Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Sigh. Six polish pullets out of eight.
Two roosters. I’m not complaining though. Athens is stunning (he attacks my hand but he’s cute) and Nemesis is just so handsome and sweet.
I figured out a few days ago that Neme was a roo. I saw wattles on his face, and noticed that his hair looked the same as Athens.
Athens has black feathers on his head, while Nemesis mainly has white feathers on his head. I’m planning on keeping them both.
Athens
View attachment 3836212

Nemesis (Neme)!View attachment 3836213

I am so far behind, so this may well have been addressed or resolved...BUT:

If it is light, exploratory/inquisitive pecks it is okay. BUT if it is hard pecks, you want to discourage that immediately - those won't be so cute when he is a full grown roo. Firmly state 'no' and move hand away. If he keeps doing it, a light 'peck' on his head will give him the message (crook your 1st finger, and tap the finger tip on teh back of his head, like a momma hen would do to reprimand him - but no hurting him.)

I hope that when I read ahead, he is being a good boy - you do want a sweet boy who is good to the ladies and the humans alike.

NOTE: I suspect it is exploratory pecks - but wanted to be sure you don't allow 'cute but bad behavior' in a chick to become bad behavior that causes processing or rehoming as a Roo.

 

[Marie2020]

In memory of Wendy (March 10th, 2021 - Jun 6th, 2024)
View attachment 3856075

It is way too sudden that Wendy has passed during midnight of 6/6, but I am really glad that she suffered very little. About a week ago, Wendy showed signs of not complete self and I was still overseas. I am so glad that I got back home 3 days ago (6/4) and at that time, Wendy was still mostly fine.

But she declined so fast. She got really unwell 6/5 afternoon and we started antibiotics on 6/6, and then she was gone.

Not too much sadness. I am glad that she lived a great life and she suffered little. I will remember Wendy.

Apr 23, 2021: She is the baby at the top of the picture.View attachment 3856068
Wendy has always the biggest chicken of our flock, starting as a baby. She matured to a little over 7lbs.
She has been the alpha hen since Ginger left us a little more than a year ago, except that she is only below Light.

Wendy can be very sweet.View attachment 3855939

Wendy has always laid huge eggs. This one is very extreme and I forgot its weight, but you can see it is huge. This was laid July last year. As far as we can remember, she laid her last egg August 2023. We were happy that she stopped and we thought she would go on living a long life.View attachment 3856082

Aug 2022
View attachment 3855940
View attachment 3855938
View attachment 3855941View attachment 3855943

Sep 2022: moltingView attachment 3855923
View attachment 3855944View attachment 3855945

Jan 2023
View attachment 3855936

Apr 2023
View attachment 3855946
View attachment 3855927View attachment 3855925

Aug 2023
View attachment 3856080View attachment 3856081

Sep 2023
View attachment 3856079View attachment 3856078

Oct 2023: giving me company
View attachment 3856077

Nov 2023
View attachment 3856074

April 2024
View attachment 3856073
View attachment 3856072View attachment 3856071

R.I.P Beautiful Wendy

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Sad day.
Dead hen.
It wasn't all because of the heat.


For the past few weeks, I've been not been seeing lots of eggs in the nest like normal. I thought it was just the summertime heat, but it was happening for weeks on end. Then Breezefeather got lodged in between two fence wires. I had never seen that before. Something had to have scared her. I watched the chook yard for a couple days at noon, and yesterday I caught a crow swooping into the yard! I ran out of my house screeching and having my hands at it, and when I got to the coop, I saw Cluckie laying on her back, breathing heavily. I brought her to her feet but she just stumbled onto the ground. Her feet didn't look injured, but I suspected the crow did something to her. I tried bringing her inside into the cool and putting water into her mouth. After a while her breathing went shallower. Then it just stopped. She had passed. I was sobbing so much. She had lived for 7 and a half years, just to die like this.
I really don't know how this death happened.... heatstroke or crow attack.
Rest in peace and fly high, Cluckie.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

In memory of Wendy (March 10th, 2021 - Jun 6th, 2024)
View attachment 3856075

It is way too sudden that Wendy has passed during midnight of 6/6, but I am really glad that she suffered very little. About a week ago, Wendy showed signs of not complete self and I was still overseas. I am so glad that I got back home 3 days ago (6/4) and at that time, Wendy was still mostly fine.

But she declined so fast. She got really unwell 6/5 afternoon and we started antibiotics on 6/6, and then she was gone.

Not too much sadness. I am glad that she lived a great life and she suffered little. I will remember Wendy.

Apr 23, 2021: She is the baby at the top of the picture.View attachment 3856068
Wendy has always the biggest chicken of our flock, starting as a baby. She matured to a little over 7lbs.
She has been the alpha hen since Ginger left us a little more than a year ago, except that she is only below Light.

Wendy can be very sweet.View attachment 3855939

Wendy has always laid huge eggs. This one is very extreme and I forgot its weight, but you can see it is huge. This was laid July last year. As far as we can remember, she laid her last egg August 2023. We were happy that she stopped and we thought she would go on living a long life.View attachment 3856082

Aug 2022
View attachment 3855940
View attachment 3855938
View attachment 3855941View attachment 3855943

Sep 2022: moltingView attachment 3855923
View attachment 3855944View attachment 3855945

Jan 2023
View attachment 3855936

Apr 2023
View attachment 3855946
View attachment 3855927View attachment 3855925

Aug 2023
View attachment 3856080View attachment 3856081

Sep 2023
View attachment 3856079View attachment 3856078

Oct 2023: giving me company
View attachment 3856077

Nov 2023
View attachment 3856074

April 2024
View attachment 3856073
View attachment 3856072View attachment 3856071

One of your hens died too?! So sorry for your loss. She was so lovely.

 

[RoyalChick]

Sad day.
Dead hen.
It wasn't all because of the heat.


For the past few weeks, I've been not been seeing lots of eggs in the nest like normal. I thought it was just the summertime heat, but it was happening for weeks on end. Then Breezefeather got lodged in between two fence wires. I had never seen that before. Something had to have scared her. I watched the chook yard for a couple days at noon, and yesterday I caught a crow swooping into the yard! I ran out of my house screeching and having my hands at it, and when I got to the coop, I saw Cluckie laying on her back, breathing heavily. I brought her to her feet but she just stumbled onto the ground. Her feet didn't look injured, but I suspected the crow did something to her. I tried bringing her inside into the cool and putting water into her mouth. After a while her breathing went shallower. Then it just stopped. She had passed. I was sobbing so much. She had lived for 7 and a half years, just to die like this.
I really don't know how this death happened.... heatstroke or crow attack.
Rest in peace and fly high, Cluckie.
View attachment 3856708

Oh no!
Cluckie looks like a beautiful hen. Poor girl - but remember what a happy long life she had with you.
Fly high Cluckie.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Just so all of FBA knows, PTR (Pastel The Rooster) is no longer allowed to be on BYC. Her dad stopped her.

Oh no!
Cluckie looks like a beautiful hen. Poor girl - but remember what a happy long life she had with you.
Fly high Cluckie.

Thanks-I will always remember her.

 

[rural mouse]

Sad day.
Dead hen.
It wasn't all because of the heat.


For the past few weeks, I've been not been seeing lots of eggs in the nest like normal. I thought it was just the summertime heat, but it was happening for weeks on end. Then Breezefeather got lodged in between two fence wires. I had never seen that before. Something had to have scared her. I watched the chook yard for a couple days at noon, and yesterday I caught a crow swooping into the yard! I ran out of my house screeching and having my hands at it, and when I got to the coop, I saw Cluckie laying on her back, breathing heavily. I brought her to her feet but she just stumbled onto the ground. Her feet didn't look injured, but I suspected the crow did something to her. I tried bringing her inside into the cool and putting water into her mouth. After a while her breathing went shallower. Then it just stopped. She had passed. I was sobbing so much. She had lived for 7 and a half years, just to die like this.
I really don't know how this death happened.... heatstroke or crow attack.
Rest in peace and fly high, Cluckie.
View attachment 3856708

 

[Ponypoor]

Sad day.
Dead hen.
It wasn't all because of the heat.


For the past few weeks, I've been not been seeing lots of eggs in the nest like normal. I thought it was just the summertime heat, but it was happening for weeks on end. Then Breezefeather got lodged in between two fence wires. I had never seen that before. Something had to have scared her. I watched the chook yard for a couple days at noon, and yesterday I caught a crow swooping into the yard! I ran out of my house screeching and having my hands at it, and when I got to the coop, I saw Cluckie laying on her back, breathing heavily. I brought her to her feet but she just stumbled onto the ground. Her feet didn't look injured, but I suspected the crow did something to her. I tried bringing her inside into the cool and putting water into her mouth. After a while her breathing went shallower. Then it just stopped. She had passed. I was sobbing so much. She had lived for 7 and a half years, just to die like this.
I really don't know how this death happened.... heatstroke or crow attack.
Rest in peace and fly high, Cluckie.
View attachment 3856708

Oh no! Not another one passing - there is so much of this happening with our beloved feathered friends

I guess it’s to be expected when they get old, it’s just never easy. I hope she is joined by Larry, Jaffar and wee little Chickie whom I had to euthanize today. I hope all our passed feathered and fur friends are roaming a huge lovely meadow.

 

[Ponypoor]

Just so all of FBA knows, PTR (Pastel The Rooster) is no longer allowed to be on BYC. Her dad stopped her.

Thanks-I will always remember her.

Sorry to hear PtR isn’t allowed to chat any more, but her parents need to be obeyed - I am sure there is a good reason.

Tax
The surviving school chick I had here was returned to her siblings, she is thriving.

 

[notabitail]

Sad day.
Dead hen.
It wasn't all because of the heat.


For the past few weeks, I've been not been seeing lots of eggs in the nest like normal. I thought it was just the summertime heat, but it was happening for weeks on end. Then Breezefeather got lodged in between two fence wires. I had never seen that before. Something had to have scared her. I watched the chook yard for a couple days at noon, and yesterday I caught a crow swooping into the yard! I ran out of my house screeching and having my hands at it, and when I got to the coop, I saw Cluckie laying on her back, breathing heavily. I brought her to her feet but she just stumbled onto the ground. Her feet didn't look injured, but I suspected the crow did something to her. I tried bringing her inside into the cool and putting water into her mouth. After a while her breathing went shallower. Then it just stopped. She had passed. I was sobbing so much. She had lived for 7 and a half years, just to die like this.
I really don't know how this death happened.... heatstroke or crow attack.
Rest in peace and fly high, Cluckie.
View attachment 3856708

I don't think it was the crow. It probably was heat. I had the same happen with Abigail except she was gone when I found her.