Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

For the past few days Leah has not been feeling well, a few nights ago when I was handling them she tried to fly into her crate and regurgitated fluid all over me. That was my first sign something was off with her. Because she was gasping a bit after her regurgitating fluids I started her on some Sulpha-Trim, that and I also noted she was having some strange poops again. If it is something Gastro I want to nip that in the bud. She also received some Tylenol.

Her crop has been full of fluid and not moving at all that I can see, I tried to drain it with my feeding tube I have but it's too small for the particles in her crop to be sucked up.

I have been keeping an eye on her, she and her sister are both going through a good moult getting new feathers in, so I am hoping that this is just her feeling miserable with the moult.

Meanwhile most of the flock are in various stages of moulting.

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Oh no. I’m sorry, Kelly.

 

[micstrachan]

One more question: we just finished the coop I'm the Polish run two weeks ago. As I will be out of town for a couple of weeks and my son and his wife will be chicken tending, I have been trying to train the two Polish to go to bed on their own. They slept on outside roosts for 2 months, but it's now in the 40s at night. It turns out Jamie is gate tending and won't let poor timid Martina in at night. See picture below ( I did tell her we built the run and coop just for her after she had to live in a cramped conditions in the run after she was attacked.) So I pick them both up every night and put them on the roost bars.
Questions:
What can I do about the gatekeeping, if anything?
Is it bad for Martina to sleep outside in the (safe) run when the temperature is in the 40s (f)? (By herself - it's so sad).

I vote for a second ramp and door. If that is not an option, I would definitely tarp the corner of the run where she sleeps in case it gets windy. Poor sweet girl.

 

[featherhead007]

You have so many chickens now, Alex! How many? And how many are roosters?

25 birds, four are roosters for sure, the little ones, possibly 4 more roosters. Yes my bird population has grown. I had no idea that my birds would be a population of Game birds.

 

[drstratton]

Hi, folks. Have a dilemma because daylight savings is ending this weekend and I’m going to be getting home after dark starting on Monday. I’m down to only three hens and Bridge is on a separate side of the run most of the time by herself because Flo is a jerk (bully) and Roxy prefers hanging out with Flo over Bridge. Sometimes I make Roxy hang out with Bridge anyway.

So I put in a little wooden doghouse for Bridge so she has a little shelter until I get home from work. I also installed string lights that turn on at dusk. And in case of a power outage, I already installed a bunch of rechargeable undercabinet lights that are motion activated.

The lights are to deter rats. We have a huge problem on the mountain where I live. We have a problem, my neighbors have problems, and apparently they even are having problems in town down the hill. And the little town is a really swanky, wealthy little town. It’s like the rat population has exploded everywhere.

Anyway, I’m pretty sure the rats are living under the main coop on the other side of the run. So I’m doing my best to fully rat proof in between the two sides of the run so they aren’t running around with Bridge since her little house is at ground level. (She is a disabled, elderly hen and I love her SO much!)

Anyway, I’m so pleased with these little lights. I thought I’d show a couple photos here. I highly recommend them. I used gel gorilla superglue to adhere the metal strips to wood. The lights themselves are magnetic. They’re meant for indoors, but I don’t have them anywhere that’s really exposed to rain or sun. And it doesn’t typically freeze here. We really only have frost a few times a year.

Here is one light inside a gate frame:
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Here is one just over the main coop door:
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Here is Bridge’s side of the run lit up with the string lights:
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And here is the original/main run lit up:
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Nobody sleeps in the little red coop. They like to hang out under it and I’ll probably use it next time I integrate chicks, but it mostly just sits there.

I also ordered a little motion sensor light that has adustable lighting for inside the little dog house/chicken house. I’ll mount it the same way with gorilla glue and a magnetic strip.

That's such a great setup! Love what you did for Bridge!

 

[micstrachan]

That's such a great setup! Love what you did for Bridge!

Thanks! Her right foot does not dorsally flex, which is why I got her the dog house. (She can’t doesn’t get around so well, poor girl.) Since I had to separate them this summer due to bullying, she’s been sleeping in the “loft” of the coop, where I have to hand carry her each night and morning. I will still do that when I get home, but it will be dark.

 

[Sylvester017]

I think that requires a SHRA (should have read ahead) tax

Not really...you must've missed the part where I suggested keeping Martina roosting alone in a drafty night breeze might not be healthy?

 

[drstratton]

Thanks! Her right foot does not dorsally flex, which is why I got her the dog house. (She can’t doesn’t get around so well, poor girl.) Since I had to separate them this summer due to bullying, she’s been sleeping in the “loft” of the coop, where I have to hand carry her each night and morning. I will still do that when I get home, but it will be dark.

Is she good about going into the dog house? It's so great that you do that for her.

 

[drstratton]

Not really...you must've missed the part where I suggested keeping Martina roosting alone in a drafty night breeze might not be healthy?

I laughed, but I love that picture!

 

[Sylvester017]

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Birthday cuddles with Fenix and my new blanket.
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Also birthday chili! Do you think my pot is big enough?

Looks like you were planning to have us come to a party !!!

 

[Ponypoor]

Looks like you were planning to have us come to a party !!!
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Bit of a drive for me but hey no ocean to cross this time!