Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Clever!!

Well we seem to have a mystery theme going on here this year with names and chickies

 

[rural mouse]

Well we seem to have a mystery theme going on here this year with names and chickies

Not the first time. First batch of chicks (Pear's group) had a few australorps, straight run jersey giants, partridge rocks (substitute for the brahmas we'd originally ordered) and a mystery chick. Who promptly got dubbed Mystery....and turned out to be a roo like Blanche and PITA, a white sapphire.

Then there's Enigma, who I now think is a Whiskey x Silver offspring as she has very faint Colombian markings and mannerisms much like Silver. Will likely keep that theme going....where appropriate.

 

[Sylvester017]

@janiedoe ~ Marek's is too devastating so we get only vaccinated chicks now and a policy of no outside adopted birds. Sounds like a harsh policy but it saves flock lives in the long run.

I value owners hatching their own babies but I value the ones who vaccinate their day-old chicks even more. Natural resistance to build hardiness is a sweet idea until something like Marek's or genetic weakness like avian leukosis strikes from an outside source.

So sorry you lost so many chicks/juveniles. It's so hard to go thru!

 

[featherhead007]

It’s very sweet, when I get a “Tweet” from CeeCee in the morning:

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Infection? Vet didn't prescribe antibiotic? What have I missed about his existing condition?

Bubba has a huge growth on each of his feet. It started I think last fall or early winter. They grew slowly and were really not red until late winter early spring. Early on I suspected bumble foot. I cannot tell you how many times I got him and looked those feet over closely. I was under the impression if it was bumble foot there would be a opening somewhere where the infection started. There has never been any opening, ever. The masses are rock hard, almost feeling like bone so I chalked it up to possibly a tumor. This spring the masses grew red, and periodically he would limp for a bit. When our vet was out to do the horses yearly vaccines I had him look at Bubba for me. He informed me it was bumblefoot but closed bumblefoot. The masses were too big to safely remove and it was a matter of time. He saw him moving around and witnessed him breed a hen. He told me when he declined to where his mobility was inhibited, he stopped breeding the girls and his apatite was gone it would be time. He said that could be weeks or months but he and I both agreed it would need to be done by this fall. It would be cruel to put him through a cold snowy winter with his feet. Bubba has been good for about 8 weeks. The masses had stopped growing until recently. Now the redness is streaking up his legs and there is heat in them where there was previously none. He was not as active Monday and yesterday morning. I do not know how he was yesterday evening as I was hit with the stomach flu, but he is out and about right now digging away on the creek bank. I live in a rural area. My horse vet will tend to minor injuries and illnesses with chickens if he is out on a farm call. I cannot bring them into the office. Their is a avian vet several hours away in Lexington but they are geared towards caged birds like parrots. If I could find someone he told me due to the complexity with birds and anesthesia I would be looking at least 1000 to attempt to fix and in his opinion they were inoperable. I love my birds, but I cannot do that. So I am watching Bubba. I have decided with the redness streaking up and the heat it is close to being time. I hope he has a few good days left. That is what we are looking at now, days.

 

[featherhead007]

Bubba has a huge growth on each of his feet. It started I think last fall or early winter. They grew slowly and were really not red until late winter early spring. Early on I suspected bumble foot. I cannot tell you how many times I got him and looked those feet over closely. I was under the impression if it was bumble foot there would be an opening somewhere where the infection started. There has never been any opening, ever. The masses are rock hard, almost feeling like bone so I chalked it up to possibly a tumor. This spring the masses grew red, and periodically he would limp for a bit. When our vet was out to do the horses yearly vaccines I had him look at Bubba for me. He informed me it was bumblefoot but closed bumblefoot. The masses were too big to safely remove and it was a matter of time. He saw him moving around and witnessed him breed a hen. He told me when he declined to where his mobility was inhibited, he stopped breeding the girls and his apatite was gone it would be time. He said that could be weeks or months but he and I both agreed it would need to be done by this fall. It would be cruel to put him through a cold snowy winter with his feet. Bubba has been good for about 8 weeks. The masses had stopped growing until recently. Now the redness is streaking up his legs and there is heat in them where there was previously none. He was not as active Monday and yesterday morning. I do not know how he was yesterday evening as I was hit with the stomach flu, but he is out and about right now digging away on the creek bank. I live in a rural area. My horse vet will tend to minor injuries and illnesses with chickens if he is out on a farm call. I cannot bring them into the office. Their is a avian vet several hours away in Lexington but they are geared towards caged birds like parrots. If I could find someone he told me due to the complexity with birds and anesthesia I would be looking at least 1000 to attempt to fix and in his opinion they were inoperable. I love my birds, but I cannot do that. So I am watching Bubba. I have decided with the redness streaking up and the heat it is close to being time. I hope he has a few good days left. That is what we are looking at now, days.

Poor Bubba. So sorry he has to endure such a terrible situation as that.

 

[Marie2020]

I found a plane to take me. Thanks to security pulling some guy off and so there was a spare seat!

Meanwhile, back at the Chicken Palace, Pooh is heading to lay an egg. She is the only one using the nest boxes these days!
View attachment 3906307

You're on your way home. I'm so pleased
@ those nest boxes.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

The timing of his arrival, while not asked for, is perfect.
@RebeccaBoyd please give him a gentle scritch if that's something he likes from me. Bubba is a good example for any roo to learn from.

Bubba is not a boy who likes to be held, he never has been. He does allow and enjoy a good wattle rub and crop massage in the evening time before he gets on the roost. Randy, oh Randy, Friday evening I found someone who wanted you and would take you in a heartbeat. She also wants the black roo at the barn as well if he can be caught. Low and behold it is the lady who runs the horseshows. She asked me if I could catch them as she wants them to be friends for her lone turkey and loves to hear roosters crow. I was down there setting up for Saturdays show when she spotted them. It brought up a heart to heart about my frustrations over the dumped boys and guess what, Saturday there was no chicken chase. She even announced to everyone at the show grounds no more chicken chases at this particular show. I cannot stop them at the other shows, but, this is progress. I have had long discussions with mom, she has started to admire Randy. If Betty gets the boys they are going to a very nice barn, heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. Have 17 horse friends and a turkey friend and I think 10 goats. She does not have hens for them to fight over and does not plan on getting any so the boys could get along. I have came to the conclusion that for now, I will try to tame and catch the black roo for her. Randy has earned a spot here. He is needed here as well. I simply cannot leave my girls without at least 1 rooster for protection and leadership. I hope in time after Bubba is gone Randy will leave momma hens tree at night. I hope he takes up Bubba's spot on the big roost between the girls that roost with him.

 

[Marie2020]

Bubba has a huge growth on each of his feet. It started I think last fall or early winter. They grew slowly and were really not red until late winter early spring. Early on I suspected bumble foot. I cannot tell you how many times I got him and looked those feet over closely. I was under the impression if it was bumble foot there would be a opening somewhere where the infection started. There has never been any opening, ever. The masses are rock hard, almost feeling like bone so I chalked it up to possibly a tumor. This spring the masses grew red, and periodically he would limp for a bit. When our vet was out to do the horses yearly vaccines I had him look at Bubba for me. He informed me it was bumblefoot but closed bumblefoot. The masses were too big to safely remove and it was a matter of time. He saw him moving around and witnessed him breed a hen. He told me when he declined to where his mobility was inhibited, he stopped breeding the girls and his apatite was gone it would be time. He said that could be weeks or months but he and I both agreed it would need to be done by this fall. It would be cruel to put him through a cold snowy winter with his feet. Bubba has been good for about 8 weeks. The masses had stopped growing until recently. Now the redness is streaking up his legs and there is heat in them where there was previously none. He was not as active Monday and yesterday morning. I do not know how he was yesterday evening as I was hit with the stomach flu, but he is out and about right now digging away on the creek bank. I live in a rural area. My horse vet will tend to minor injuries and illnesses with chickens if he is out on a farm call. I cannot bring them into the office. Their is a avian vet several hours away in Lexington but they are geared towards caged birds like parrots. If I could find someone he told me due to the complexity with birds and anesthesia I would be looking at least 1000 to attempt to fix and in his opinion they were inoperable. I love my birds, but I cannot do that. So I am watching Bubba. I have decided with the redness streaking up and the heat it is close to being time. I hope he has a few good days left. That is what we are looking at now, days.

So there's been no improvement then

 

[Marie2020]

I don’t want to start doing that. He could accuse me of something if his birds became sick.

To be perfectly honest with you. I honestly wouldn't be able to resist