Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

I didn't know this about Barley - thanks for this!

Ha, no wonder why your girls unionized! Forcing them to do the tedious task of shredding paper!

I'll have to try this! I usually tear it up into smaller pieces, or shred it using a small personal shredder (that only works if I can get most of the wrinkles out, though, as it is a cheap shredder and bogs down if too much thickness enters the shute.)

Tax:
View attachment 3649473View attachment 3649474
Poor molting girl - feathers are very rumbled looking

View attachment 3649475

@RoyalChick - you like the green sheen - maybe this boy would fit in with your flock!

(No real worries, just teasing, as he is a keeper - he is 1/2 sibling to Babs.)

He is gorgeous!
That is the same issue I have with the shredder. It is a satisfying but tedious task and the shredder overheats and needs a break.
I just tried it with those long bits of brown packing paper. I was trying to straighten it out for the shredder when the shredder declared break time so I just dumped an armload of the stuff on the floor of the coop. It took the ladies a couple of days to get it to where I can’t see where it is any more.

 

[rural mouse]

ToKS (how does autocorrect come up with that?!)

took some fresh pics this morning. They're terrible, blurry, half off camera, etc. Overcast, @ 40F with an east wind (rare) and a bite to it. Doesn't quite feel like snow, but definitely chilly.

Pear has lost the rumpled look. She actually is looking as crisp as Jessica is. (Twirp too, so must have snuck the moult in quietly)

Jessica and Cuckoo's fluffy butts in the background. Cuckoo is still growing feathers, but in her usual calm manner. PITA on the right, another who just seems to produce new feathers. Sharp contrast to Nellie on the left. She's looking both more rumpled and less at the same time (true talent there). I think her pins have flared out under the old feathers, so she should be looking sharp in another couple of weeks. Thing is staying in the coop, very DONT TOUCH ME, but her pins are also fanned out and growing quickly (no pics).

Cuckoo in front, again in the back, Poor Nellie, along with Maizie who hasn't really started yet. Cheetah back there has pins showing around his ears and seems to be doing a gradual moult again. Invasion Crew behind them (hard to tell from the adults now, 18 weeks). Storm and 4 of hers in the middle, Cumulo just off frame. They're getting so big, and all bed down on top of the nest boxes in one big pile.

Quarts, Cumulo, and Cheetah as a size comparison shot.

Another sizing shot, Nimbus is the largest of the clouds, and I'm wondering if maybe Hector is the father on that one. Unless I do DNA testing, I doubt I'll ever know for certain, but she's going to be a big lady. Jessica in front (love the crisp lacing). Lark or Indigo and Cheetah in back. Twirp is all crisp, surrounded by Havoc, Shan, and Enigma, all bigger than she is.

Anyway, projects today: stay warm, create a dry cave for Sherlock in the back of the carport, fill the crockpot waters, make a pork roast, work on double layered ear warmers for me to match the wool mitts for walking Sherlock in the icy wind.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Glad she is on antibiotics, hopefully that will help with whatever is causing her to be so ill. Let the Baytril do it's thing for a couple days and see what happens. The eye could have been injured if she is unsteady, it could be anything. But I think you are doing the right thing with the antibiotics.

Thinking good thoughts, hugs to all of you.

I'm thinking this is okay to do. Nothing I've read about coccidiosis has these symptoms going on, except the lethargy, so there could be a secondary infection, or the "secondary" is/was the original culprit.

Here's my thinking...

1. She never had bloody diarrhea or other symptoms except lethargy, she did have very loose but normal-ish poop only after syringe-feeding water. It's been heavy with urates. No mucous. I had found two poops under the roost with what I thought were intestinal shedding but could have been part of a coccidia life-cycle according to the vet. The wet warm run conditions, their age typical for vulnerability, time since introduction, etc., pointed to coccidiosis .

2. I never found any coccidia cysts in the fecal float tests, although that could come later in a disease progression. I haven't tested for over a week now.

3. Ida is sneezing and her voice is raspy/two-toned, and her nares don't have mucous but have dirt collected there. This has been going on since she arrived as a day-old but only since banding have I determined it's only her.

4. Anna sneezed yesterday morning and again this morning. Her voice is very slightly raspy now. But I haven't heard much sneezing.

5. She's been scratching both side of her head, the skin at the beak line in front of her eyes has slight scratch wounds that get better and this morning I see again. I had thought I might have scratched her in syringe-feeding treated water but studying where my fingers are I'm pretty sure it's not me.

6. Anna had small bubbles in her right eye, found after taking pictures of her eyes to send the vet. This sort of clinched it for me, that I would at least try treating her for mycoplasma.

7. Both her eyes didn't look right, they are too dark overall, not enough distinguishment between the parts of the eyeball - the pupil, iris, and whatever the outer part is called, conjunctiva?

I couldn't get good left eye pics. Very hard to get any pics, she would move her head a lot when her eyes were open, and as soon as she stopped moving she'd close her eyes. Zoom in and you'll see tiny bubbles in the crevice on the nares end. Is this normal to have bubbles there?

The Terramycin ointment has had an immediate effect, last night when I got home she had both eyes open a lot more and was looking about, & now wants to look out the window briefly. Her right eyeball looks much more normal. It’s been a both-eyes issue, with the left eye worse. I think her “it’s too early in the morning and I haven’t had my coffee” look has been due to swelling. Possibly mycoplasma conjunctivitis.

How long does one apply Terramycin?

It is a struggle to apply ointment. I get a 3/8 line of ointment on a (gloved) hand, first finger, and I try to pull her lower lid down with my middle finger, the other fingers also holding her neck below her head. The other gloved hand is trying to hold her neck/head/beak steady. I can tell she’s going to have a greasy hairdo very soon. She immediately preened for awhile after I put her back.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Doesn't have the properties my parents want for the chickens. They wanted something absorbent and soft for in their coop.

I use chopped hemp for the nestboxes. It is soft and fluffy but firms up underfoot to make a nice bowl in. @RoyalChick If any little bit sticks on an egg it comes right off.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Anyway I look at it, it’s expensive. I might give the Purina mill here inOntario and ask why they don’t make the all flock available here.

That’s the best idea, talk to the Purina people right there, I’d be interested in what they say! They also might have a suggestion about alternatives.

 

[Ponypoor]

ToKS (how does autocorrect come up with that?!)

took some fresh pics this morning. They're terrible, blurry, half off camera, etc. Overcast, @ 40F with an east wind (rare) and a bite to it. Doesn't quite feel like snow, but definitely chilly.

Pear has lost the rumpled look. She actually is looking as crisp as Jessica is. (Twirp too, so must have snuck the moult in quietly)View attachment 3649489Jessica and Cuckoo's fluffy butts in the background. Cuckoo is still growing feathers, but in her usual calm manner. PITA on the right, another who just seems to produce new feathers. Sharp contrast to Nellie on the left. She's looking both more rumpled and less at the same time (true talent there). I think her pins have flared out under the old feathers, so she should be looking sharp in another couple of weeks. Thing is staying in the coop, very DONT TOUCH ME, but her pins are also fanned out and growing quickly (no pics).
View attachment 3649486Cuckoo in front, again in the back, Poor Nellie, along with Maizie who hasn't really started yet. Cheetah back there has pins showing around his ears and seems to be doing a gradual moult again. Invasion Crew behind them (hard to tell from the adults now, 18 weeks). Storm and 4 of hers in the middle, Cumulo just off frame. They're getting so big, and all bed down on top of the nest boxes in one big pile.

View attachment 3649485Quarts, Cumulo, and Cheetah as a size comparison shot.

View attachment 3649491Another sizing shot, Nimbus is the largest of the clouds, and I'm wondering if maybe Hector is the father on that one. Unless I do DNA testing, I doubt I'll ever know for certain, but she's going to be a big lady. Jessica in front (love the crisp lacing). Lark or Indigo and Cheetah in back. Twirp is all crisp, surrounded by Havoc, Shan, and Enigma, all bigger than she is.

Anyway, projects today: stay warm, create a dry cave for Sherlock in the back of the carport, fill the crockpot waters, make a pork roast, work on double layered ear warmers for me to match the wool mitts for walking Sherlock in the icy wind.View attachment 3649499

Amazing how fast they grow up

Soon maybe lay some eggs, do you think the chicks will lay this late? Or wait till spring? My Sophia babies are 14 weeks, the school chicks something like 23 weeks…? Anyways I don’t aeee the school chicks laying and now I am ot so sure it was Tippy laying eggs. A couple of the school chicks are squatting but Tippy doesn’t and non of the rest either.

So I wondering if they will even start, and the Sophia chicks I would imagine will wait ti Spring - what do yours do when they are late chicks??

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

This desert is now driving me nuts!
Two days ago, It was a nice high of 85 degrees with a low of 63, now the temperature suddenly dropped to a high of 69 and a low of 51!

Ijak and his daughter seem to be enjoying it, though.

Also, I'm still suspecting that Ijak is molting! When he crows, some of his neck feathers seem to be missing. I'll see if he crows later on and I'll put up pics.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Oh my goodness, my sister just sent me a ticktock video. Some genius put googly eyes on a black silkie's head poof. I NEED googly eyes now. Oh Branchy Poo, come here darlin.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

I could send you a bag of... Texas sand. Literally. Sand is what our dirt is.

You don't say...

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh my goodness, my sister just sent me a ticktock video. Some genius put googly eyes on a black silkie's head poof. I NEED googly eyes now. Oh Branchy Poo, come here darlin.

Poor pookie! Hahaha is it those stick on ones?

Hmmm Mr P were art thou Mr P…?