Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[knoturavggrl]

So how has everyone been doing lately? I'm collecting to do a hatch!!!

I just did that as well, I set. 10 Jubilee eggs to do a test hatch today.

 

[notabitail]

Even better news would be that you learned your lesson and will not leave everything to the last minute again.
All nighters are not good!
And you can take that from someone who knows as I am a terrible procrastinator and do thigs last minute and it is one of the things that I hate about myself.
Do not be me. Get your stuff done in good time.

 

[bgmathteach]

I gently squeezed Kasumis cheeks and she opened her beak for the calcium today. I tried putting it in bits of sausage from the pizza we had for dinner, but she tore them apart haha. No fight or struggle from her though! Tomorrow's dose will be wrapped in cheese again though!
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Those chickens were all lined up nicely, then the toddler got to them.
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And my mother in law requested a keychain of Shep.

ooooohhh... @RoyalChick needs one of those - a pretty black chicken that 'likes to hang around'

 

[knoturavggrl]

Finally got my Darcy project flock outside for a bit if free ranging!!!
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What a gorgeous Rooter!

 

[notabitail]

@featherhead007 @Desertvalleychickens

Take a guess as to where I am.

(I can give more hints as needed. Others are welcome to participate).

 

[knoturavggrl]

Fluffy Butt Friday

 

[featherhead007]

@featherhead007 @Desertvalleychickens
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Take a guess as to where I am.

(I can give more hints as needed. Others are welcome to participate).

Outskirts of Palm Springs California

 

[Ponypoor]

Rebecca update

I have been in contact with Rebecca and she has given me an update on her Gran and family; she gave me permission to update everyone.

Rebecca and her mum have had a trying week, her Gran is still with them bless her; her Gran rallied earlier in the week for a very short time but then has become weaker.

Everyone please keep Rebecca, her family and her Grandmother in your thoughts and prayers for this very difficult and trying time.

Thanks

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I am running low on eggshell. I used to have a couple of large coffee containers (the 5 pounders) full, because they ate oyster shell just as much as eggshell. I think the Bielefelders like the eggshell MUCH better, and it takes 2-3 egg shells to make one, so yeah, I'm going to run out. I do have oyster shell available too.

I'm considering getting something like this. I feed Kalmbach 20% protein, so I don't want to go to a plain layer feed. Since Snowbird isn't with us anymore, I don't need to worry about the calcium/rooster issue.

If I do the "pull the wattles down and stuff in the calcium pill in," Pip struggles and thrashes, and then avoids me. So I've been cutting them into pieces and putting a dab of peanut butter on them. But all the chickens like those, so it can be hard to get them to just Pip.

Soooo. What do you all think? Switch to a feed that has more calcium? Keep giving Pip calcium pills? Both?

I think it’s easier to supplement protein than calcium, but I’ve tried it both ways and currently have them on higher calcium layer as I feel the constant intake of a little calcium through the day might be better for eggshell formation, but I really have no idea. Except that the larger bits of oyster shell/ pills late in the day does allow for calcium absorption and use throughout the night, whereas eggshells eaten are ground up too fast for them to use all night.

If you need to give her pills, or tube-feed, or whatever, I wouldn’t pull their wattles down, that must hurt (and that’s why it’s effective), I would have her on my lap and in a towel under my arm like a football. I would hold the head from the back with the holding arm hand, using my thumb and three fingers, and pry open the beak with the other using my first finger, which hand is also holding the pill between my middle finger and thumb. This takes a few tries as your no,dingbhand gets used to how their going to squirm down.

After getting it open a bit, I put the first finger of my head-holding hand in their beak from the side, which holds it open, and pop the pill in with the other hand. I then keep her held but loosen the towel and take it off, let her calm down and tell her how great she’s doing, and offer a treat in front of her on my lap. She eats that, and I stop touching her, tell her she can go or have another treat, and let her jump off whenever she wants.

 

[Ponypoor]

I think it’s easier to supplement protein than calcium, but I’ve tried it both ways and currently have them on higher calcium layer as I feel the constant intake of a little calcium through the day might be better for eggshell formation, but I really have no idea. Except that the larger bits of oyster shell/ pills late in the day does allow for calcium absorption and use throughout the night, whereas eggshells eaten are ground up too fast for them to use all night.

If you need to give her pills, or tube-feed, or whatever, I wouldn’t pull their wattles down, that must hurt (and that’s why it’s effective), I would have her on my lap and in a towel under my arm like a football. I would hold the head from the back with the holding arm hand, using my thumb and three fingers, and pry open the beak with the other using my first finger, which hand is also holding the pill between my middle finger and thumb. This takes a few tries as your no,dingbhand gets used to how their going to squirm down.

After getting it open a bit, I put the first finger of my head-holding hand in their beak from the side, which holds it open, and pop the pill in with the other hand. I then keep her held but loosen the towel and take it off, let her calm down and tell her how great she’s doing, and offer a treat in front of her on my lap. She eats that, and I stop touching her, tell her she can go or have another treat, and let her jump off whenever she wants.

I have found that Larry is so used to me giving her the calcium tablet now she just accepts it being popped into her beak - good bird!

Marty though …. Oi boy, I have to wrap her in a towel to open her beak, once she has taken the pill of course she runs to the feedroom door looking for her meal worm treat - smart bird!