Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[CCsGarden]

Thank you. I haven’t gotten chicks in quite some time, so the flock has really aged. I am down to five, ages 9.6, 8.5, 8.5, 6.4, 5.2.

Minnie’s crop did not empty overnight, which is a HUGE bummer. Makes it tough to feed her if her crop is already full. It is not impacted nor sour, just slow. Very slow. This happened recently to Flash who went into full crop stasis and died. I assume she had a blockage further down, likely from cancer. I so hope that is not what’s going on with Minnie. I hope I can coax her GI tract along and it’s just temporarily slow due to her anorexia, but we’ll see.

As far as Bridge, do you remember her bum foot? Well, her mobility has only gotten worse and I’ve suspected Flo would want to dethrone her one day. It broke my heart when she was pounced on by a mob. I was in Guatemala on a humanitarian trip in June and my neighbor looking after them had to separate her for me. Thankfully, now she at least has her friend Buttercup in her part of the coop and run with her. But I have to hand carry them up and down from the loft part of the coop each morning and night, and still have not come up with a solution for when I get home after dark. That day is approaching, so I need to figure something out soon. I’m thinking some sort of dog house so they have shelter they don’t have to climb up to and I can still hand carry them upstairs when I get home.

Sadly, she’s dying. I’m in the ER mysrlf and hope to get home in time to cuddle her warm and say goodbye.

I'm so sorry! One of mine has had a full crop for almost a week. I made her vomit and she threw up a big piece of plastic? and I hope that's all that is causing the crop to stay full.

Did you feel any big pieces of anything in the crop? smell bitter or strong?

 

[micstrachan]

I'm so sorry! One of mine has had a full crop for almost a week. I made her vomit and she threw up a big piece of plastic? and I hope that's all that is causing the crop to stay full.

Did you feel any big pieces of anything in the crop? smell bitter or strong?

No. I’m pretty sure the crop is not the primary problem. I’ve been able to clear many crops over the years. This does not seem impacted nor sour, just slow. Like she has a blockage further down. Not too long ago I had chicken with a blockage further down and she went into complete crop stasis. She died and I assume it was cancer. Might be the same thing here.

 

[BY Bob]

Mugs Monday

Lady Featherington has started her molt.

Sydney is done. Hattie is in process and Lady Featherington has started. That leaves Aurora and Aster.

 

[BY Bob]

I got 2 Polish and one Bresse, chosen by DJ, as my first chickens. The Bresse terrorized my poor Polish. I added 7 full size pulleys, that I raised from day old chicks in the house. Both Polish let the 10 week old pullets, who were bigger than the were, know who's boss, and life was good for a while.
Then Jamie, lavender Polish, went broody. She would randomly come out of the coop and run screaming at everyone else. My lap chicken snapped viciously at me when I went to get eggs. She lived in the nest box house for 23 days, which is separate from the coop. Then she marched her floofy headed self back into the coop and returned to her former Number 2 spot, next to Big Boss Bresse who never learned you have to be a friend to have a friend.
Unfortunately this was Easter weekend and I was so consumed with visiting grandchildren, cooking, cleaning etc. that I didn't realize what was happening to her. Monday after the family finally left I went out to clean out the poop shelf. I noticed Jamie was getting pecked on the head by more than 1 evil chicken and not running away. I put her between my feet until I finished cleaning. When I inspected her I realized she had a bloody raw spot on her head and another on her back.
I cleaned her up, gave her Nutridrench, and set her up in a large dog crate in the run. When I saw 2 evil chickens pecking her through the bars and her still just sitting there and taking it, I had to wrap the sides in wire cloth.
She was wobbly when she walked for a few days, leading me to believe the Evil Ones did some brain damage. It turns out Polish have unprotected skulls under those crests. I told my DH she needed her own run with my other Polish. As usual, it took 3 times longer than planned and she lived in that stupid dog crate far longer than I would have liked. I just never trusted the big chickens around her again.
She is now queen of her own 10 by 10 run, has a cool roost tree, and is about to have a brand new coop. My black Polish had to come join her even though she held her own with the big girls. Jamie bosses Martina around. She deserves it.

Way to provide for them and put them into an environment where they can be safe and have good lives.

 

[BY Bob]

Sadly, she’s dying. I’m in the ER mysrlf and hope to get home in time to cuddle her warm and say goodbye.

I'm so very very sorry. I hope you make it back in time.

 

[Sylvester017]

I got 2 Polish and one Bresse, chosen by DJ, as my first chickens. The Bresse terrorized my poor Polish. I added 7 full size pulleys, that I raised from day old chicks in the house. Both Polish let the 10 week old pullets, who were bigger than the were, know who's boss, and life was good for a while.
Then Jamie, lavender Polish, went broody. She would randomly come out of the coop and run screaming at everyone else. My lap chicken snapped viciously at me when I went to get eggs. She lived in the nest box house for 23 days, which is separate from the coop. Then she marched her floofy headed self back into the coop and returned to her former Number 2 spot, next to Big Boss Bresse who never learned you have to be a friend to have a friend.
Unfortunately this was Easter weekend and I was so consumed with visiting grandchildren, cooking, cleaning etc. that I didn't realize what was happening to her. Monday after the family finally left I went out to clean out the poop shelf. I noticed Jamie was getting pecked on the head by more than 1 evil chicken and not running away. I put her between my feet until I finished cleaning. When I inspected her I realized she had a bloody raw spot on her head and another on her back.
I cleaned her up, gave her Nutridrench, and set her up in a large dog crate in the run. When I saw 2 evil chickens pecking her through the bars and her still just sitting there and taking it, I had to wrap the sides in wire cloth.
She was wobbly when she walked for a few days, leading me to believe the Evil Ones did some brain damage. It turns out Polish have unprotected skulls under those crests. I told my DH she needed her own run with my other Polish. As usual, it took 3 times longer than planned and she lived in that stupid dog crate far longer than I would have liked. I just never trusted the big chickens around her again.
She is now queen of her own 10 by 10 run, has a cool roost tree, and is about to have a brand new coop. My black Polish had to come join her even though she held her own with the big girls. Jamie bosses Martina around. She deserves it.

Your story is very similar to some of the ones related to me from a few Polish owners a few yrs ago. I knew Polish were a bit skittish from vision impairment... Silkies too... however, Silkie owners who also had experience w/ Polish insisted the Silkies would surprise me at their resilience as long as I only integrated them w/ gentle temperament flockmates. I only had two bully standard-size hens in 14+ yrs which we gave them chances to straighten out re: bullying Silkies, but finally had to rehome the 2 bullies. Otherwise Silkies got along well w/independent White Leghorn, gentle Blue Wheaten Ameraucana, independent Blue Breda. & good-natured Dominiques.

A Cuckoo Marans & very large Cuckoo Breda were very mean for no reason & were the two we sadly had to rehome to maintain a safe flock environment. We loved all our birds but sometimes a stinker arises & has to be dealt w/ properly.

Nightly back door begging session