Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Tuesday was an Eventful day

Event #1
First, how many ways can I accidentally hurt these chickens? I keep inventing ways. Diane got tangled in the piled aviary netting, part of the stuff I had taken down from connection with the covered run and the other greenhouse frame and had been figuring ways to attach again. Part of it was up and on another frame for their use, but this half was down. She was probably thinking she could sneak under it. No one else had tried and I had witnessed everyone else checking it out, they looked at the wall of netting ending in the dense pile and said No. So I thought it was okay how it was. Well, Diane is a trailblazer and apparently went for it.

She wasn't there long, but maybe as long as an hour, as I had been monitoring everyone via cameras and visually. So I had thought she was laying her egg when I didn't see her, but didn't check the nestbox camera (another ding on Arlo Pro vs the Ultra, this camera takes the longest time connecting with the base and so is a PITA to fire up). I did hear a different cawing just before we planned to leave for a bike ride. I went out to physically check on everyone and top up their bowl water before we left (they have a full nipple waterer too) and found her bundled up in the netting.

She wasn't going crazy then but she made another attempt to free herself and I could see she was tired and hot in the sun, as I checked her out she was panting every so often and closing her eyes briefly. In a panic - stress is so hard on them! - I worked to free her and could not do it. I got her neck free of one square but there was more there and she was caught in a twisted way, she had a wing through it somewhere too, it wasn't choking her but there was no give and something hurt - she squawked - when I tried to move any netting significantly. Her feet were in a bird's-nest of netting. I would have to cut her out.

A good thing here was that the blunt kid scissors I use to trim butt feather poops was near, right there in the covered run, I had just a couple days ago decided to hang them there.
View attachment 3797635
I got them and carefully cut her loose, the netting was buried in her dense plume feathers and hard to see, so I worked from the outer netting inward.

Tedi came over and tried to "help" and kept getting in my line of sight, right on top of things. But I think her company helped Diane stay calm. Diane didn't struggle before I had her completely free, and she stopped panting and stayed alert. I sorted her feet, then lifted her out.

Another good sign was that she gave me a light peck on my scissor hand when it was right in front of her cutting the net there, but minus the warning / upset growly squeal she usually gives me. Maybe she knew I was doing something important and her reasons for challenging me were moot? Just for old times' sake? Like a reminder peck: Just So You Remember Your Place And Who I Am. Once You Get Me Outta Here.

So I freed her shortly and immediately carried her over to the water, thinking she'll need to drink and cool down, and should I give her electrolytes, sugar water? Nope, not interested, she went away and hung out under the coop, standing in the shade. I thought she needed to cool down and collect herself, and seemed okay.

I started re-attaching the netting any way I could to do away with the netting pile and still make it hawk-safe while we would be gone for our bike ride.

Event #2
I was still reattaching when DH came back from his easy ride while waiting for me, but he wasn't back checking on progress, he had fallen off his bike in a tight U-Turn move on loose road sand and his leg was really hurting, and he had pulled something in his ribs too. Anything broken? Did you hit your head? What's hurting? Where? Ice-packs. Skin check. Meds. It looks like he bashed his leg muscle below the hip and didn't fracture anything. Big broad goose egg. He says he "slid into home base" on his bike. He has minimal / non-existent road rash though, like the bike slid out and he went straight down. He is doing okay, bending his leg hurts. So he is limping around. I went back out to finish the aviary netting, open the tarps and check on Diane.

Event #3
Why was Diane standing like that under the coop? Resting up? Nope. She was laying an egg that she must have held in before. How did I find out? I was rolling the tarps up to give them better breezes for the warm day. When I rolled the tarp up on the end underneath the coop I discovered this:
View attachment 3796689
Six eggs. If you zoom in you can see it, so well disguised, plus the tarp was dusty! Also, there's a seventh egg at about 10 o'clock above.
View attachment 3796686
This might be Diane here; when I went under there to collect them she was all up in my business that's for sure...well I was all up in her business I guess...I had to do it with one eye closed, she pecked my cheekbone!

This explains Buckeye Hazel sitting back there a few days ago, throwing bits on her back. I thought it was cute. I saw her "resting" there a couple of times. She does take rests through the day, not just there. She's never laid anywhere except in the nestbox until now, so I'm blaming this on the Spuds influence!

Diane has been foraging with Hazel at times, and she takes some pecking by her at roost time but steadfastly stays next to her. I think she is apprenticing. Nobody is acting broody.

The view from down under, yes I was on my belly. It actually is pretty nice under there! No wet poops were encountered.
View attachment 3796681
View attachment 3796685
Four Spuds Buff Orpington eggs, three Buckeye eggs.
View attachment 3796676
Explains the drop in eggs found in the nestbox this last week-10 days, getting 2 or 3 a day instead of 3-4, mostly Spuds eggs but not entirely. I had thought the "spring flush" might be over for the Buckeyes. I really don't know how long this nest has been going. Since we had freezes within that time frame I'm thinking they can't be relied on to be good, though none are cracked? I'll open them outside and see how they are, and scramble them up for a treat for them.

Diane The Trailblazer, in egg laying and elsewhere, all recovered later that day. "That's a great nest, don't you think?"
View attachment 3796678

Anna digging, in front, Popcorn on the left
View attachment 3796690

Hazel on the right, watching out
View attachment 3796692
View attachment 3796691
View attachment 3796694

Oh my goodness how stressful.
So glad everyone survived their adventures in good spirits.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good night all.

Don’t they sleep?!

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Don’t they sleep?!

A small amount????

 

[Ponypoor]

I am not judging. I had to ask a friend to go to TSC for me today. One of my waterers is about to crack so I thought I should get another one, but I didn’t want to risk a walk past the bins of chicks!

Yep I hear ya.

Must not got to Peavey Mart on 23rd ….. must not go to…. Wait look ! There’s a butterfly! Now what was I saying?

 

[notabitail]

Yep I hear ya.

Must not got to Peavey Mart on 23rd ….. must not go to…. Wait look ! There’s a butterfly! Now what was I saying?

You were saying you were going to buy chicks. Just think of all those sweet, peeping, baby chicks!

 

[Ponypoor]

Tuesday was an Eventful day

Event #1
First, how many ways can I accidentally hurt these chickens? I keep inventing ways. Diane got tangled in the piled aviary netting, part of the stuff I had taken down from connection with the covered run and the other greenhouse frame and had been figuring ways to attach again. Part of it was up and on another frame for their use, but this half was down. She was probably thinking she could sneak under it. No one else had tried and I had witnessed everyone else checking it out, they looked at the wall of netting ending in the dense pile and said No. So I thought it was okay how it was. Well, Diane is a trailblazer and apparently went for it.

She wasn't there long, but maybe as long as an hour, as I had been monitoring everyone via cameras and visually. So I had thought she was laying her egg when I didn't see her, but didn't check the nestbox camera (another ding on Arlo Pro vs the Ultra, this camera takes the longest time connecting with the base and so is a PITA to fire up). I did hear a different cawing just before we planned to leave for a bike ride. I went out to physically check on everyone and top up their bowl water before we left (they have a full nipple waterer too) and found her bundled up in the netting.

She wasn't going crazy then but she made another attempt to free herself and I could see she was tired and hot in the sun, as I checked her out she was panting every so often and closing her eyes briefly. In a panic - stress is so hard on them! - I worked to free her and could not do it. I got her neck free of one square but there was more there and she was caught in a twisted way, she had a wing through it somewhere too, it wasn't choking her but there was no give and something hurt - she squawked - when I tried to move any netting significantly. Her feet were in a bird's-nest of netting. I would have to cut her out.

A good thing here was that the blunt kid scissors I use to trim butt feather poops was near, right there in the covered run, I had just a couple days ago decided to hang them there.
View attachment 3797635
I got them and carefully cut her loose, the netting was buried in her dense plume feathers and hard to see, so I worked from the outer netting inward.

Tedi came over and tried to "help" and kept getting in my line of sight, right on top of things. But I think her company helped Diane stay calm. Diane didn't struggle before I had her completely free, and she stopped panting and stayed alert. I sorted her feet, then lifted her out.

Another good sign was that she gave me a light peck on my scissor hand when it was right in front of her cutting the net there, but minus the warning / upset growly squeal she usually gives me. Maybe she knew I was doing something important and her reasons for challenging me were moot? Just for old times' sake? Like a reminder peck: Just So You Remember Your Place And Who I Am. Once You Get Me Outta Here.

So I freed her shortly and immediately carried her over to the water, thinking she'll need to drink and cool down, and should I give her electrolytes, sugar water? Nope, not interested, she went away and hung out under the coop, standing in the shade. I thought she needed to cool down and collect herself, and seemed okay.

I started re-attaching the netting any way I could to do away with the netting pile and still make it hawk-safe while we would be gone for our bike ride.

Event #2
I was still reattaching when DH came back from his easy ride while waiting for me, but he wasn't back checking on progress, he had fallen off his bike in a tight U-Turn move on loose road sand and his leg was really hurting, and he had pulled something in his ribs too. Anything broken? Did you hit your head? What's hurting? Where? Ice-packs. Skin check. Meds. It looks like he bashed his leg muscle below the hip and didn't fracture anything. Big broad goose egg. He says he "slid into home base" on his bike. He has minimal / non-existent road rash though, like the bike slid out and he went straight down. He is doing okay, bending his leg hurts. So he is limping around. I went back out to finish the aviary netting, open the tarps and check on Diane.

Event #3
Why was Diane standing like that under the coop? Resting up? Nope. She was laying an egg that she must have held in before. How did I find out? I was rolling the tarps up to give them better breezes for the warm day. When I rolled the tarp up on the end underneath the coop I discovered this:
View attachment 3796689
Six eggs. If you zoom in you can see it, so well disguised, plus the tarp was dusty! Also, there's a seventh egg at about 10 o'clock above.
View attachment 3796686
This might be Diane here; when I went under there to collect them she was all up in my business that's for sure...well I was all up in her business I guess...I had to do it with one eye closed, she pecked my cheekbone!

This explains Buckeye Hazel sitting back there a few days ago, throwing bits on her back. I thought it was cute. I saw her "resting" there a couple of times. She does take rests through the day, not just there. She's never laid anywhere except in the nestbox until now, so I'm blaming this on the Spuds influence!

Diane has been foraging with Hazel at times, and she takes some pecking by her at roost time but steadfastly stays next to her. I think she is apprenticing. Nobody is acting broody.

The view from down under, yes I was on my belly. It actually is pretty nice under there! No wet poops were encountered.
View attachment 3796681
View attachment 3796685
Four Spuds Buff Orpington eggs, three Buckeye eggs.
View attachment 3796676
Explains the drop in eggs found in the nestbox this last week-10 days, getting 2 or 3 a day instead of 3-4, mostly Spuds eggs but not entirely. I had thought the "spring flush" might be over for the Buckeyes. I really don't know how long this nest has been going. Since we had freezes within that time frame I'm thinking they can't be relied on to be good, though none are cracked? I'll open them outside and see how they are, and scramble them up for a treat for them.

Diane The Trailblazer, in egg laying and elsewhere, all recovered later that day. "That's a great nest, don't you think?"
View attachment 3796678

Anna digging, in front, Popcorn on the left
View attachment 3796690

Hazel on the right, watching out
View attachment 3796692
View attachment 3796691
View attachment 3796694

Just like 2 yr old kids - always up to something!

I sure am glad others have this ‘fun’, and the Easter egg hunts

They sure do look great, happy and content - and Diane no worse off for her misadventure.

 

[Ponypoor]

The 23rd, how exciting!
Quick, mail Pony a heat blanket so she could raise the chicks in a brooder herself!

Oh no worries I have raised chicks in a brooder before

Last April, Tippy and her siblings

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Quite the busy/eventful day! Glad things got sorted with your girls. How is hubby doing?

He's okay. Putting ice on it regularly through yesterday, some today so far, is taking a moderate amount of Advil, and does elevate it when resting. We're just reading now that he should use some compression on it. He is walking around the house some, gently. Grumpy about it having happened.

I’d love a hobby where if I crash it isn’t a death sentence .

Yes, that would be good! But, there's been plenty of small craft crash landings where people survived though, and plenty of fatal bike accidents too.

My goodness, what a day! Im wishing an easy recovery for your partner. Good job finding that nest Will you find a way to dissuade them from using it now, or does it not bother you too much? You may be able to scoop eggs out of there with a chuck-it launcher so you don’t need to be on your belly daily.

Well I raked the nest area with my arm to "destroy" the nest...will check it again today. I do love discovering their secrets, finding out what's been going on in their world! This one is pretty inconvenient though.

I left the tarp rolled up, maybe it will feel less secure and hidden. That's how it will be once summer is here anyway.

If they persist I can install a little door in the wire mesh there. Also, I wonder if @RoyalChick 's back scratcher would be long enough? Probably not. What is a chuck-it launcher? Oh! Googled it. Hmmm, I don't think it's long enough, unless I remove the verandah first. That is just clipped in, but it would be a pain to do daily, though maybe just undoing one side and lowering it....Would still have to be on my knees in there. A perfect tool would be a regular shovel-length grabber or scoop. Like a hay fork or something?

 

[RoyalChick]

He's okay. Putting ice on it regularly through yesterday, some today so far, is taking a moderate amount of Advil, and does elevate it when resting. We're just reading now that he should use some compression on it. He is walking around the house some, gently. Grumpy about it having happened.


Yes, that would be good! But, there's been plenty of small craft crash landings where people survived though, and plenty of fatal bike accidents too.


Well I raked the nest area with my arm to "destroy" the nest...will check it again today. I do love discovering their secrets, finding out what's been going on in their world! This one is pretty inconvenient though.

I left the tarp rolled up, maybe it will feel less secure and hidden. That's how it will be once summer is here anyway.

If they persist I can install a little door in the wire mesh there. Also, I wonder if @RoyalChick 's back scratcher would be long enough? Probably not. What is a chuck-it launcher? Oh! Googled it. Hmmm, I don't think it's long enough, unless I remove the verandah first. That is just clipped in, but it would be a pain to do daily, though maybe just undoing one side and lowering it....Would still have to be on my knees in there. A perfect tool would be a regular shovel-length grabber or scoop. Like a hay fork or something?

My back scratcher extends to about 20”.
A home made version can be as long as you like. Nail an empty cat food can (or similar but a small cat food can is a perfect size) to a broom handle.
That is what I used when they laid under the floorboards in the servants’ quarters during construction of the Chicken Palace.

 

[Ponypoor]

He's okay. Putting ice on it regularly through yesterday, some today so far, is taking a moderate amount of Advil, and does elevate it when resting. We're just reading now that he should use some compression on it. He is walking around the house some, gently. Grumpy about it having happened.


Yes, that would be good! But, there's been plenty of small craft crash landings where people survived though, and plenty of fatal bike accidents too.


Well I raked the nest area with my arm to "destroy" the nest...will check it again today. I do love discovering their secrets, finding out what's been going on in their world! This one is pretty inconvenient though.

I left the tarp rolled up, maybe it will feel less secure and hidden. That's how it will be once summer is here anyway.

If they persist I can install a little door in the wire mesh there. Also, I wonder if @RoyalChick 's back scratcher would be long enough? Probably not. What is a chuck-it launcher? Oh! Googled it. Hmmm, I don't think it's long enough, unless I remove the verandah first. That is just clipped in, but it would be a pain to do daily, though maybe just undoing one side and lowering it....Would still have to be on my knees in there. A perfect tool would be a regular shovel-length grabber or scoop. Like a hay fork or something?

Glad your hubby and Diane are ok, husbands and pets are like kids

I love finding their hiding spots too. The night before I only got 6 eggs so I went on a hunt and there was a perfect dozen up top of the straw stack, yesterday I almost stepped on a bunch of eggs laid on the floor next to the straw stack - they made a lovely nest there - brats!

I am ok with them layong eggs in odd places but they tend to roll off the top of the stack! Oh the chooks love that! Any broke eggs is fair game for all. Sometimes I think they just lay an egg next to the edge just to have roll down, break and be an excuse to gobble it down!!!