Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Gigachad poultry]

Does this little one like your chickens?

Kids and pets are the best

No, he wants to murderify every last one of them. Being a border terrier he has a prey drive so strong that anything that doesn't live in the house is a meal waiting to be eaten. However my two truffle dogs Thor and Rocky love the chickens and they are very much friends with them. When those two nap in the sun the chickens sun bathe on them lol

I agree, Ozzy, Thor, and Rocky are the best with my younger siblings. My cat really only cuddles at night when I'm only half awake. She likes sleeping on Ozzy or my chest, it kinda suffocates me lol

 

[featherhead007]

You peeps know just how much I love my family (brother and sister) but I have been searching for that perfect JADE jewelry pendant, to give to my brothers wife (she’s from China) and jade is supposed to be sacred as a family heirloom. Sadly, I have had no such luck with my attempts so far.
Makes me miss those wonderful sapphire eggs that Canna would bless me with every day.

Canna:

 

[featherhead007]

Canna:View attachment 3632480View attachment 3632481

Canna, she was my “queen Aurora “

 

[GregnLety]

Went to my granddaughter's birthday party in Austin yesterday. 108 so fortunately the parking lot was a short walk. Anna stayed in the pool until it was cake time. Angela was busy hosting so I hung out with my youngest and her boyfriend. It's been ages since Kathy and I have chatted at length. It's refreshing to talk to a 29 year old that is educated and has a ton of common sense. As you can tell, my hearts is full. Here's Anna cheering up before eating her cake.

 

[rural mouse]

You peeps know just how much I love my family (brother and sister) but I have been searching for that perfect JADE jewelry pendant, to give to my brothers wife (she’s from China) and jade is supposed to be sacred as a family heirloom. Sadly, I have had no such luck with my attempts so far.
Makes me miss those wonderful sapphire eggs that Canna would bless me with every day.

Try looking around bead shops. You can frequently find jade beads and pendant pieces. You would have to do some assembly, but some of the pendants are ready to go on a chain. You would simply need a chain then.


The accent stones and the cross are jade

Very moulty boy tax

 

[bgmathteach]

Grandma update.

After initial bloodwork and x-rays all we 100% know for sure is she has covid. They are thinking tail end of covid but covid none-the-less. She has been admitted. No broken bones thankfully. Her white blood cell count is elevated so they are doing iv antibiotics and fluids. They have to re-do her chest x-rays, potential pneumonia but they were not clear enough to determine it. She is in a isolation room and mom is coming home once all the orders are put in tonight. The er doctor told her nicely that she was staying until she regained her strength. Be that one day or 30. Mom told me she pulled him aside out of earshot. She asked him for at least 3 days and explained that her primary doctor told us she could not enter a nursing home or rehab facility until she had a mandatory 3 day hospital stay. He understands and is going to get in touch with her doctor first thing in the morning. I am here to tell you all, this was not a accidental fall. A accident would have been falling backwards. She literally let go of the railing and slung herself sideways. I do not know how I managed to grab her in time to break her fall. If I had not she would have hit her head and neck on the porch nest boxes. We tried to get her up, me, mom and dad. She is 300lbs and was not offering to help at all. Thought we could lift her right up. She was also very uncooperative with the emts. They had to call a 2nd ambulance to have them assist getting her up and onto a stretcher. God forgive me for thinking and feeling this, but I am praying this is it and she is finally admitted to a nursing home. I cannot even begin to express the feeling of relief just knowing that for tonight she is not coming home.

You and your family have been through a lot: losses, Grandma - so much stress!

I hope that she does go to a nursing home so you can have a bit of peace at home. I suspect when you visit her in a nursing home she will still be belligerent and accuse you all of abandoning her - but at least there you can walk away when the 'temperature rises', and she will get the care she needs without her take on the emotional hostage taking.

How is Rosie and everyone else if the family doing RE: covid recovery. I know you said Rosie was back to school - but I know for me, even though I was 'better', I was still weaker and got short of breath for quite a while - it is just this past week that I feel 'normal. Hoping everyone in your house was quick to recover with no lingering effects! (Especially Rosie - given her susceptibility to lung issues/infections!)

 

[bgmathteach]

OK the Spuds wanted out of the puppy pen after an hour, one flew up to the top and hung there awhile. The Bigs seemed pretty much over the "Now they're here?" interest and appeared to not care, hanging out. So I opened the gate and out they blasted out!

They explored all around the pen, came into the run extension and helped me with the assembly work. They didn't want to read the instructions though
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Predator skirt inspection
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The Bigs just watched, see them on the right up there. Hazel did very little, but occasionally Popcorn came over and scared them through the fence. When they were inside the fence, Popcorn and Butters worked together three times to herd and then scatter them. They didn't pursue, just made them run when Popcorn would suddenly lunge. Butters just seems to enjoy standing there while a chick runs her way. So far it looks like mostly intimidation, but since this was all Day One of really sharing an area I kept an eye on them. I stepped in once when they got herded into a corner, the extension is definitely not set up with chick escape obstacle stuff, and neither is part of the main run.

Next the Spuds went beyond the extension and toured the jungle paths in a big circle, out to the Lilacs, over to the coop, and back around. Then they rested a bit where I was working after eating and drinking.
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Then they set off again, this time headed right into the main run where the Bigs were! Gutsy. They were on the left, so the Spuds went to the right. Right onto the wonderful dry pile of litter. They started scratching. They found Hazel's favorite dustbath hole. One of those cheeky Spuds started to dustbathe in it!
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Uh oh. Butters is about to come around the top of the doggy pool, Popcorn around the bottom. The Spuds retreated to another corner, and Popcorn charged. One went above the pool and found Butters and does a quick reverse, the other two split and zip to either side of Popcorn safely. The first got through also. Nobody even pecked. Whew!
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Gotta hand it to the Spuds, they ventured back in within minutes! Popcorn and Hazel had gone out to forage a little, Butters too. So they explored the left side this time. I saw Butters coming back, so went in to observe.

The Spuds found the insulated waterer and immediately recognized the water nipple even though theirs is vertical and totally shaped differently, and this is horizontal. They pecked and pushed the silver pin and got drinks! Butters heard the waterer, came over and got a drink on the opposite side. The Littles saw her but didn't panic, they stayed, one even walked around to look at her, and Butters slowly walked by them.

I will change up the main run, give the chicks better corners, blocks and under-hides. It will level up the playing field a bit to not have the layout so familiar to the Bigs. Was not thinking the Spuds would want to go everywhere so soon. But they appeared to have a great time!

How is it chickens are so bold, such risk-takers from an early age?

This sounds like a great day all around!

Yes, chickens are curious in general....and remember, kids generally have little fear of new things....and then teens think they are invincible. They have to learn to be more wary, I think - or get scared/hurt to learn something is bad. (They might frighten at sudden movement or similar - prey animal instinct - but otherwise they are bold, especially when young - in the wild, mom would call them back, give warning calls, and/or scold them if they were TOO adventurous, I think.)

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

That's a fabulous day out, they are very smart, and want to be part of the flock

How old are they now? Do you have a timeline for their being fully integrated and staying out in the coop?

They sure are growing aren't they!

Yes! They are so big now! They are the size of Pastel’s foot! I think that they are two weeks now. We got them last Saturday. One doesn’t have a tail…

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Another grandma update.

When mom was leaving last night the doctor called her. They found a blood clot in one of her legs. Oddly enough it was not the leg she was claiming that was hurting her. She has to have a MRI today to make sure she did not hit her head and has no brain bleeds. If that comes back clear they will start her on blood thinners this afternoon.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Another grandma update.

When mom was leaving last night the doctor called her. They found a blood clot in one of her legs. Oddly enough it was not the leg she was claiming that was hurting her. She has to have a MRI today to make sure she did not hit her head and has no brain bleeds. If that comes back clear they will start her on blood thinners this afternoon.