felt her crop and there was a nice firm ball of feed in there, comparable to Hazel's but a little smaller. This is new and good I think.

You're doing a really good job.

 

[Marie2020]

Two-fer Tuesday

Two horses and two chooks
View attachment 3629100

And Mr P and Marty (along with Blanche and Penelope) getting ready for bed.
View attachment 3629101

I now have internet here in my flat so hopefully I can keep up a bit now

I love your critters

 

[Marie2020]

I do not. There is no scientific evidence to support any benefit from it. I know others do but I do not.

Mine get in well with ACV. I think it helps with the filtered water I use. I alternate I'll add crushed mint next time