Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

This was sent to me the other day and I missed it until this morning. Look at all those gorgeous eggs.

They are not mine but I am proud of them. My cousin who has bought hatching eggs from me a few times sent that photo. The chicks she hatched from me this spring, almost all pullets. They started laying this week and in 3 days she went from 0 eggs to 24. Way to go girls.

 

[RoyalChick]

For Pony Sunday please enjoy the Hambone awards.
Named after a dog whose story you can read here and is still making me laugh.
https://news.nationwide.com/nationwides-15th-annual-hambone-award/

 

[Ponypoor]

The young chooks found this lovely creature, and immediately ran away hahaha

She is ready to fight!

I rescued her just in case one of the older ladies decided she was to tasty to turn down

They can give a good nip if provoked and they love dangly earrings, I have found them on my shoulder swiping at my earrings

 

[Ponypoor]

This was sent to me the other day and I missed it until this morning. Look at all those gorgeous eggs.
View attachment 3649635
They are not mine but I am proud of them. My cousin who has bought hatching eggs from me a few times sent that photo. The chicks she hatched from me this spring, almost all pullets. They started laying this week and in 3 days she went from 0 eggs to 24. Way to go girls.

Wow that’s eggcellent! Good girls!

 

[Ponypoor]

For Pony Sunday please enjoy the Hambone awards.
Named after a dog whose story you can read here and is still making me laugh.
https://news.nationwide.com/nationwides-15th-annual-hambone-award/

Miko is a ham hahaha

And that one kitty is unhinged

 

[rural mouse]

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??

Some start laying in the Fall, sporadically, some wait until spring. Some start and settle into consistent laying within a month (spring or fall) and some lay an egg, then wait a month or so to lay another. Brahmas don't typically start laying until 6-8 months anyway (and Primula and Belladonna took their time), so Shan, at least is a 50/50 to start around 20 weeks (from papa's line) or wait until mama's lineage does. Based upon size, comb color, I'm not expecting eggs from any of them in the next 2 weeks. None of the 4 Invasion girls have started picking yet. I see pink, I'll start looking for eggs 2 weeks later. Meanwhile, they can put all their energy into filling out more.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Pony Sunday:

Okay it’s not a pony, but he runs like one!

 

[Ponypoor]

Some start laying in the Fall, sporadically, some wait until spring. Some start and settle into consistent laying within a month (spring or fall) and some lay an egg, then wait a month or so to lay another. Brahmas don't typically start laying until 6-8 months anyway (and Primula and Belladonna took their time), so Shan, at least is a 50/50 to start around 20 weeks (from papa's line) or wait until mama's lineage does. Based upon size, comb color, I'm not expecting eggs from any of them in the next 2 weeks. None of the 4 Invasion girls have started picking yet. I see pink, I'll start looking for eggs 2 weeks later. Meanwhile, they can put all their energy into filling out more.

I feel that 2 of the school chicks may lay in a couple weeks, but I am not sure about the rest. And if Tippy is laying she sure doesn’t advertise it, those Azurs scream their heads off! Same with the Silkies.

Egg Egg Egg Egg Egg…..

 

[Ponypoor]

Pony Sunday:

Okay it’s not a pony, but he runs like one!
View attachment 3649714

Hello pretty ‘pony’ you look all comfy

 

[Ponypoor]

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?
View attachment 3649482View attachment 3649483

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.

I have never seen bubbles in any of my chooks eyes, but I have read that it is a symptom for a couple of illnesses; as far as the eye ointment I would apply it for a week.

Did I read that you were giving g her oral antibiotics also? Is she showing any improvement being on the antibiotics if so?