Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Desertvalleychickens]

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 sorry. Hope Bubba gets through this quickly.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Morning of chickens

 

[rural mouse]

Storm has a passle of new feathers growing in around her tail, while Maizie has them across her back. Whiskey, Nellie, Chia, Tuff, Belladonna and Cardhu have all joined the ranks of those looking slightly rumpled and/or frizzled. Hears hoping Nellie doesn't do the nekkid bird look again. I'm also hoping his pins are are uncomfortable enough to make Tuff settle down for a bit.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

California we have a problem!!
We are facing another bout of Covid here. Many people are sick with it. Even some of my friends have it now.
So far, I have been fine, and I test every other day.
The only thing I suffer from is:View attachment 3911142

Yeah. I heard about it from people that work in my local hospital. Along with these wildfires and their asthma-rendering smoke, it's chaos in those places
Tax:

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Storm has a passle of new feathers growing in around her tail, while Maizie has them across her back. Whiskey, Nellie, Chia, Tuff, Belladonna and Cardhu have all joined the ranks of those looking slightly rumpled and/or frizzled. Hears hoping Nellie doesn't do the nekkid bird look again. I'm also hoping his pins are are uncomfortable enough to make Tuff settle down for a bit.

Same here. My chickens are growing in some nice new pins on their backs.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Hello all! Long time no post. I do miss keeping up with you all and your awesome flocks.

All is kinda well here. I sadly lost Goldie this spring. Not even a year old...so sad. We have no ideas what happened. We found her under the roosts after a stormy night, not a mark on her, other than being wet as our roof fix gave way, dumping water on them. But it was warm and the other hens were fine. Maybe it was shock? No way to know.

So I was down to my 3 original girls, Eenie, Meanie and Sheba. I say was, because our neighbor bought 4 rhode island reds this May...then discovered they have to move! They asked if I'd take them and, well, how do you say no to more chickens?

So, here's the Red Squadron. (My husband is a big old Star Wars nerd.)
View attachment 3910903

After a bit of time as neighbors, we connected them to the run yesterday. The adult ladies are neither amused nor accepting of this, and big old cowards! They are hiding in the coop from the scary teenagers. But I suppose they'll come around.

Thee new coop, in a better, shadier building, is underway.
View attachment 3910910

I hope to move everyone together in about a week. I am a tad concerned about them being locked in a 8x8 coop, in the heat 24/7. Is that really necessary I wonder? Or will the coop + run be okay, so they can have some space? I'll have to do some research.

Hugs to all...especially your lovely chooks.

I'm so sorry for your loss. That is a lovely new coop your are building. I love the Red Squadron name for your RIRs!

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Happy Monday

View attachment 3910709View attachment 3910710

Absolute beauties!

 

[Themellowyellows]

I’m about 100 pages behind. Keep trying to catch up before posting. (I should know better.)

Unfortunately it is sad news that prompted me to go ahead and post. We lost our Sassy girl last night. She had been doing better, had gained weight back up to over 4 lbs after being down to just over 2 lbs and was obviously feeling better. But I knew it probabaly wouldn’t last long, and a few days ago started acting a little off again, and spending time camped in a nest box. She hadn’t laid since May, so I knew she probably had another lash egg she was trying to get out. Yesterday morning she seemed uncomfortable, and I gave her some calcium hoping it would help her and put her back on Baytril again. Last night she was obviously struggling, and I knew if she didn’t manage to pass whatever she was struggling with that she probably wouldn’t make it until morning. Gave her another calcium and did what I could to make her comfortable, but unfortunately I was right. She apparently passed not long after that.

Farewell my Sassy little girl. I’m sorry you had to leave us so soon (she was just over 2 years old), but I hope I made these last two months of extra time I tried to give you worth living for you. I’m glad you got to spend some time with the new little firecrackers (will try to post updates on them in a few days). At least you and Goldy are together again, I know you searched for her and called for her for several weeks after we lost her.


Sassy from the start, she was the first to fly up in my back.
View attachment 3911390

The second to start laying eggs.
View attachment 3911391

Enjoying some time outside in the hospital coop I bought (more later on the bargain I got).
View attachment 3911397

Teaching the firecrackers about the Way of the Chicken. Including that scratch is good, but to respect their elders.
View attachment 3911396

And her final picture, with her favorite treats before we laid her to rest.

Spoiler: Memorial photo of Sassy

View attachment 3911395

Those pictures got me... What a chicken can do to a human! I am very sorry you lost her, would love to know your other stories. Did you try a epson soak? If not, God forbid you ever have to deal with this again, 100% epson soak them, unless they are really weak.

 

[Marie2020]

I’m about 100 pages behind. Keep trying to catch up before posting. (I should know better.)

Unfortunately it is sad news that prompted me to go ahead and post. We lost our Sassy girl last night. She had been doing better, had gained weight back up to over 4 lbs after being down to just over 2 lbs and was obviously feeling better. But I knew it probabaly wouldn’t last long, and a few days ago started acting a little off again, and spending time camped in a nest box. She hadn’t laid since May, so I knew she probably had another lash egg she was trying to get out. Yesterday morning she seemed uncomfortable, and I gave her some calcium hoping it would help her and put her back on Baytril again. Last night she was obviously struggling, and I knew if she didn’t manage to pass whatever she was struggling with that she probably wouldn’t make it until morning. Gave her another calcium and did what I could to make her comfortable, but unfortunately I was right. She apparently passed not long after that.

Farewell my Sassy little girl. I’m sorry you had to leave us so soon (she was just over 2 years old), but I hope I made these last two months of extra time I tried to give you worth living for you. I’m glad you got to spend some time with the new little firecrackers (will try to post updates on them in a few days). At least you and Goldy are together again, I know you searched for her and called for her for several weeks after we lost her.


Sassy from the start, she was the first to fly up in my back.
View attachment 3911390

The second to start laying eggs.
View attachment 3911391

Enjoying some time outside in the hospital coop I bought (more later on the bargain I got).
View attachment 3911397

Teaching the firecrackers about the Way of the Chicken. Including that scratch is good, but to respect their elders.
View attachment 3911396

And her final picture, with her favorite treats before we laid her to rest.

Spoiler: Memorial photo of Sassy

View attachment 3911395

I'm so sorry you lost this lovely girl but happy in the knowledge she lived a wonderful life with you and her flock before going over the rainbow to Goldy

 

[Themellowyellows]

I'm so sorry you lost Sassy, and I'm sure she enjoyed every single moment you gave her during those two months.

I always feel particularly sad when I see a red hybrid layer die too soon of reproductive disease or cancer. Like so many chicken keepers, I began my chicken keeping journey with them and it's heartbreaking that just a little time after you discover how endearing they are, you find out that they have been made by humans with built-in obsolescence.

Do RIRs also have that problem?