Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Uh oh. This isn’t good. There’s a dog out by my front gate. I got video from a camera. She’s pretty, but not good. She looks pretty healthy, so I’m hoping that she finds someone or her owner if she is lost soon. View attachment 3679947

Stray dogs - bad news here.

Hope your chooks are ok.

 

[Ponypoor]

I can hear the grouchiness...

She’s a sweetie a real darling.

 

[Ponypoor]

After an afternoon in the ER Saturday I am breathing much better. Still don't have my MOJO, Feel tired easily. Did manage to put up a nice roof over one of the pens though. Liking the white color roofing View attachment 3680039

Looks awesome btw

Edit - I am more than a bit jealous of the green grass and leaves on the trees

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

She's not in with the others, just Uno. So far so good there. Uno is less afraid of Eenie and more assertive, not afraid to take away a treat, etc., but pretty calm. I'm going to have to just grab her off the roost. Not easy when you have to kind of crawl in to reach her!



Thank you both for all the details. That is helpful. Other than the back of her neck looking awful, she seems pretty happy.

Eenie had acted afraid of Manny since she was broody this summer. After the chicks were old enough to integrate, she still ran from him. I saw her stand her ground against Meanie, who's clearly head hen...but she runs and hides from Manny. I can't say it's worse now, because I took her out of the coop as quickly as I could.

I'll be keeping an eye on her. Will the Blue Kote keep them from pecking? I can pick that up today.

Still looking for a "home" for the roosters. Maybe I should suck it up and act like the farm girl I was, and make soup?

Not sure I can really do that.

Do not give up hope on rehoming your boys. I really had with my extra 2. They just left for their new home 30 minutes ago.

 

[Ponypoor]

Do not give up hope on rehoming your boys. I really had with my extra 2. They just left for their new home 30 minutes ago.

Good show! I am very happy for you and your hens. And the boys…

 

[bgmathteach]

I am still stuck on the difference between walnut and pea combs!

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...2ahUKEwie5J_wlLiCAxW61ckDHSmmDbwQMygIegQIARBi


Tikk Tok - WordPress.com
8 main types of chicken combs | Tikk Tok

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Good show! I am very happy for you and your hens. And the boys…

Well, they may have company soon. I was asked about some hens. They are rebuilding their flock. They had 30, lost all but 2 to some rouge dogs tearing into their run and going on a spree. Dogs were taken care of, run and coop rebuilt and reinforced so they are basically starting over again. I gave them a price for 7 hens, was told I would know tomorrow. I do not really want to let them go but I also could reduce some numbers. Especially if I want to have wiggle room to hatch out some silkies next year and keep a few pullets. Right now, if I were to hatch some, I would have no room to keep any.

 

[bgmathteach]

Pavers done!
View attachment 3679926View attachment 3679925
View attachment 3679927
View attachment 3679928

Checked Tedi' uropygial gland and saw and felt nothing that looked out of place, but what do I know?

Pressed around it and rubbed the sides some, I didn't see a drop come out but I didn't squeeze it or the base hard. I recall the vet did and they didn't like it. Pale, skin-colored and normal looking. No red or swollen parts. Will look at the others' and compare.

Hard to find, took awhile through her tight dense fluff feathers but I knew when I was getting close because she made those little boks. There are some new pin feathers growing in around there. Maybe that's her source of discomfort?

Very cute thing, it looks like an anemone with a tuft of feathers coming out of the tip.

Wow, very nice job with the pavers! And I see you passed muster with both of your inspectors, too!

I do hope it is just the pin feathers coming in on Tedi

 

[rural mouse]

View attachment 3680106

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://tikktok.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/chickencombsrosssimpson.jpg&tbnid=XT5icaRsObSjlM&vet=12ahUKEwie5J_wlLiCAxW61ckDHSmmDbwQMygIegQIARBi..i&imgrefurl=https://tikktok.wordpress.com/tag/8-main-types-of-chicken-combs/&docid=bq2xz-IpnsiigM&w=811&h=1024&q=chicken comb types&ved=2ahUKEwie5J_wlLiCAxW61ckDHSmmDbwQMygIegQIARBi
View attachment 3680110
Tikk Tok - WordPress.com
8 main types of chicken combs | Tikk Tok

Reading the text following the drawings

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Théo had an issue with his gland before this summer. It was bright red and he kept rubbing it. I didn't do anything about it because I was afraid I would do more harm than help as he frets so much. It seems to have healed by itself. If it had happened on a calmer chicken I would have tried applying lukewarm compresses daily for a minute, with a drop of almond oil.

I think part of the answer is space. If you have to keep them confined in their actual coop or even in the bigger shed it is less likely to work out. Many cockerels have an hormonal phase implying chasing and mating, and the hen's chances to get away or out of sight vary greatly with the environment. I know others won't agree with me , but unless you want to hatch chicks, I personally don't think keeping a rooster in a coop and run with no ranging at all is a good idea, even with a lot of hens.

Depending on the chickens it can take a long time to grow back. Here is what I learned from dealing with Piou-piou when she was wounded. The hardest thing was to protect her wound. She wouldn't keep a bandage on. In Eenie’s case she won't be able to peck on it herself, but you really have to make sure the other chickens are not pecking her, and not just now but throughout all the healing process. We had a very unfortunate set back when Piou-piou’s wound was reopened again when it was almost healed. I understand Eenie is not easy to tend to, but I think you will need to pick her from the coop either at night or early morning to check her wound at least twice a week, more would be better. If anything happens to the wound you want to find out as quickly as possible.
Dustbathing can be an issue, it was for Piou-piou as she kept reopening her wound when she dustbathed. We had to keep her crated for a long time as much as she hated it because of this.
Also, I didn't realise that feathers growing back can irritate the wound and hinder healing, so you will need to trim those in a few weeks, or as soon as you see them growing over.
And last I think it was RC that told me to make sure my wounded chicken got extra-protein in support of the healing process.

In the end Piou-piou had to get stitches done by a vet as the skin that grew back didn't attach properly. After the stitches, the healing was a lot faster. In all it took her three and a half months to heal completely.

Princess is quite a big hen. She won't die if she eats less for a few days. She hasn't completely finished molting and she has just lost her companion, so her appetite and stools would be different from usual. I think you should pay attention to her global behaviour. Is she acting like a sick or unwell chicken ? Is there anything else that is worrying, or is it only that she is eating less than she should ?
Sometimes chickens are their best healer. If she got to five years of age, trust her to know when she will need to eat and what. A stool that indicates lack of nutrition is not just loose, it's water that has barely any solid in it and usually a strange phosphorescent green.
It's been very hard on both of you. Try to give her and you whatever will bring you some calm and a little happiness.


Sorry for the long post. A thirsty picture of Blanche, who had a sudden paralysis access last week and an unexpected recovery, with Nieva.View attachment 3679707
Théo and Piou-piou
View attachment 3679708
And Pied-Beau and Lilly. We re-homed Pied-Beau two days ago, and I am both sad and relieved.
View attachment 3679709

Really great all-around post! Helpful and informative, with your own news and beautiful pictures too! Thank you.