Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

I've picked up quite a bit over time, and still know there is way more to this story, for sure! Sounds like you have a great life overall with gorgeous chickens, and a calling.

A wonderful calling, a retired US Marshal who has no control over a simple feathered friend.
We grow up weak with age, that’s for sure. But I still carry my sidearm. If only I will remember how to use it if the time ever comes!

 

[featherhead007]

Coco is 2, years old

 

[featherhead007]

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I have more pics. But it really doesn’t matter now does it?

 

[featherhead007]

I've picked up quite a bit over time, and still know there is way more to this story, for sure! Sounds like you have a great life overall with gorgeous chickens, and a calling.

I’m that silver spoon kid, who was smart enough to never drop it on the floor. .. enough about me.

 

[Sylvester017]

Lazy Sunday

No pony Sunday photos too lazy to run out to the paddock

But you can enjoy this feature film brought to you by ponypoor industries

Awwww! They are all so cute. DH & I enjoed your video. Georgie, such a typical Silkie broody. Mr & Mrs LC so-o-o tiny! Can you believe Serama bantams are even tinier?!

 

[rural mouse]

I suppose it's not like you can return your clothing to the former girlfriend. I wouldn't want your clothes back either.

My tax for continuing this:

I've got four buff roosters, two with black on them. I've got to decide as I can't keep them all, but this one's my favorite. There's an older one a bit lighter than him.
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Two similar to this: They aren't SOP with the black so suppose I shouldn't keep them, but they are beautiful to me!
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There's a black tailed buff coloration for some breed or other (it's in the kippenjungle genetics calculator)...

 

[rural mouse]

Ps.

As do platypus (platypi? platypusses?)

 

[featherhead007]

As do platypus (platypi? platypusses?)

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If you can’t spell it, don’t spit it!

 

[featherhead007]

Coco is molting, and I’m sure that it is painful. I try not to touch her, but she insists that she lays on my chest, and is purring loudly like a little kitty. I’m talented too, I can type on my iPhone and still cater to her!

 

[RoyalChick]

Need advice
I may make a thread on this in the illnesses forum, but I am guessing this crowd has experience.

I am worried about Bernie.

I think I have posted pictures before of how Bernie can stuff herself to the point you cannot believe she can stand upright with the size of her crop.
This picture is from August, 2023 as an example.

Anyway, her crop really was huge yesterday afternoon when she was torturing the pumpkin, but because she is molting heavily on her body I thought maybe it just looked more prominent without a nice covering of feathers.

She is behaving normally - not acting ill at all.

Anyway, I am a worrier, so I got up at an unholy hour this morning to examine her on the roost and was disturbed to see that her crop had not gone down overnight.

I wasn't prepared with my frozen coconut oil 'pills' so I gave her a vigorous massage which maybe helped a bit but certainly didn't empty her crop.

It feels quite firm but not rock hard - a bit like dough - and I didn't feel any fibrous lumps. Her breath does not smell sour. She delivered a slightly loose poop onto my foot during this procedure - loose but not alarmingly so.

I will prepare coconut oil pills to pop in her beak tonight after dark and will do some night time and early morning massages and will keep sniffing for signs of sour crop.

My question to all of you is whether hens are more susceptible to crop issues when they molt? I wonder if I am worrying too much, or maybe not enough.
I worry that crop issues are usually a sign of other underlying disease and Bernie may actually be seriously ill. I have had one girl who clearly just ate too much long grass - but all my other crop issues have been the start of a decline for some other reason.

Any thoughts or advice?