What did you do with your flock today?

[FrankieDoodle]

Ohhhhh boy, I really need to get better at checking this thread. :/

Well, it almost happened...
I kept my flock in their run until about 3:30-4 when I went out to do some more yard work. So I let them out as I knew my work would attract them and I was going to be close to their favorite spot. Well, neighbor pup ran straight threw my flock and tried to grab anyone he could get. Spider sounded the alarm, I had a rock in my hand as I am rebuilding a crumbling wall and well, pup got hit in the butt on his way out. Lucky me it was a small rock and I was able to hit him. Usherd the flock in the run, did a head count, took a few breaths and went and had a chat... again .
I kept my cool but almost wish I did not. He did say they were leaving tomorrow but honestly. I have both my pellet guns loaded and hope I get a shot in tonight. I have really kind of had it. He said he let his dog out to go potty.... hasn't he ever heard of a leash or what?! Ugh! Ok rant over. If his dog had carried off one of my girls or spider I don't know how this would have ended. But, probably not good. K. Rant not over lol. I walked home and grabbed my shovel so I could pick up dog poop off our grass. I'm sure byc'ers feel my pain right now lol
I think I need a duck.

I admire your patience. A lot of people wouldn’t have been able to keep their cool in that situation, myself included. I’m glad all of your birds are okay, hopefully he doesn’t come back.

omg!! I'm so sorry about what happened to Beigie!! Glad she is on the road to recovery

Thank you! Me too!

Well tonight was a new one in chicken drama. I went out this afternoon and noticed I was missing two of my cockerels and couldn’t find them anywhere. I called and called them, looked everywhere I could think of…even made sure to check the poop bin since Cher disappeared in it! The two boys are the two black chicks my broodies hatched on my birthday. I posted a LOST post on Nextdoor and all of us looked again later in the day. I was feeling sad because Cocopuff is just a beautiful boy, but I was at peace with it because I would likely be rehoming them anyway. Fast forward to tonight, I was out putting birds away and filling waterers and such and I heard chicken noises coming from behind my big white coop. My daughter went over to check and said “Mommy! I see Cocopuff’s head!” Sure enough they had somehow gotten wedged between the coop and the fence and both were upside down and totally stuck. So we spent at least a half hour in 95 degree heat trying all sorts of yard implements to reach them and unwedge them enough to scoot them to one side or the other to pull them out. The big white coop weighs like 400 lbs so there was no moving it. It was NOT fun…but we finally got them both out. They were hungry and thirsty and I have no clue how long they were back there either. Aria and Dylan put the chickens away two nights in a row for me as I haven’t been feeling good. So they are now both resting in the dog crate coop by themselves with food and fresh water. And I’m an emotional wreck…we were sure Mumble Baby was either dead or broken because he wouldn’t move and made no sound…there was lots of stressed out and overheated yelling and crying from me and my daughter…ahhh chickens are such wonderful and amazingly frustrating birds!!

On top of that, the person that said they wanted Fernando and Ruby has put off with excuse after excuse coming to get them for over two weeks and today she was going to come on her day off and just never replied to me. SO I still have to find them homes too. I tried to be understanding but I’m over it. We might keep Ruby for awhile but Fernando has to go. He is rough with the silkies and a pain in the butt. Ruby has mellowed and been nicer lately. Honey is molting and so she looks horrid and she is hot and tired of being picked on…so I’ve been bringing her inside periodically for rest and loves. She is the only chicken that purrs when she lays her head on your shoulder. She’s so sweet.

On a lighter note…I entered into uber crazy chicken person land this morning. My daughter brought me Penny and I wanted to keep her with me in the morning while I sat in on some meetings, but I had to run the kids to daycare. I didn’t wanna try catching her again when I got back…so I just brought her with me She’s 1000% my favorite girl, and she knows it! She flies up to me out in the run, and she spent all day snuggled on me while I worked. Most of my chickens get up and wander away after a bit of time but she’s totally content to sleep on my shoulder I love her. My kids thought it was hilarious and my husband thinks I’m loco. Haha, he’s mostly right!

That’s so scary, I’m so glad you were able to find them!
I’m glad Axel is getting better. Did you ever figure out what was wrong? You said it might’ve been some sort of gangrenous dermatitis, right?

 

[Luv Ducks]

Gosh, that was AWESOME! Thank you so much for the heart smile ♥︎♥︎♥︎ @ChicksnMore

Hey, is anyone else not able to load byc emojis or photos? Did I accidentally hit something? Get tossed off? Premium members only? Just checking and thanks. ♡

I can't load them. I thought it was because I am not computer savy. You must be special.

 

[Luv Ducks]

So, I guess I can use some features just gotta go a different way about it.
Thank you @kurby22 for the check! ♡

Speaking of check... have not checked on hippees yet Did hear the dogs bramble through our lower yard early (thanks dude who can't be bothered) this morning and cats were on alert but inside. I took my pellet gun and a cup of joe and sat on a stump and waited for a bit but they never came back.
I raise my duck! Here's to hope!

Speaking of ... I'm cured of wanting ducks now. 4 tons of sand... wow! imok. Lol I'll stick with chickens and mulch

It is a lot of work but I can't just go out and pick up poop all day as they do it continually and it is more of a squirt than a formed thing. They drink so much water and make such a mess that the sand helps with all of that plus the size of the pen. I know someday I will be too old to be doing this but so far my back is hanging in there. My ducks are so special being born in my house, all except 6 of the 12 that I either rescued or was bought when I was having a brain cloud. lol 4 of them hatched out under a light bulb in a disposable styrofoam cooler. Grandchildren got to watch them being born so they were really special and close to my heart. I get attached and that can be a bad thing.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Thanks ladies for the encouragement and support! It always helps knowing I can vent to people who understand!

Today added new fun to my chicken flock’s day…I was sitting thru some boring meeting and brought my d’Uccle Lily in to keep me company and she pooped on me and it was almost ALL roundworms SO, after my meetings….everyone got wormer meds, we cleaned out the coops, and added vitamins to their water. SO disgusting My Fitbit said I burned 600 calories in one hour tonight, we were all exhausted . We wormed 30 chickens, I gave Betty White a bath, cleaned out four coops and added fresh bedding, poured lime and fresh straw in the runs, fed all the chickens and quail, collected eggs, and refilled all the waters. Soo much work!

On a positive note, Axel progressed a bunch today!! He’s not been outside in over three weeks, and he was going crazy trying to clean and itch. So I brought him outside while we did all the chicken chores and I set him in a small garden box without plants and poured dirt on him and worked it around in his feathers and then left him to enjoy the fresh air and dirt…and when I looked down at my feet he was walking very wobbly to me! Full on walking! He hasn’t walked in almost a month I was so proud of him and soooo relieved that the vitamins I’ve been shoving down him every day are paying off and that’s what he needed. Here he’s standing fully upright all on his own! He also ravaged three scrambled eggs tonight. Yay!
View attachment 3210946

The “wedgie twins” as we now lovingly call them, are doing alright today. They are happy in their little kennel for now and I think I will keep them there till they’re too big to fit back there anymore! @TropicalBabies I’m sure you’re right that they got spooked by some ridiculous thing like being looked at funny by another chicken…

@ChicksnMore your just girls trip sounds awesome!! We are going on a nice long road trip tomorrow! Up to Idaho to see my family and friends and The Chicks in concert. I don’t expect any spectacular views like @TropicalBabies has in her backyard, but seeing family and being home always feels good. @Luv Ducks i too hate going very long without seeing my family, and hate living so far away. I’m envious that you are so close to yours! I was only going to get my “start” in California and then move home to Idaho…and then I met my husband and now I’m stuck here till we retire! Axel is coming on the trip with us so he can keep getting treatment, so that should be an adventure haha.

And just for giggles…here’s Chloe being Chloe
View attachment 3210947

Axle looks great and Chloe is soooooo cute!!!! I am glad that Axle is improving so much. That has got to be a big relief for you.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Welcome! Daily walks sounds delightful!

lol, DH calls me the Pied Piper Chick

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Axel is coming on the trip with us so he can keep getting treatment, so that should be an adventure haha.

So glad Axel is getting better!!! Takin him on a trip should be fun! Let us know how that goes and have an awesome time visiting family!!!
I hate ya had to deal with worms before ya leave town...that's frustrating after you have already been through so much! Guess it's good you got pooped on lol?!

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Well….I feel like public enemy #1. My chicks are still freaked out by me, and I’m sure it isn’t helping that I have had to keep checking them for pasty butt. 2 of them had it about 3 days ago. Nothing since but dang it. They have to be talking to my ducks and telling them horrible things . Really though the ducks haven’t had all the much human interaction. She was selling them so she wasn’t trying to get attached. So when ever I come by the older ones scramble around and spill their water everywhere, which of course they do anyway. The little ones will huddle in a corner and NOT MOVE very very still. I tell them all the time “I’m not hunting ducks”. I set there and talk to them but the littles ones still won’t move. The older ones will eventually calm down enough to lay down.

It has only been a day. I’m not counting the first cause we didn’t get them until about 5pm and I didn’t mess with them so they could calm down after a stressful day.

Yesterday I put them in the bathtub and let them swim and play. They had fun and it was so much fun watching them! But I tried to feed the older ones some lettuce and they weren’t going anywhere near me. You can see how quickly the water got dirty

Just have to do this little by little. Eventually, maybe, one day they will love me and know I’m not going to hurt them.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Thanks ladies for the encouragement and support! It always helps knowing I can vent to people who understand!

Today added new fun to my chicken flock’s day…I was sitting thru some boring meeting and brought my d’Uccle Lily in to keep me company and she pooped on me and it was almost ALL roundworms SO, after my meetings….everyone got wormer meds, we cleaned out the coops, and added vitamins to their water. SO disgusting My Fitbit said I burned 600 calories in one hour tonight, we were all exhausted . We wormed 30 chickens, I gave Betty White a bath, cleaned out four coops and added fresh bedding, poured lime and fresh straw in the runs, fed all the chickens and quail, collected eggs, and refilled all the waters. Soo much work!

On a positive note, Axel progressed a bunch today!! He’s not been outside in over three weeks, and he was going crazy trying to clean and itch. So I brought him outside while we did all the chicken chores and I set him in a small garden box without plants and poured dirt on him and worked it around in his feathers and then left him to enjoy the fresh air and dirt…and when I looked down at my feet he was walking very wobbly to me! Full on walking! He hasn’t walked in almost a month I was so proud of him and soooo relieved that the vitamins I’ve been shoving down him every day are paying off and that’s what he needed. Here he’s standing fully upright all on his own! He also ravaged three scrambled eggs tonight. Yay!
View attachment 3210946

The “wedgie twins” as we now lovingly call them, are doing alright today. They are happy in their little kennel for now and I think I will keep them there till they’re too big to fit back there anymore! @TropicalBabies I’m sure you’re right that they got spooked by some ridiculous thing like being looked at funny by another chicken…

@ChicksnMore your just girls trip sounds awesome!! We are going on a nice long road trip tomorrow! Up to Idaho to see my family and friends and The Chicks in concert. I don’t expect any spectacular views like @TropicalBabies has in her backyard, but seeing family and being home always feels good. @Luv Ducks i too hate going very long without seeing my family, and hate living so far away. I’m envious that you are so close to yours! I was only going to get my “start” in California and then move home to Idaho…and then I met my husband and now I’m stuck here till we retire! Axel is coming on the trip with us so he can keep getting treatment, so that should be an adventure haha.

And just for giggles…here’s Chloe being Chloe
View attachment 3210947

Ok! Chloe is adorable!!! I’m glad to hear Axel is doing better!!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Well….I feel like public enemy #1. My chicks are still freaked out by me, and I’m sure it isn’t helping that I have had to keep checking them for pasty butt. 2 of them had it about 3 days ago. Nothing since but dang it. They have to be talking to my ducks and telling them horrible things . Really though the ducks haven’t had all the much human interaction. She was selling them so she wasn’t trying to get attached. So when ever I come by the older ones scramble around and spill their water everywhere, which of course they do anyway. The little ones will huddle in a corner and NOT MOVE very very still. I tell them all the time “I’m not hunting ducks”. I set there and talk to them but the littles ones still won’t move. The older ones will eventually calm down enough to lay down.

It has only been a day. I’m not counting the first cause we didn’t get them until about 5pm and I didn’t mess with them so they could calm down after a stressful day.

Yesterday I put them in the bathtub and let them swim and play. They had fun and it was so much fun watching them! But I tried to feed the older ones some lettuce and they weren’t going anywhere near me. You can see how quickly the water got dirty

Just have to do this little by little. Eventually, maybe, one day they will love me and know I’m not going to hurt them.

Hey keep working at it...slow and steady and consistent. They will come around.
Some of mine are friendlier than others. And like us, I think they have good days and bad days too.
I've never had a boy that didn't luv me...so this is a first for me with Bluey.
We just have to keep going.

 

[Chickenlover2009]

I went to a Poultry show and got grand for showmanship. It was super fun