Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Thirsty Thursday:View attachment 3765483
Dottie and Whiskey hitting the now vitamin enriched water!

Oh Albert. She is ravenously eating anything I bring out from the house, which today was the morning mash, scrambled egg, kale, bread, shredded carrot, and blueberries, split into two meals (hah, the other girls are so jealous). But between those meals she is not eating. It’s as though her sense of taste changed and pellets are now off the menu.

I’m happy to feed her whole foods for however long she needs, but since I’m just able to get up there twice a day she’s going to keep getting skinnier.

Who has experience force feeding soft pellet mash with a syringe? Is this a worthwhile avenue to take, to ensure she’s getting some complete nutrition?

I wouldn't do it with a syringe, the risk of it piling / backing up is too great. Liquids work better for syringe application. Tube-feeding for food, and I would recommend a really nutrient- and calorie-dense food like baby bird formula (Exact is what I have in the freezer right now) https://www.chewy.com/kaytee-exact-...7u6KDwIuaQ8l-DVc2GEg6GDm-UJY0NacaAok1EALw_wcB

 

[micstrachan]

Some how I missed when Bridge injured her foot. Poor girl.

I'll try to go back and catch up on it.

It’s OK, Bob. I actually don’t know when it happened. At first noticed in early November that she was walking strangely. Now I realize it’s an injury that’s not going to get better. She seems to be coping OK and is still the boss, but she’s a bit of a special-needs hen now. I need to help her get down every morning. Same with lLttle Mill who has always had a limp and is pretty swollen with fluid.

On another note, I wanted to share that I have a seven-year-old laying eggs, as well! This is Roxy’s first egg of the season.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Have you thought about treating their water with liquid calcium? She drinks from the waterers primarily, right?

Interesting thought. She drinks from that or bowl water depending on if it's available. We have soft water here, which is a first for me!

 

[notabitail]

Are you up on Mount San Jacinto?

A horse and chickens….. just saying!
View attachment 3767680

Close, but not quite. I'm in the Riverside area though.

 

[SimpleJenn]

They don't want to deal with her royal broody butt so why not all pile into one nest box?

 

[bgmathteach]

Good plan. I need another bag of feed next week. I think I will get layer feed and see how badly they complain!

So, as you all know, I have a large mixed flock.

As others have said, long term excess calcium is hard on Roos (any animals) internal organs, evidently particularly Kidneys & liver.

I feed organic feed, and can not get an organic all flock locally, they can't even order me some in, and with the amount of feed I go through i just can't afford the shipping to order online (I am in that bad place of needing a lot of feed, but not enough to order it a pallet at a time - 2,000 lbs.)

SO: My solution has been to mix my own 'all flock'. I use a good organic grower, and an organic, soy free layer - mix the 2 and add in supplements as I go. (minced garlic, brewer's yeast year round, dried kelp in the winter)

I vary my ratio of layer to grower throughout the year. Spring flush time (now through mid-to-late June) my ratio is 40% layer to 60% grower, summer with the heat and slight slow down, I drop it down to 30-33% layer, and in the moulting season through winter, I have the ratio between 20 & 25% layer (depending on how many young layers starting up I have - last year my chicks hatched late and very few started laying, so I actually went as low as 15% for a bit, but that is unusual)

They always have oyster shell and grit free choice, and once every week or two, I bake any eggshells I have, crush, and put out. Those get gobbled up right away, though - so they don't last more than 30 min. max.

Occasionally, I will have an older hen that is laying weak shells - depending on the situation, I will do one or more of the following:

Give the 1 (or 2 ) hens calcium (least preferred choice)

Separate them for a short time first thing in the morning and give them a warm* mash of straight layer, warm water, and maybe a bit of kefir - so they get a good 'dose' of calcium, then let them 'mingle'

Separate them first thing in the morning and give them warm* mash of the current mix, but mix in a bit of oyster shell....and, nearly always for this, a bit of kefir.

*Note: Warm in the cooler times of the year. If it is hot out, make a chilled mash....which basically means I prep it the night before and keep in fridge overnight (I have a counter height 'chicken fridge/freezer'.

I don't know if this helps at all - but you don't have to do Layer or Grower or All Flock You can mix them to get your own desired ratio of calcium!

 

[bgmathteach]

Are you up on Mount San Jacinto?

A horse and chickens….. just saying!
View attachment 3767680

I see the new fashion trend is to wear your food - or is she packing it for later?

 

[rural mouse]

Wow yes, there is no snow now hardly! Is that usual?

Everyone looks very content scratching around - happy chooks

This time of year....completely bare.....white blanket....repeat...flip a coin on which at any given moment, both in the same day.....highs can be in short sleeve t-shirt temps or just below freezing. Lows can be all over the place too.

 

[rural mouse]

Where on earth?

Unspecified latitude and longitude coordinates.

 

[Ponypoor]

Awww, I loved that big ole fancy tail feather - you took that flashy part of him off!

And sweet little Flopsy (or was it twister?) She just wanted to preen and lay some loving on Mr. P....to woo him around to being HER man!!

Nope she has been picking him, making his feathers bleed (yes Flopsy, Twisters comb stands upright).

Yes I hated to trim off that feather but it was broken - I bet he broke it in the Hen House with the crush of the ladies, boy these ladies are so rough on him! Talk about being ‘hen pecked’.