Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

My gosh what an awesome picture. Reminds me of this one of Glynda (RIP)

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Awwwww she was such a lovely hen. I am so glad she got to be a mama.

 

[Ponypoor]

For my Vet. Assistant course I had to pick an animals disease and do a report on it - I chose AI. There was a study done in India a couple of years ago that found in high temps (I don't remember the degrees Celcius, but it was around 110 degrees F). At that temp, AI dies within 48 hours. They tested it at 4 different temps (in both wet and dry poop samples). at the lowest temp (4 degrees C, so around 39-40 degrees F), it lived and was viable (infectious) up through 8 weeks in both wet and dry samples. There is anecdotal evidence it can survive indefinitely at freezing temps ( no studies I found on this, though). So, this seems to be why it is so prevelant in colder temps. Sun and heat kills it. They also believe that waterbirds (ducks, geese, terns, gulls, etc) act as reservoirs for the disease year to year. Seems like it will not get better until the heat comes back.

Please all, keep your chooks safe. Unfortunately, with the huge pines (hence, no way to put a full roof/netting/etc), I can't keep wild birds out, and I am petrified.

I would say all influenza virus are like that, I k ow from studies the human varieties are also more likely to survive cooler temps.

Terrifying.

 

[Ponypoor]

In our rain & cold weather we actually increased treat nutrition for more fat intake. Right before roost they get insistent scratching at the back door demanding a last treat to fill their crop for the night They trained us well.

Yup mine also, I throw down scratch grain to keep them away from the horses when I let them in.

It’s also energy food for overnight.

 

[Ponypoor]

So very sorry about your sister

My own 90-yr-old sis is in precarious health. Life whizzes by too fast

c. 1945 ~ my 10-yrs older sis holding me on folks' farm steps
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If I knew at 19 what I know now I plus have got chickens long ago! I feel very guilty I didn’t get any hens when my grandma was alive. She wanted some but I didn’t want the added work.

Bad Kelly

 

[RoyalChick]

My gosh what an awesome picture. Reminds me of this one of Glynda (RIP)

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Glynda was too nice - she is just not as intimidating as Maggie was even with the same pose!

 

[BY Bob]

Hello everyone and happy Fluffy Butt Friday!

Windblown Fluffy butts
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And a video...

And there was a storm last night, so the leftover clouds are on top of the mountains.
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A bit more fresh snow

Great bums!

 

[featherhead007]

Cutest thing ever: I got home late just now. Went to count the birds and lock them up for the night. I looked for Nacho and the kids, but they weren’t there in their bed so I was panicked . I went to count my eleven, and saw Nacho and her babies up on the perches with the rest of the gang. Nacho looked at me as if to say “well, we’re here, are you going to evict us on this rainy night?” Birds are too funny!

 

[BY Bob]

Hi everybody, got some pics yesterday. The chickens have been a great comfort to me though I've also stressed about them some. My sister died last week from the cancer she's been fighting for a couple of years, and it's just been a very tough time losing her.

So here's to life continuing -

Annie, the most talkative and seemingly cheeriest chirpiest hen. She loves any lap time and will gladly hang out there forever. She is fine with sharing a lap with Tedi too.View attachment 4049712

And my loyal friend Hazel, the steadfast leader and remaining Buckeye from the OG group. A low-key talker with very useful things to say. She has always helpfully made sure my clothes are in order, especially in the back where I can't see the obvious disarray.
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Below, an interesting study in insanity and hostility, Diane Ida-Biter. I sing "Nutzo, nutzo hen" to the tune of "Macho Man" with her. She keens and growls a lot, and maneuvers around to challenge me head-on while I'm doing chores. She will also eat from my hand, but warily, glancing up at me after every bite. She will not fight me when I pick her up, she stays still and submits, which is good for health checks and any needed baths, though I need to be mindful of not putting a hand in front of her. Otherwise while freestanding she wants to get a fight on. She is almost continually corrected by everyone else, and will walk away keening. She's especially worked up with any treats around - being at the bottom she probably has to be opportunistic in order to get any, because she is pushed off all the time, but this is the opposite of Popcorn (RIP), who was on the bottom but could grab a bite and make nice with everyone at the same time. Diane is fairly reasonable around me in the morning, but it goes downhill from there. Near roosting time? Forget about it. What do you all think these clues mean? She is not a very happy hen it seems. Her best buddy, if she has one, is Good Queen Hazel, who is fine with her around as long as she behaves sanely.
Crazy Eyes Diane.
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Here is Tedi below, a happy go-along hen who loves food and lap time and pushes her neck against me for snuggles. She comes around and hangs at my knees if I already have Annie on my lap, and asks to be picked up to join in. They both happily share. Tedi has big legs and is a great digger and forager.
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I think this is Annie getting oyster shell
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And Annie showing how useful those toenails are
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I'm so very sorry for your loss.

I'm very glad you are finding comfort in your chickens. They are very skilled at that.

I hope we might even provide some distraction here from time to time.


Just look at these gorgeous bums!

 

[BY Bob]

And how many times did people's reports not get noted? I wonder if the lady even entered mine in, since I had no bodies for testing. She didn't offer to do fecal tests or anything else like that.

Tax
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This one is a mighty T Rex

I'm certain yours were not entered. Without a positive test, nothing is entered.

 

[BY Bob]

Awwwww she was such a lovely hen. I am so glad she got to be a mama.

My Aster is so like her mother. I'm so lucky Glynda was able to hatch and raise her. Aster is a real blessing.