Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

That was one of the most disturbing chicken stories I have EVER read. I wish i never clicked on this particular story. I can only imagine how you feel witnessing that. Ugh. Hard lesson learned. I'm sorry you went out like that Goldie

It’s a reality of life with livestock that there will be many time when you have dead-stock.

I have lost count of the horses that have passed away, and this oases past week I have had Larry and the two babies die.

The best we can do is do the best we can for our animals.

 

[rural mouse]

Yes they are all dark
Fluffy is white
Curly is a splash

Interesting….

Teddy's coloring is coming through. Fluffy is recessive white. Curly's chick may (more likely WILL) bend up being blue and frizzled. Fluffy's babies....Teddy clones?

 

[rural mouse]

Yes they will all end up here in a couple weeks time. My niece didn’t like the idea I proposed of her taking them to her place and rehoming them.

So once again Aunt Kelly gets that task.

Your thoughts re: next year she can find her own eggs seems reasonable then...and she can find homes for those chicks. You aren't involved on any way. Stick to those guns rather than be a softie.

 

[notabitail]

Hi everyone. I know I rarely post any more, life has just gotten so incredibly busy. But I do try to read the weekly synopsis and check out some of the threads, and I miss you all.

This is going to be a long post.

I have some really sad news, I lost one of my girls today. Goldy, one of my two-year-old ISAs had been laying large eggs with weird wrinkles on one end for quite some time, and then started acting a little off several weeks ago. I tried to keep an eye on her, checked her crop, etc. She seemed to snap out of it, but came up and talked to me a few times when she had never been one of my friendly ones. A little over a week ago I picked her up and noticed her abdomen was a little swollen. Checked her several more times over the next few days and decided it definitely felt like what I have seen people describe when their chicken has Ascites. Unfortunately, right about that same time Sassy, another two-year-old ISA started acting like something was wrong. And then I noticed she wasn’t getting down off the roost at all. Her cropped seemed to have a small knot in it, but not anywhere near as bad as I have had them get before and been able to get them over it. I took her some water in a small bowl because to has started getting hotter and she sucked down the entire thing, plus most of another one. That gave her a very full squishy crop, that had not gone down all the way the next morning. Sassy really didn’t seem to fit the pattern of an impacted crop, it seemed more just slow, with small bits left in the morning. I got it in my mind that they both were probably having reproductive issues, especially being hatchery quality production birds who had rarely gone a day without laying up until the past month or so, and made the decision to just monitor them and give them supportive care, and let them go on their own terms. Especially since money is so tight after all my husband’s health issues last year and him still being on disability. I know Ascites can rarely if ever be treated successfully long term so didn’t have much hope for Goldy, and Sassy had gone downhill pretty quickly over a few days and I didn’t expect her to make it.

I decided to put Sassy in a crate in the coop since I didn’t want her to fall of the roost, and so I could give her soft food and water with nutridrench in it. Goldy was still getting around fine, eating and drinking so I left her alone. Sassy seemed to rally a little with the extra supportive care. So I decided to try to really flush her crop out well and try to give her a chance, in case it really was just a crop issue. After a few days of really working with it I was pretty sure I was feeling the same thing left in her crop each time, and on Wednesday decided to take her to the vet who did crop surgery on Crystal a little over a year ago. He did an exam and also a fecal test since she was nice enough to poop a little while we were there. Her heart rate was fast but not too weak, lungs seemed fine with no sign of respiratory issues, and no worms or coccidiosis. But she is down to 2.5 lbs, and he didn’t think she is strong enough for surgery. So he sent me home with an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic (to make sure there isn’t a secondary infection starting in her crop) and had me get some parrot hand feeding formula to try to get a lot of calories in her.

I have been treating her, and also keeping an eye on Goldy, watching for any sign she was starting to be in distress or have reduced quality of life. I also was feeding her any of Sassy’s food that was left over when so couldn’t get her to take any more. I was also talking to my husband today about how she seemed to be starting to struggle just a little, and when the vet’s office called to check on Sassy I told them about her symptoms and my suspicions, to see if they thought it was time to let her go, or if they thought I might be wrong and it was something else that was treatable. They said they couldn’t say for sure without seeing her, but that there was a chance it was just egg yolk peritonitis which they have sometimes managed to treat. We were out to eat at the time, and I had pretty much decided to take her in on Monday morning and see what they thought.

When we got home, I made Sassy’s food and went out to feed her and then put them all back in the coop for the night. When I walked in, I found Goldy lying right inside the door, muddy and with her head swollen and covered in blood. The other hens had pecked her almost to death, she was just barely alive. I was devastated. I put her out of her misery, I never wanted her to suffer like that.

I went back through the footage on my coop cam, and still can’t figure out what triggered the attack. I hadn’t really seen anyone picking on her the past week, no more than the usual pecks on occasion and no worse than anyone else. She had just been calmly standing by Sassy’s cage, like she had done many times, and one of them suddenly ran up and pecked her. She tried to run behind the cage, and they chased her down. Eight of them brutally attacked her for several minutes, until she just laid there when they stopped. Over the course of the next five hours one would occasionally go grab her head and if she tried to get away at all there were suddenly several attacking her again. Even when she stopped moving at all they would occasionally go peck at her again for several minutes.

I am so upset. I know chickens can get aggressive on occasion, but never expected such a brutal attack that was seemingly unprovoked. Not when I have had sick ones before that they never bothered.

My beautiful little golden chicken. My very first one to lay an egg. Rest in peace little one, I’m sorry your passing was anything but peaceful. Tomorrow we will find a good place to lay you to rest. (Although I am debating whether or not to use the opportunity to try a practice crop surgery on her, and to do a simple necropsy to determine what had caused her symptoms. In order to maybe be able to help another one in the future.)

Goldy as a chick, definitely the brightest yellow of my ISAs.
View attachment 3850076

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Her “ruffles”. She always had some curly frizzled feathers at the base of her tail.
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Headed for a bite of pumpkin last October.
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I wish I had a better recent photo of her. She was a little darker last year, but a definite light golden brown this year, almost dark yellow.

 

[Ponypoor]

Week of 25 May to 01 June 2024

This has been a sad trying week for some here on FBA. I offer my sincere condolences to all who are having a sad time.



This week in News:


RoyalChick

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Wow did that egg bounce? Or what?!

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'
A Monday morning breakfast mug from Piglet

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All this baking talk was due tax and RC didn’t disappoint - her lovely Tassels is now at day 21 being broody.

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RC has some beautiful chooks and of course we all love seeing them - this was her Fluffy Butt Friday offering

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ManueB

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A Pony Sunday tail

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Featherhead007

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Reports that his chicks spent the night in the coop; they are growing up it seems!

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Little CeeCee had a bit of a mishap with her leg getting trapped - she is fine Mr 007 tells us.

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Next morning she seems good. So glad to hear this.

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Has BoBo gone broody?

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Nope she hasn’t

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And his Wyandotte is for sure a Roo, which is a delight for Featherhead007

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TX Chick Noob

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We hadn’t seen TX in a while, but she popped in to update us on the happenings at her coop, and to let us know of the passing of her golden girl Goldy.

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

Marie2020

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For Caturday Marie posted a marvellous photo of her Pusscat and Princess hanging out in her garden.

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Pusscat and Princess seem to be an item lately.

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Princess sure is looking great

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A fluffy butt Friday from Princess

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RebeccaBoyd

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Caturday photos of her sweet kittens.

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Lightm

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Is once again taking us along with her trip to China.

Post in thread 'Follow me to a trip to China'

She has visited a lovely mall that also features Art work displays

Post in thread 'Follow me to a trip to China'

Rural mouse

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For Mugs Monday we have the power couple

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

It seems that her hen Mera is looking to get serious about hatching some eggs. And Sherlock is make huge strides in becoming an awesome dog.

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Pastel the Rooster

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Sweet Ruby - I do love a nice Barred Rock

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And seems Willow the mama hen is back to laying eggs and the babies are 5 weeks old.

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

CrazyCochin

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Dropped by to show us her gorgeous boy Bootsie

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Grandma the Chicken

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I just love these wonderful hens

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

RebeccaBoyd

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Reports that her beloved Golden retriever Gracie has passed away, I am hoping she and my Golden are chasing after squirrels and swimming in the lakes wherever they may be

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

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And her other pup CeeCee is really missing Gracie.

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

I sounds like Rebecca’s Roo Branch has his own special girl all for his own. Wee Poppet and he are an item it seems

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

ILoveDaffy

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Told us all about her lovely senior pup she adopted, so heartwarming.


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CCsGarden

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For her wonder baking photo tax she has posted this beauty

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

SimpleJenn

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The broody bug is going around but it seems at least Samara is half the day acting normal.

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

Ponypoor

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Eggcitement over the arrival of some chicks that were ordered long ago.

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

Turns to sadness within the hour

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And bittersweet as the remaining chicks are doing well with Curly

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This year’s batch of school chicks are hatching

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Bgmathteach

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Popped in to say hi

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By Bob

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I forget how astonishingly awesome frizzle Polish are, but then I see a photo of Bob’s Betty and I remember.

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Fuentemoon

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It’s been a while since we have seen her gorgeous chooks

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

Pastel the Rooster

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Sad to report the passing of one of her Ayam cemani chicks

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

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My very first 6 chickens

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Posted a spectacular photo of her Wyandottes

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'

 

[featherhead007]

Naming and shaming her royal highness

This naughty little madam has been attacking my thyme plants
She ruined two pots and six plants.

View attachment 3850407

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Well, it’s about thyme she found your potted plants!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I candled the eggs late last night. I will do it again this evening to make sure what I saw, doubt it will change though.

I have 14 eggs developing. All 6 of Poppets eggs, she is a fertile myrtle the wee little thing. Now for the shipped eggs, there are 8 out of 22 developing. Considering the distance and time it took to get here I am thrilled. Both of Betty's 2 bonus eggs, 1 fluffy and 5 curly eggs. Sadly all the Marty and Henny Penny eggs looked to be clears, nothing at all. Immediately after candling I will not lie there was disappointment over the lack of a Marty chick. I woke up with a new perspective. I always said my personal worst nightmare would be if Momma hen had snuck off and hatched chicks sired by Branch. The thought of a pullet from those 2 was terrifying. Add in silkie perpetual broodiness on top of Momma Hens evilness, the world did not need such a creature. I guess the world also does not need the personality combo of Teddy x Marty. I dreamed of such a creature, and maybe it is for the best that they exist only in my dreams. In truth I went into this hatch with 1 goal. Someway, somehow end up with 1, just 1 black silkie pullet. Seeing the results of Kelly's chicks that hatched out, and what I have developing, I feel confident I will be able to attain that goal. Rosie may also get what she desires, a black frizzle pullet that is destined to be named Black Betty.

 

[featherhead007]

Let’s just not discuss little Blue!
She’s a terror around everyone lately. She wants her steak and she wants it NOW!

 

[rural mouse]

Let’s just not discuss little Blue!
She’s a terror around everyone lately. She wants her steak and she wants it NOW! View attachment 3850450

She's looking much like Storm did (with different comb). She's going to be a stunner!

 

[Ponypoor]

If I catch this fly, it’s gonna be a flattened fly.

Buzzz. Buzzzzz buzzzz

SPLAT.