Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sylvester017]

A very fluffy behind and some other pics. They were all supervising my work putting in the bucket heater for their waterer.

Pebble
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Pebble and Nyx
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Thyme, Chervil, and Porcini in the back.
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They grow up so f-a-s-t

 

[Sylvester017]

@knoturavggrl ~ TY for cute synops

 

[Sylvester017]

What do guys think?

Depends... is she eating/drinking ok? Then don't worry.

W/ all the cement & stonework in our yard, our hens scrape their beaks often so they keep trim. House chickens tend not to scrape their beaks much in the house on softer wood floors or carpet so they may grow longer beaks.

Our juvenile in-house Silkies started growing longer beaks but they were eating & drinking ok. Once they integrated outside they naturally scraped their beaks trim. We give Greek yogurt as a treat & they will keep scraping to get the yogurt off their beaks. Feed wet messy treats & it makes the bird scrape their beak which files it naturally.

We worried about the upper beak curving downward but the chicklets were eating & drinking just fine. Being outdoors as adults their beaks are trim.

Silkie chicklets w/longer upper beaks

 

[knoturavggrl]

Today I was sitting out in the new chicken yard with the big girls and we heard a hawk. I scanned the sky and didn't see it, then I looked at them. A couple of them had frozen, and then Jane (Orpington) did the warning call. The first and only time I have heard one of my girls do it was in the run and it sounded like she was muttering to the others. I looked at them (had been looking away, cleaning the poop shelf) and they were all frozen. I looked outside the run and we all watched in horror as a snake slithered by, stopping every 30 seconds to try and find a way in. I only know now what it is because I had just watched a BY Bob video of all of you and your chickens hiding under the coop while the Cooper's hawk was outside. Hattie did the warning call, which you called a "growl."
It was fascinating to see that my chicken who has spent the whole 15 months of her life living in a brooder inside and then a confined run knew to do that.
And that's why I'm trying to read the old posts. So much to learn!

I did the same thing. I found this thread shortly after having surgery to repair an ankle I had broken going down a kids slide with my son.

I was waiting on my very first chicks to arrive and had not much else to do being laid up and I made way from the beginning all the way through. This journey took more time than my ankle did to heal though, but so worth doing!

I learned so much from the stories BY Bob told and from all the people and beautiful birds that have come and gone. It’s a wonderful thread, glad to have you here. I look forward to watching your flock continue to grow up.

They grow up so f-a-s-t

They really really do. Now, even tiny Elma is all grown up. Time flies.

 

[Sylvester017]

No it’s full of fluid. I pulled 30mls of brown putrid fluid from her crop using the gastric tube then dosed her with more clotrimazole.

Always a possibility of hay but the crop is all fluid not firm like Jaffarra’s was.

She’s sleeping in front of the heater again tonight.

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What does antifungal clotrimazole do ? Trying to learn here... hope your sweetie gets well

 

[RoyalChick]

What does antifungal clotrimazole do ? Trying to learn here... hope your sweetie gets well

If fluid sits in a bird’s crop it quite quickly can become over-run with yeast. You can often smell it on the bird’s breath (like brewing beer or making sourdough).
The Clotrimazole is to kill the yeast.

 

[rural mouse]

Depends... is she eating/drinking ok? Then don't worry.

W/ all the cement & stonework in our yard, our hens scrape their beaks often so they keep trim. House chickens tend not to scrape their beaks much in the house on softer wood floors or carpet so they may grow longer beaks.

Our juvenile in-house Silkies started growing longer beaks but they were eating & drinking ok. Once they integrated outside they naturally scraped their beaks trim. We give Greek yogurt as a treat & they will keep scraping to get the yogurt off their beaks. Feed wet messy treats & it makes the bird scrape their beak which files it naturally.

We worried about the upper beak curving downward but the chicklets were eating & drinking just fine. Being outdoors as adults their beaks are trim.

Silkie chicklets w/longer upper beaks
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View attachment 4266102
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@featherhead007 excellent idea. If she's determined to stay inside, grab a cinder block paver to use as her feeding mat and go with the yogurt or apple sauce or mashed pumpkin or something else soft and semi-sticky. She'll fix her own beak, especially if she's standing on the paver when she's eating.

 

[RoyalChick]

Feed wet messy treats & it makes the bird scrape their beak which files it naturally.

I never really thought about it this way, but so true.
Great idea.

 

[Ponypoor]

Pony Sunday

The locals call these Prairie Chickens, but they are in reality Grouse.

They can walk across snow on their heavily feathered feet.

 

[TOMTE]

Once you notice it you never forget it. Once you her the flee call you will remember that as well.

Is that the shriek? The shriek always gives me a heart attack