Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[TOMTE]

Great news for pony Sunday!

After Four Decades, Efforts to Save Great Lakes Piping Plovers Are Seeing Signs of Major Success

 

[Ponypoor]

I am excited about a event that is happening down at the barn this coming Sunday. For the first time ever a trade day is happening.

Horses, poultry, sheep, goats, rabbits you name it, it is welcome. They are also allowing vendors to set up yard sale items which has mom happy.

Me, mom and my sis are going to set up. Mom and sis have yard sale stuff "junk". I will have eggs. Eating eggs and thank goodness the silkies are back to laying as I can also have hatching eggs. I've shared their post to all my local facebook poultry and livestock groups for them. I hope my chicken people come out in full force.

I am not actively seeking anything new, but I am not above trading some hatching eggs for something that catches my fancy. Or outright buying something. I have a empty incubator that would love to be filled with either different silkie eggs, polish eggs, buff orp eggs or Americauna eggs. If there is a blue egg laying Americauna hen or Easter egger brought down there I will buy it for sis. I also can see mom having me buy a buff orp pullet or two if there is any offered.

Hope you ‘find’ a treasure in that case, some lovely buff Orps or some blue eggs to hatch.

 

[Ponypoor]

Great news for pony Sunday!

After Four Decades, Efforts to Save Great Lakes Piping Plovers Are Seeing Signs of Major Success

Awesome!

 

[RoyalChick]

The brooder setup here, hopefully a far cry from Chickatraz! (@featherhead007). Added more Up places, and rearranged it some for landing runways and an alley for foot chases!
View attachment 4154520
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I bought two of the ~40x40 ones, they zip together on the outsude, and I clipped the inner bits together too at chick height and covered the walkway. They make a one-piece double one but the zippered doors are on opposite sides which didn't work for me. It doesn't have a floor so I used cardboard and taped it down.

Love it! Is that a repurposed Zimmer frame?!

 

[Ponypoor]

The brooder setup here, hopefully a far cry from Chickatraz! (@featherhead007). Added more Up places, and rearranged it some for landing runways and an alley for foot chases!
View attachment 4154520
View attachment 4154521
View attachment 4154522
I bought two of the ~40x40 ones, they zip together on the outsude, and I clipped the inner bits together too at chick height and covered the walkway. They make a one-piece double one but the zippered doors are on opposite sides which didn't work for me. It doesn't have a floor so I used cardboard and taped it down.

Wow ! Brilliant! That’s an awesome playground living space for them

 

[knoturavggrl]

Today she is worse. She is still eating and drinking and pooping. I was really hopeful that the aspirin would help but so far it hasn’t. She is still fighting whatever this is though so I will too.

I put the video in a spoiler because I know there are folks that have been through something similar enough they may not want to relive it, which is completely understandable. It is indeed difficult to watch em struggle and not be able to help.

I would welcome any new insights now that her issues are more pronounced.

Thank you everyone sorry for all the posts, I am getting pretty worried at this point.

Spoiler: Rue today

 

[TOMTE]

Today she is worse. She is still eating and drinking and pooping. I was really hopeful that the aspirin would help but so far it hasn’t. She is still fighting whatever this is though so I will too.

I put the video in a spoiler because I know there are folks that have been through something similar enough they may not want to relive it, which is completely understandable. It is indeed difficult to watch em struggle and not be able to help.

I would welcome any new insights now that her issues are more pronounced.

Thank you everyone sorry for all the posts, I am getting pretty worried at this point.

Spoiler: Rue today

Nobody wants to say the M word, but...

Mareks? Was she old enough to contract it when this all started? ...Have I already asked that?

Maybe she got injured at some point... Brain trauma?

 

[TOMTE]

Kind of reminds me of those cats with that neurological disease that makes them wobbly. They can live full, happy lives, they just have a harder time getting around and balancing.

 

[Ponypoor]

Today she is worse. She is still eating and drinking and pooping. I was really hopeful that the aspirin would help but so far it hasn’t. She is still fighting whatever this is though so I will too.

I put the video in a spoiler because I know there are folks that have been through something similar enough they may not want to relive it, which is completely understandable. It is indeed difficult to watch em struggle and not be able to help.

I would welcome any new insights now that her issues are more pronounced.

Thank you everyone sorry for all the posts, I am getting pretty worried at this point.

Spoiler: Rue today

Might keep her on 1/2 aspirin once a day ‘in case of injury’; she looks like her head is ok and her wings, seems to be her legs more affected now, and her tail is down.

Can you set up a sling for her to sit in to keep her in a more natural position upright, and not tire her out struggling to walk. A box with an old towel or fabric, with a couple holes for her legs and suspended inside the box. Like one of those old fashioned baby walkers.

If it is an injury moving about too much will aggravate it.

Also, found this good video on Mareks for anyone who needs a primer (like me).

 

[knoturavggrl]

Nobody wants to say the M word, but...

Mareks? Was she old enough to contract it when this all started? ...Have I already asked that?

Maybe she got injured at some point... Brain trauma?

It could be Mareks and if she passes I will have her tested for it. Here’s why I think that is unlikely but not impossible. No other chicken, even my silkies are at all sick in anyway and it’s been 6 days now since this started. I have had chickens her for 3 yrs now and never had it show up. She is also not lethargic, she is trying to be a normal chicken, she eats, drinks, preens, talks to me when I am out there. That said your correct and I have read some strains are weaker and only affect one bird so I cannot responsibly dismiss this entirely.

The most likely cause seems to be an injury. They are young and foolish teenagers after all.