outwitting The Buttercup...

[wildgreenegg]

Yet again, a new challenge...but I think she is thinking about it and she'll probably ramp it up a notch and catch me unaware.
Buttercup lives (right now) in a skykennel pet (think dog or cat) "house" in my cat garden. She is there because of a horrendous injury to her head involving loss of feathers and skin. Everything's fine and now she has a small patch of feathers to grow back but in the meantime...
The feed. Yes. First, she was in another patio complete with rug. I was tending to her head, holding her, picking up her poo, etc. several, multiple times a day. Warmed her feet up with by body heat. She was more easy-going then. She got better. Now, in the skykennel, I've had to make holes and attach by wire her food and water bowl cause I just couldn't run out there and clean her house every 20 minutes. But. Now, she'd shovel her food out with her beak so I had to feed her at least twice a day along with cleaning because her food would be everywhere. Well. I came up with a "cap." See pic. She's been real, real quiet since then. Eating in a mannerly way. I'm actually concerned she's behaving. Perhaps she's hatching a plan...

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

That’s a lot of effort your a good chicken mommy I have a chicken diaper you should get one you can keep chickens inside at times and they can’t pop on the floor

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Poo not pop lol

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Sounds like a feisty chicken. Maybe she was picking out what she wanted and throwing the rest on the floor?
Do you have pics of Buttercup?

 

[wildgreenegg]

Hi! Thank you both for your reply and thoughts. I wonder how a chicken diaper works--do you still have to wipe the behind when you change or remove the diaper?
And yes, I do think she was "throwing" the food she didn't care for on the ground. Never thought a beak could be used like a shovel. Day 2 now and the inside of the "house" is much cleaner...and I haven't had to fill up the bowl three times a day.
On a side-note, how many chickens do you guys have? It's been a little hard for me to find out info on taking care of just two chickens...in Hawaii...where everyone seems to consider them a nuisance...or just have roosters.
I know this is off-topic, but the things I have to deal with are:
Neighbors real close by
Feed in small amounts cost at least a $1.00 a pound
Not a lot of feed stores
Bugs, bugs, and more bugs all year round. Especially the B-52 roaches.
And...Any thoughts on how I can recycle the newspaper/poo instead of throwing it away? Dare not compost here...

 

[wildgreenegg]

Oh. Yes I have pics of The Buttercup. On my phone. I'll upload by tomorrow--that way, I can take a follow up pic of her head.
Thank you.

 

[ShannonR]

Hi! Thank you both for your reply and thoughts. I wonder how a chicken diaper works--do you still have to wipe the behind when you change or remove the diaper?
And yes, I do think she was "throwing" the food she didn't care for on the ground. Never thought a beak could be used like a shovel. Day 2 now and the inside of the "house" is much cleaner...and I haven't had to fill up the bowl three times a day.
On a side-note, how many chickens do you guys have? It's been a little hard for me to find out info on taking care of just two chickens...in Hawaii...where everyone seems to consider them a nuisance...or just have roosters.
I know this is off-topic, but the things I have to deal with are:
Neighbors real close by
Feed in small amounts cost at least a $1.00 a pound
Not a lot of feed stores
Bugs, bugs, and more bugs all year round. Especially the B-52 roaches.
And...Any thoughts on how I can recycle the newspaper/poo instead of throwing it away? Dare not compost here...

Bury the newspaper/poo or start a worm bin

 

[wildgreenegg]

Buttercup.
1. After putting ointment on her head. ...It was just bare skull bone...
2. Getting better.
3. In her "house." Just a little more to feather out...
4. Waiting for her grapes.

 

[wildgreenegg]

Any thoughts on what mix she might be?