Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sylvester017]

I have experienced all of these problems, it’s not fun having to deal with them all, but I’m hoping that my experience will help someone else here on BYC.
Maybe I should get a badge for this?

We've ALL earned one teehee !!!

 

[featherhead007]

Our So Calif climate is moderate so daytime freezing temps don't occur at my elevation. But we have had 2 to 3 nights in a row per year where the night temps went enough below freezing to injure the comb of our white Leghorn years ago. Only the tippy tips of the comb got a couple frostbite scars but no bearded/crested birds were hurt in the frost (Breda, Silkies, Ameraucana).

BYC suggestions were to vaseline the leghorn combs which we did but that stained her white head feathers cuz during the day dirt clung to the residue & stained the feathers dirty brown till the next moult. I love Leghorns but not those enormous floppy easily injured combs/wattles

Now we have neither white birds nor comb/wattle birds in the flock to worry over. I heartache too easily in my old age

I’m having to say that I am in agreement with you. It’s not easy for me either to keep up with my chooks. They are either too fast or too moody for me.

 

[Sylvester017]

I’m having to say that I am in agreement with you. It’s not easy for me either to keep up with my chooks. They are either too fast or too moody for me.

I loved the old turn of the century 1900's when my grandparents were teenage immigrants thru Ellis Island & started farming here where one generation to the next took over farming business & old folks could live on the farm in one big old house w/the next generation. Those simple days are long gone. My mom was born in the horse & buckboard days & 98 yrs later died in the astronaut & jet age of satellites & Moon explorations!

 

[Sylvester017]

Found one of mom's old farm pics of the duck pool. You'll need to use magnification.

c. 1930

 

[Ponypoor]

Do you treat for worms as a precaution or because you see evidence of worms?

Reading this seems like there are so many opinions?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/topic-of-the-week-deworming-chickens.1136000/

(In Calif only natural ingredient chicken worming is legal. If ordering online products like wazine etc it will not be shipped to Calif)

I will do a ‘flock’ fecal yearly, but as they generally come back positive I generally treat about every few months in weather when they are outside regularly.

Winter months they are not outside so they are not eating bugs and picking up parasite loads at that time of year.

Same with the horses, I don’t worm in the winter. Except last winter we didn’t have a good hard freeze.

So called natural wormers are of no use treating parasites. One would be better of paying a Vet to do a fecal and if positive get a script for something. There have been copious amt of studies done on natural products to treat horses, cattle, sheep, etc.

But I always tell people go with what they want to use. It won’t hurt the animal.

 

[Ponypoor]

Princess had at least a hour and a half out front today. Not much time but it's been raining

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My gang were in and out all day, come in when it rained, ran back out when it stopped hahaha.

 

[Ponypoor]

That’s what I have heard too from my veterinarian.
I have some first aid for them if it gets too bad. Vetericyn Plus

It likely won’t hurt to give some Tylenol or aspirin to help with feeling crappy. Same as you would for a cold or flu. If you feel better you would be more likley to eat and drink properly.

 

[Ponypoor]

Good morning and happy Caturday everyone. We still have the 4 kittens who are holy terrors. I was given a heart attack for my birthday from my favorite boy Panda.

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Now, having horses and chickens over the years there have been a few rats killed outside. CeeCee is lethal with them if she gets a chance. I could say though that we had never had one inside. Well that has changed. I get up this morning and head to the coffee pot. The kittens are having a ball making a ruckus in the laundry room, nothing new. CeeCee is still snoring at the foot of my bed, where she has been all night with the door shut. Here comes Panda strolling into the kitchen meowing and very proudly dragging a RAT!!!! It was still twitching and I screamed. Panda was tackled by his siblings fighting over who got the "toy". After my heart attack I grabbed a paper towel and fought the devils to get it away from them. Lots of growling, hissing and swiping at me but I won. I took it outside still slightly alive and finished it off and tossed it into the creek. Now my chickens are having a field day attacking it. I am proud of the kittens, they have never stepped foot outside, yet they proved themselves this morning. I already told mom, all 4 need to stay.

Those are smart kitties

They have you figured out!

 

[Ponypoor]

Caturday Saturday
Continuing from last week.
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Such beauties I see they have made themselves at home!

 

[Ponypoor]

Dry Pox on my rooster. If I can catch him I have triple antibiotic cream I could use, or Vetericyn Plus. I would prefer not to rub his comb. He’s irritated enough already.

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Do it at night wrap home in a towel.

Poor pookie, looks sore.