Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

She was moving quite well, so good to see her enjoying the warmth.

In another post I saw mentioning crested breed possibilities and it sent me on a search. They are all gorgeous of course. But here is one that stood out for your future consideration (I would lose my enabler status if I didn’t at least throw my hat in)

The Shetland Hen - A Scottish landrace breed that comes in random colors AND they lay blue or green eggs!

Photos to tempt us all!
View attachment 4070811
View attachment 4070815
View attachment 4070816

The black hen reminds me of Tippy

 

[Ponypoor]

His name is Marble. View attachment 4071169
View attachment 4071170

Wow! That’s some hairdo! Awesome! Hi Marble!

 

[Ponypoor]

I found a photo of Grandma that was taken sometime in April of last year. This was when the eye started having that weird bubble.
View attachment 4070911

Looks like a growth on the conjunctiva.

Hi Grandma

 

[Ponypoor]

Hazel's had another symptomatic episode of whatever she's carrying - probably some kind of mycoplasma. She is back to normal as of two days ago. Here's her right eye, all bubbly but it looks worse because she was foraging for treats and the dust and tiny bits of litter were sticking there too and she couldn't shake it off.
View attachment 4065926
Seeing this I called the vets but they couldn't take her for three days. I wiped her eyes, the other was only a little bubbly, and within a day she wasn't exhibiting symptoms anymore. Held off on any antibiotics that day, I have some on hand - Amoxy-Tyl for starters, because I was hoping to get a PCR /culture test. Then I was reading that the best time to get an accurate test is when symptoms start, to get the heaviest DNA load swabbed. I'd like to know what I'm dealing with here (pretty sure it's not HPAV), in order to treat the symptoms properly when it gets bad.

I don't want to cull the entire gang, that's out of the question. I also want to add chicks but do it considering this endemic situation. This might be what almost took Annie down when I began intermittent integration at around six weeks. She started behaving unwell around then.

Here's Hazel yesterday, on her game and looking much better
View attachment 4065925

Possibly the breathing/pumping tail she was doing when at rest, and the extra long eggs with thin shells could have been symptomatic or this flare-up? The weather and temps here have been a stress probably; but other than the drastic temperature changes I'm not sure what else could be a trigger.
View attachment 4065947

Well Clyde is still really rattly, so I asked my Vet to order me some Tylosin antibiotic, should get here Friday. He will be done the Sulphatrim doses tomorrow.

On the plus side he is active and breeding the hens, strutting about. So hopefully he is just having a mild issue with Mycoplasma G.

Sheesh these chooks are as stressful as the horses.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I helped Marble to bed, he was very cooperative. I'm sure when he's settled he'll have some sass, he's only about a year old.

Goodnight, handsome lad. I hope you cockadoodledoo for us some more tomorrow. Rooster calls are one of my favorite bird calls (whipporwills being my favorite)

 

[ValerieJ]

Wooster Wednesday
He already crowed for us.
View attachment 4071072View attachment 4071073View attachment 4071074View attachment 4071075View attachment 4071076
He's SO HANDSOME
And his future owner is in love with how perfect he is.

He is amazing! I'm sure he will grow on DH.

 

[RoyalChick]

Was he in a rock band somewhere????View attachment 4071186

I was thinking more

 

[Ponypoor]

Lost

Goldie missing, I counted 40, should be 41. I knew immediately it was Goldie, I only had the other 2 buff Orps in the hen house.

I looked high and low in the barn everywhere, in the stalls, on the stall walls, behind the lumber. Everywhere she just wasn’t there.

Found

As a last thought I went to check outside on Mount Poopmore. And there she was snuggled into a hole in the manure, I was totally freaked out. I always do a walk about on the manure pile to make sure no stragglers are out there. Thank goodness I do a head count at night. But I need to make sure they are all contained - there are just too many to worry over. I need to get the Rooster Run finished, get it so the escape artists can’t fly out. Keep everyone contained. And safe.

These chickens are more worry then the horses!

 

[Ponypoor]

Wooster Wednesday
He already crowed for us.
View attachment 4071072View attachment 4071073View attachment 4071074View attachment 4071075View attachment 4071076
He's SO HANDSOME
And his future owner is in love with how perfect he is.

He’s eye candy

 

[Ponypoor]

I was thinking more
View attachment 4071290

The ruffles are a nice touch