Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

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Tina and Princess as they were settling into their bed last night

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I love the straw bedding it looks so nice and comfy!

 

[BY Bob]

Yes, I was not and am not treating them, just observing. I subscribe to how you and others here think about it too. But I had been nursing a doubt about it in case not treating could have bad consequences for the rest of their lives. I finally decided to ask everyone their opinion if they cared to reply. Thank you!

I felt really burned by my last vet experience. It went from a collaborative feeling (on my part) to an adverse feeling. Probably due to that particular vet, and me being naive. In any case I really can’t think of it as a collaborative situation anymore. So it’s great to have everyone here, and in general elsewhere on BYC, the collective experience, to draw from. This thread does feel collaborative to me. Thank you, Bob! This is your thread which you cultivated as the friendly and welcoming place it is.

PS The Spuds are getting more adult-like feathers and seem to be growing well enough, though Anna is smaller than the other two. I want to try to weigh them soon.

I feel bad that I did not warn you sooner not to share some info with the vet. I feel like I have a collaborative relationship with mine but I would never tell her that I treated that respiratory outbreak. It would likely have the same effect on her that your revelation has had with your vet. Any relationship is collaborative on their terms with obvious limitations.

 

[BY Bob]

Just going by behavior, Popcorn here is the same. She is molting pretty hard and is not out and about as usual, she comes out to eat and drink and otherwise spends a whole lot of time in the coop resting. I’ve checked her and don’t see anything visibly wrong. The weather up until a day ago was reasonably fine but everyone has been staying in the runs acting like it is winter. The Buckeyes barely go out foraging under the netting, only once a day for a brief time late in the day. The Spuds are following their lead and go out then too, and everyone comes out when I’m out under the netting, but not much otherwise. Hazel won’t go out by herself, and Popcorn’s not into it.

Molting is just so hard on them. This time of year it's rough to be a chicken guardian. They just seem so uncomfortable.

 

[BY Bob]

Yes, I’m still alive. Lol

I am 800 pages behind, not sure I will ever catch up.

Chooks are all fine, although several aren’t feeling the greatest due to molting. The babies are getting huge! Integration has been going well. Although they still get tossed off if they dare try to get up on the top roost. They tend to start the night roosting on the landing bar in front of the nest boxes, and then migrate back into a pullet pile on top of their integration crate.

We adopted a dog on Saturday. He is supposedly a Belgian Malinois mix about 18 months old. So far he seems good around the chicks. Sniffed one of the babies when my husband held it while I held him on a leash, then walked off. Took him in the coop on a leash and he looked around but didn’t try to lunge/chase/play with them. Of course it will be a long time before we leave them together unsupervised, if ever.

I am probably getting a promotion at work and have been crazy busy. DH is still unemployed but on disability, and is trying to find a job before Dr releases him.

Here are a few random pics, I have taken a ton with the intention of posting them but never manage to get it done, lol.

Rufus, the new dog. Hard to get him to hold still long enough for a pic, will try to post a better one some time.
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Had the girls do some pumpkin carving
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After 45 minutes
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After 4 hours, lol
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Random baby pics
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I’m
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Their colors have developed even more in the week or so since I took those.

Hope everyone and their chooks have been doing well!!!

Great to hear from you. I'm glad all is well.

 

[BY Bob]

As I went out too feed my girls and change their water bowls. I had the most lovely surprise.
The tree at the top of my back garden has an old bird house which has managed to get stuck in the branches and settled on its side. I heard little happy tweeting going on as I changed the water bowl below. There's little ones happily chirping away inside that house and I suspect it's Robins. One of my favourite wild species

I love when there are babies in the bird houses.

 

[BY Bob]

Pumpkin Time

Eve was here over the weekend and we carved her first jack-o-lantern. The chickens enjoyed it as much as she did!

 

[Ponypoor]

Ummmm......how low can an adult giraffe go? (Limbo limbo limbo)

The tree top predator....T-rex.....um.....wait, dodge the teeth and stay out reach of the stubby arms.... nope, still not get her off the roof....



Loopy tired taxView attachment 3673122Maizie staring: how does that make ANY sense?

That’s a looooong neck

 

[Ponypoor]

Just going by behavior, Popcorn here is the same. She is molting pretty hard and is not out and about as usual, she comes out to eat and drink and otherwise spends a whole lot of time in the coop resting. I’ve checked her and don’t see anything visibly wrong. The weather up until a day ago was reasonably fine but everyone has been staying in the runs acting like it is winter. The Buckeyes barely go out foraging under the netting, only once a day for a brief time late in the day. The Spuds are following their lead and go out then too, and everyone comes out when I’m out under the netting, but not much otherwise. Hazel won’t go out by herself, and Popcorn’s not into it.

My crew is like that also, and if they are out in the front of the barn they hang out around and under my lawn chair.

I have my kiddos in various stages of moulting, and now Henny Penny gone broody

 

[Ponypoor]

I’m picturing something heavier than the screening, and definitely not see-through. If it was longer too that would work better, like if several inches rested on the door top but then also some draped/ looped down below the top from above. So you open the door wider, then bring it back a little. I would be interested in seeing how they overcame that challenge, if you’re into trying something like that. Fun with chickens!

One afternoon I closed the one door to try to stop them roosting there, they pretty much gave me a dirty look, and flew up into the space between the floor joists and support beams. Brats!

So I reopened the door for them, to stop them from roosting where they really shouldn’t. Next night they were up on the door

I really need to get the HH-B finished

 

[Ponypoor]

How high is the roof?

I bet close to 8.5’ the door looks like a normal regular door, that os an awesome flight up there