Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sally PB]

In Memorium

Elphie
Hatched: Dec 8, 2013
Passed: Nov 1, 2015

Oh no! What happened?

I am so sorry! Fly high and free, beautiful Elphie!

Hugs for you and everyone at FBA.

 

[Lexicon]

Hello, FBA !

@Lexicon how is Cesario s leg, and how did he take spending the day in the crate ?

Thanks for asking about Cesario, @ManueB . I am feeling a bit down about his situation. Whenever there is something wrong with one the chickens, I feel ill-equipped to deal with it, but luckily they have mostly been healthy.

Cesario was okay overnight in the crate, but was in a panic the next morning. When I came to give him the special healing foods I prepared for him, he was so scared. I opened the door just enough to put the bowl inside and he flapped his way out of the crate and hobbled off, bokking loudly. I decided not to try that again as he was so miserable in the crate and was pacing which can't be that great mentally or physically. He wants to be with the pullets and so I have just let him do that as he is calm and the girls are confined to the run when I am at work., so they don't travel all that far.

He has always been wary around me, but us grabbing him and bringing him in the house and soaking his foot has put him over the edge and he doesn't trust us now.

We tried to give him an anti-inflammatory pain medication today, but could not catch him with two of us trying. I decided that all his panicking and scrabbling around was probably worse for his leg, so we will get him off the roost and pop a pill in his beak in the dark tonight.

 

[RoyalChick]

I could do with some reassurance, advice and comforting words about Sylvie.
She is no longer broody. I think she realized she wasn't very good at it and gave up. I am certain she is not broody. She is off the nest all day and is not making that bok-bok-bok sound continuously.
But, she is still sleeping in the nest box. And now that she isn't broody, she is also pooping in the nest (which worries me as she might get a messy bum which is not great in this weather).
First I thought she was just coming out of being broody and was in the habit so I let it slide.
Then I thought I would take her off the nest in the night and put her on a roost. But she raced out as soon as I reached for her and ended up at the far end of the Pentagonists roost and she looked miserable all night.
This evening I flushed her out and blocked the entrance to the nest boxes - but she pushed over my barrier and is back in the nest box.

The issue is her BFF, Piglet.

Piglet is being really mean to her. Ever since she went broody Piglet has been gunning for her. I posted before that they were all being a bit mean to Sylvie while she was broody but now it seems Piglet has a real grudge against her.
I feel so bad for Sylvie - she is really below the bottom of the pecking order now.

So what to do? Should I let the nest box sleeping slide and just hope she doesn't get really messy. I don't relish trying to bathe Sylvie - she is flighty and fast and as you have seen she can fly!
I would like to put her on a roost next to Babs who won't be so mean to her - but she is impossible to catch from the nest box at night because she can either see in the dark or knows her way around that she feels confident shooting out of the box in the dark.
I am traveling again next week so I will have to let it be for a week but I am feeling anxious about the whole thing as well as upset at Piglet for being so mean!

 

[Ponypoor]

In Memorium

Elphie
Hatched: Dec 8, 2013
Passed: Nov 1, 2015

View attachment 3673741View attachment 3673742View attachment 3673743

She was such a beauty - the quintessential hen

I am so glad you have Glynda, nothing like a nice white hen

 

[Ponypoor]

Thanks for asking about Cesario, @ManueB . I am feeling a bit down about his situation. Whenever there is something wrong with one the chickens, I feel ill-equipped to deal with it, but luckily they have mostly been healthy.

Cesario was okay overnight in the crate, but was in a panic the next morning. When I came to give him the special healing foods I prepared for him, he was so scared. I opened the door just enough to put the bowl inside and he flapped his way out of the crate and hobbled off, bokking loudly. I decided not to try that again as he was so miserable in the crate and was pacing which can't be that great mentally or physically. He wants to be with the pullets and so I have just let him do that as he is calm and the girls are confined to the run when I am at work., so they don't travel all that far.

He has always been wary around me, but us grabbing him and bringing him in the house and soaking his foot has put him over the edge and he doesn't trust us now.

We tried to give him an anti-inflammatory pain medication today, but could not catch him with two of us trying. I decided that all his panicking and scrabbling around was probably worse for his leg, so we will get him off the roost and pop a pill in his beak in the dark tonight.

Yes that is what I have to do with Mr P, he panics so much. Now I just pick him up off the roost at night and pop a pill down his throat. That’s when I trim his nails, spurs and his topknot.

Sometimes you have to leave them with the ‘herd’ for them to stay calm. Sure hope he is ok.

 

[Sally PB]

Sorry, I thought she passed today. I didn't read the year, just the date.

But hugs for her fond memory.

 

[Ponypoor]

I could do with some reassurance, advice and comforting words about Sylvie.
She is no longer broody. I think she realized she wasn't very good at it and gave up. I am certain she is not broody. She is off the nest all day and is not making that bok-bok-bok sound continuously.
But, she is still sleeping in the nest box. And now that she isn't broody, she is also pooping in the nest (which worries me as she might get a messy bum which is not great in this weather).
First I thought she was just coming out of being broody and was in the habit so I let it slide.
Then I thought I would take her off the nest in the night and put her on a roost. But she raced out as soon as I reached for her and ended up at the far end of the Pentagonists roost and she looked miserable all night.
This evening I flushed her out and blocked the entrance to the nest boxes - but she pushed over my barrier and is back in the nest box.

The issue is her BFF, Piglet.

Piglet is being really mean to her. Ever since she went broody Piglet has been gunning for her. I posted before that they were all being a bit mean to Sylvie while she was broody but now it seems Piglet has a real grudge against her.
I feel so bad for Sylvie - she is really below the bottom of the pecking order now.

So what to do? Should I let the nest box sleeping slide and just hope she doesn't get really messy. I don't relish trying to bathe Sylvie - she is flighty and fast and as you have seen she can fly!
I would like to put her on a roost next to Babs who won't be so mean to her - but she is impossible to catch from the nest box at night because she can either see in the dark or knows her way around that she feels confident shooting out of the box in the dark.
I am traveling again next week so I will have to let it be for a week but I am feeling anxious about the whole thing as well as upset at Piglet for being so mean!

Well I have a couple sleeping in the nest boxes at the moment, plus broody Henny.

Both Misty and Dorothy have been sleeping in the boxes because of moulting. Both poop in the boxes - but they haven’t had poopy bums.

I just clean out the nest boxes each morning to make sure they aren’t sleeping in poopies, I have done this since I have had my chickens and haven’t had any problems. Even now with the roosting ledges - I haven’t had any issues. I clean poopies off the ledge with no problems.

Does she have runny poops? That would be the only thing I would worry about.

As for bratty Piglet, I am afraid that wee Sylvie will have to deal with that on her own. Sometimes they just have to figure it out on their own. Sylvie will figure it out, she is a very clever chickie

 

[Ponypoor]

Tonight’s roosting:

4 on one door

And three on the other

Ok lovely people I am doing chores and heading to bed, tired and chilled today. Hate winter.

Whining tax

Henny Penny

 

[featherhead007]

In Memorium

Elphie
Hatched: Dec 8, 2013
Passed: Nov 1, 2015

View attachment 3673741View attachment 3673742View attachment 3673743

Life, way too short for that little one!

 

[RoyalChick]

Well I have a couple sleeping in the nest boxes at the moment, plus broody Henny.

Both Misty and Dorothy have been sleeping in the boxes because of moulting. Both poop in the boxes - but they haven’t had poopy bums.

I just clean out the nest boxes each morning to make sure they aren’t sleeping in poopies, I have done this since I have had my chickens and haven’t had any problems. Even now with the roosting ledges - I haven’t had any issues. I clean poopies off the ledge with no problems.

Does she have runny poops? That would be the only thing I would worry about.

As for bratty Piglet, I am afraid that wee Sylvie will have to deal with that on her own. Sometimes they just have to figure it out on their own. Sylvie will figure it out, she is a very clever chickie

No runny poop. OK, so it sounds like I can let her do what she wants and just clean up in the morning.
I do feel sad that the BFFs are fighting. They were always so cute together!