Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[SimpleJenn]

Is that a white guinea you own?
I've never seen one of those before.
That's a really magnificent roo as well!

My neighbors have a problem with hawks.
They sit either on the fence or the telephone pole near the fence and attempt to swoop down on their chickens.
Luckily they haven't lost a chicken yet.

Yes! I have a white, a lavender, and a standard spotted one. They're awesome, despite their criminal tendencies. Very loud.
BlackJack is my chunkahunka bird haha. He's a large fowl Cochin and will throw his weight around if needed. The contrast between him and my Ayam Cemani is staggering, they look like two different species.

We have red-tailed in the forest behind the house, a mated pair. But this hawk was smaller than my hens so I think coopers.

I do occasionally see the red-tailed hawk sitting in a tree near my backyard, so I need to put out more shelters.

 

[RoyalChick]

I watched a video.
I turned her upside down, and started to massage her crop and immediately got some sandy liquid out. It did not smell foul and her crop really isn't hard. I did that quite a few times giving her breaks. Then I administered 10ml of olive oil, the Vet tech on the video made it look much easier. There was oil on her, me, the floor and the wall...lol Anyway, I refilled the syringe and got some more down her. Massaged a little in the upright position. Set her down and dipped her beak into the water a few times to help keep her hydrated. I will withhold food. She hasn't pooped since I brought her inside, hopefully things will start to move. I will go through the massage process again tonight, hopefully she will vomit. Then let her rest overnight to see if she has pooped and check if her crop has improved. If not, I will go through the process again to see if I can get her to vomit.

I have her in my laundry room.
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Hope she improves.
One handy tip for giving oil to help get a stuck crop unplugged is to use coconut oil. You can put tiny pieces in the freezer and it freezes solid so can be popped down the chicken’s gullet just like a pill. It melts back into oil with their body heat.

 

[featherhead007]

I watched a video.

Edit to add: She weighs 3lbs. 11oz.

I turned her upside down, and started to massage her crop and immediately got some sandy liquid out. It did not smell foul and her crop really isn't hard. I did that quite a few times giving her breaks. Then I administered 10ml of olive oil, the Vet tech on the video made it look much easier. There was oil on her, me, the floor and the wall...lol Anyway, I refilled the syringe and got some more down her. Massaged a little in the upright position. Set her down and dipped her beak into the water a few times to help keep her hydrated. I will withhold food. She hasn't pooped since I brought her inside, hopefully things will start to move. I will go through the massage process again tonight, hopefully she will vomit. Then let her rest overnight to see if she has pooped and check if her crop has improved. If not, I will go through the process again to see if I can get her to vomit.

I have her in my laundry room.
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Poor Speckled Suspect. She’s been through a lot. I’m hoping for the best!
As for the oil all over you, I had no clue that you rolled like that
Kidding.

 

[Candiru09]

Yes! I have a white, a lavender, and a standard spotted one. They're awesome, despite their criminal tendencies. Very loud.
BlackJack is my chunkahunka bird haha. He's a large fowl Cochin and will throw his weight around if needed. The contrast between him and my Ayam Cemani is staggering, they look like two different species.

We have red-tailed in the forest behind the house, a mated pair. But this hawk was smaller than my hens so I think coopers.

I do occasionally see the red-tailed hawk sitting in a tree near my backyard, so I need to put out more shelters.

I would love to get a couple guineas but my father already thinks my rooster Kellogg is loud enough. A farm around where I live keeps guineas and those things are NOT quiet.

How much do you think Mr BlackJack weighs? He seems very muscular.

Dang you have an Ayam Cemani!? How much did you pay for it? I've heard they're really rare and expensive. They're definitely on my chicken wish list.

Near our house there's an absolutely massive cottonwood tree and that's where we think the hawks live. Hopefully you never end up with a missing bird!

 

[rural mouse]

I need to look in my scrap collection as I think I have some left over 4x4.
I was thinking something like this for the vertical.
‘A’ is the structural vertical holding up the Chicken Palace roof. I could fit a couple of 2x4s to it horizontally using joist hangers, and use those to stabilize my vertical tree trunk labeled ‘B’.
The top horizontal brace can extend out to create more perching space. And then of course I can attach branches at different heights.
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Some of those running parallel to A, possibly run 1 from the lower cross piece across a parallel, creating a triangle with a slight 3-D slope just for the natural whimsy.

 

[drstratton]

Hope she improves.
One handy tip for giving oil to help get a stuck crop unplugged is to use coconut oil. You can put tiny pieces in the freezer and it freezes solid so can be popped down the chicken’s gullet just like a pill. It melts back into oil with their body heat.

Thank you RC! That sounds like a great way to do it. I need to see if I still have some coconut oil.

The syringe I have is actually one my dil left here, it's for IV's, so the tip is short. I think I've got another one someplace.

I really think I'd also like to start her on Baytril. Just not sure how to dose. Was just getting ready to look that up.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I would love to get a couple guineas but my father already thinks my rooster Kellogg is loud enough. A farm around where I live keeps guineas and those things are NOT quiet.

How much do you think Mr BlackJack weighs? He seems very muscular.

Dang you have an Ayam Cemani!? How much did you pay for it? I've heard they're really rare and expensive. They're definitely on my chicken wish list.

Near our house there's an absolutely massive cottonwood tree and that's where we think the hawks live. Hopefully you never end up with a missing bird!

They cackle so much! And Screamer, well she is aptly named.

BlackJack has got to be close to ten pounds, but I don't handle him so it's just a guess. His father is in the 15-20 pound range, if I remember correctly. He's 6 months old and still has growing to do.

Riddick is my Ayam Cemani. I paid $6 for his egg, and I was so lucky to hatch out a perfect gentleroo. I bought a lot of different ones in February so the breeder gave me a discount from the usual $10.

Tax

 

[featherhead007]

Gezz, Gizmo came close to me, so I picked him up like I did as a chick, he screamed murder. Have I lost my lap chickenalities for all time?
Dakota grooms herself, and sometimes pecks thru my hair. But that’s only because we are less than a centimeter away.
Doctor says today, that having chickens is good for my health and blood pressure!
Now I know for sure he’s a quack!!

 

[Sally PB]

I've been fortunate to have not had any crop issues until this poor girl. I will do some research, but would appreciate any advice on where to start from my friends here.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ealing-with.73607/?page=11#ams-comment-524673
This is an article by one of our most knowledgeable members.

 

[Ponypoor]

I don’t know what is happening with that neighbor next door. (The crazy one) but Nacho’s kids keep coming over (Queso, and Jalapeño) but no Frejole. Queso is laying eggs in my nesting boxes, good girl! I think Jalapeno is too
None of my birds care to lay any recently.

My gals have been taking a break, which I am happy with. I am getting 5 eggs a day now.