Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

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.
View attachment 4049721

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.
View attachment 4049720

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.
View attachment 4049719
View attachment 4049718

I think this is Annie getting oyster shell
View attachment 4049717

And Annie showing how useful those toenails are
View attachment 4049711

Hey CB, I’m so sorry to hear about your sister.

 

[notabitail]

Fluffy Butt Friday.
Forgot to post it yesterday.
Agathae being bad.

 

[LozzyR]

2fer Tuesday.
Piglet and Sylvie. They have become like mirror images.
Piglet is creamy white with grey flecks and Sylvie is grey with creamy white flecks.

View attachment 4047822

This pic was last week in the brief period of snow melt.

Princess Pigletine!

 

[LozzyR]

TERROR AND PANIC

That is the only way I can describe how I felt this morning.

Petunia is dead. She died in the Hen House on the roost ledge with the others in the wee hrs of this morning. Well before I got out there at 4:30am.

Why?! That’s what terrifies me and makes me panic. Was she not feeling well? Yes - she had been I’ll for about a week, had yellow poops, Sunday I started her on amoxicillin. Yet she died. Why? Did she have health issues? Yes - she was plagued with soft eggs last summer, and then an impacted crop, but once she moulted she blossomed. But she became ill again. And now has passed away rather suddenly.

Now I play the watching game with the rest of the flock, see if anyone else becomes ill. Meanwhile I think I will worm and treat for coccidia, just to cover all bases.

And then there is this in the News:

AI has now been detected here in Ontario, the Rouge is not far from me…

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7452738

I’m so sorry PP.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Kiddo says Blue is named after the raptor in Jurassic World.
I can see the resemblance

 

[Ponypoor]

I’m so sorry PP.

Thank you Lozzy. So far everyone else is good. All brats, but good

 

[Ponypoor]

That's how they tackled the hornworms on the tomato plants over the summer. Some of those suckers were as big around as my thumb one of the girls (Aliss I think) nabbed the biggest one out of my hand through the snow fence in the split second that I wasn't watching her, and she tore off at top speed to the other side of the garden where she started to smack it against the ground over and over, at which point the others realized she had something good and then they were chasing her around, tearing off chunks of big, juicy caterpillar

I felt so bad for it because I was GOING TO keep it in my critter container to pupate over winter... Well, at least its death was (relatively) quick

This was Ruth with her frog

 

[featherhead007]

Ya - I was thinking glad I am not a frog when my kiddos killed the wee thing!

How do we know if you are not a frog?

 

[featherhead007]

Prayers for my best friend neighbor. Was sent to hospital today. She had blackouts and called me instead of calling emergency. I believe I saved another life today.

 

[featherhead007]

If fuentemoon reads this far, here’s a valentines box of chocolates. I only ate 12 pieces.