Confounded by Sicilian buttercup chicks shunning their heat cave

[Perris]

If I didn't have these remarkable critters, I'd move heaven and earth to get me some. They are somewhat rare. I checked Privett's breed list and Buttercups are not on it. These tiny things must have been a little experiment or something. They have zero problem fitting in with the larger chickens. They are fierce and independent. But they do let me cuddle them occasionally.

you might find this useful then
https://www.rbst.org.uk/sicilian-buttercup

clearly some of this is not what you have found (e.g. not hardy, egg size), and given they are so rare, it may be that individual characteristics have been given here as breed characteristics; perhaps you would report back what differences you would highlight?

 

[azygous]

Very interesting article on the origins of Buttercups. Evidently, after arriving in this country, they have been bred for more practical qualities. I would say they are the opposite of their original, other than appearance.

My two are not flighty, just in motion every second, sort of like cockroaches. But they both allow me to pick them up. The larger one Scotty will relax and allow me to cuddle her indefinitely. Saffron gets antsy and wants down after just one minute of cuddles, but she tolerates it.

Their eggs are large-medium size, nearly the size of the other eggs in the cartons I sell. They are cold-hardy, as evidenced by their very first few days in my hands. The last fourteen-below zero (-25C) cold event at Christmas didn't phase them and they were pretty thread-bare with molt.

For their size, they do eat a lot, probably because they are running through calories being always in motion, and being fierce and independent uses calories, I imagine.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I am going to take this opportunity to update this thread .

My Buttercups continue to be amazing creatures. They scurry around the run seemingly unaware that they are the smallest chickens in the flock, half the size of the others. They move always at top speed, reminding me of little windup toys going in unpredictable directions.

But their latest remarkable feat is, number one, waiting until January to molt. Nothing like waiting until the coldest time of the year to drop all your feathers as if to boast, "So what's a little cold?" And on top of that, they continue to lay eggs, pretty much the same size as the larger hens.

One of them continues to be picked on by no other chickens than by her sister Scotty. So Saffron decided to just pack her things and move out of the main coop into the smaller coop, bolding crowding onto the perch with the four youngest flock members. She very aptly demonstrates each night what "ruling the roost" means.

These freebies at the end of "TSC Chick Days" were such a gift. Literally.

I do love mine. They are such good birds. I've already got chicks from them and the Araucanas who laid all through winter. The Orpingtons were much less productive.

 

[azygous]

I swear, this could only happen to a Buttercup.

Doing bed check tonight, I came up one short, only nineteen chickens instead of twenty. I searched everywhere, and went back repeatedly to count again. I kept coming up one short and figured out it was Scotty the Buttercup who was missing.

The flock had all been free ranging earlier, so I was beginning to get that awful feeling that she had been nabbed by a fox or coyote or bobcat. I got a flashlight as it was almost dark and checked under the coop and as I was on my knees, I saw a plastic carton I used as a scoop under a feeding table and retrieved it. It got left out of the large storage container I had filled earlier with crumbles.

I opened the container to toss the plastic carton inside and there was my missing Buttercup! She had climbed inside when I filled it earlier in the day and I hadn't noticed she was inside when I closed it. Scotty had spent probably six or seven hours closed up in the container with enough feed to last her half a year. But no water. I gave her some water and she drank for ten minutes.

So add a new item to the long list of Buttercup adventures. And, for a change, my screwup didn't cost a chicken her life, lucky for us both the container wasn't airtight.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

So glad this has a happy ending! Scotty got eaten up by the feed bin and not by a real predator! Whew, what a relief! Thank goodness you're thorough and got down to look under the coop! They're just determined to give us heart failure, aren't they?

 

[AntiqueB]

Well, that's something she won't try again! Or will she. . .?

I'm glad it turned out OK. I love the Buttercup tales!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I do too but we need more pics ....

 

[azygous]

I will get a pic. It won't be difficult to recreate the scene as Scotty has an incurable lust for the dry feed in this bin. She is completely back to normal this morning, seemingly none the worse or her involuntary incarceration.

 

[azygous]

This is the feed bin that trapped Scotty. This morning, she was okay with eating out of it but drew the line at hopping inside. It did help not to have seventeen other hens shoving her from behind, or she may have ended up inside again.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

View attachment 3458707This is the feed bin that trapped Scotty. This morning, she was okay with eating out of it but drew the line at hopping inside. It did help not to have seventeen other hens shoving her from behind, or she may have ended up inside again.

After seeing the feed bin photo, it's easy to understand how you closed the door without realizing there was a petite little hen inside. So glad the bin wasnt air-tight, and that Scotty survived her accidential imprisonment. And I also agree with @AntiqueB and @BigBlueHen53 that we need more Buttercup tales and more beautiful pictures!