Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValarieF]

We have a Pip!!
The other 2 viable eggs have not externally pipped yet, but I can hear them from inside the egg.

 

[ValarieF]

Seeing as how they could technically be referred to as hatch mates and there are no older roosters to keep them in line. I would suspect in the coming weeks while they are still young to see some fights between them. Nothing serious or bloody just establishing themselves in the pecking order. Your girls will probably even join in on the fun. By the time they are teenagers and hormones hit, they will have clearly established between themselves who is #1 and who is #2. When those hormones do hit, they both most likely will loose their pea picking minds for a bit, and there may be a few scuffles. Remember, they are hormonal idiots, and will do idiot things. As long as my boys do not become aggressive to people I leave them alone to work it out. If you can make it to a year with both of them you will have a dominate boy who has his pick of the hens and will do the majority of escort duties. The other boy will be his back-up. His job will be another set of eye's for predators, escorting hens when the other guy is busy and helping keep those girls in line. It is actually wonderful to see 2 boys working together if you have enough hens. I think it overall makes for a happier and stable flock.

Do the both crow at the same time? Or the head then the 2nd

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Do the both crow at the same time? Or the head then the 2nd

I rarely hear both boys sounding off at the same time. Normally Branch crows first, then there is a pause and Bubba crows. I have never timed it, but there is a rhythm to the crowing. Before Ezzie passed he was joining in with them. It would go Branch, Ezzie and then Bubba.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

But… won’t the tribe be brothers and sisters? Won’t that be a bit ick when the cockerels start to get randy?

They came from a hatchery. Honestly, they may be hatch mates, but I would bet chances are very slim there are any true full siblings. Not only that, one of the boys is a different breed entirely.

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm also late to thank you but this actually helped me see more clearly, especially the no dead end part. We have already done some of the things you list, but there are corners from which it's impossible to escape, and I think it's part of why the teens stayed on the roosts. And, although we do have a two level system in the run for now, it won't be the case when we redo it as it will be totally covered at human height. So I will have to think of a way to make an escape possible.
Having a second coop would be possible in the same run, but it would have to be quite a small coop. If we were to make another run, it could only be in a completely different place as there isn't any flat ground left in our actual chicken zone.

Here we do things the old way
View attachment 3243234
Did I set fire to the chimney this winter ? I may well have .
Do we love our old stove ? So much that we're looking to buy the same one second hand in a better state. We love that we can cook on it and that it heats up very fast.
We just have a big case in the entrance where we can stock up almost two full days of wood so we don't have to get out first thing in the morning, or in case of a storm.

I love Glynda. She has a strong will, likes adventure, and is fearless. She looks like a swan but she acts like ... Hum...Beatrix from Kill Bill ?

I'm also in the "newby with roosters trying to keep two at once" crowd ! I already had behavioural problems with just one, so not sure how it will work out yet. One thing I've learned on BYC : don't make up your mind until they are at least 15 months old! Obviously they change a lot, much like humans, from childhood to teens and young adults.

Fire tax : Chipie watching the scenery this morning!
View attachment 3243236

MB, I have this old darling in my kitchen but I don't use her. Maybe I should try one day

 

[MaryJanet]

I think I am doomed for this season anyway. I will harvest a bowl full today before dark and ripen them indoors.
I am thinking a slippy wrap for the trunk - I could use my roll of aluminum flashing, wrap it round each trunk and coat with cooking oil so it is like a big slide.

Tax: the preening party was interrupted by noise outside. They were very curious. “What was that? Do you hear what I hear?”
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I once put Vegemite around a tree trunk to deter possums. It worked.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

After reading my last post I want to clear something up. I said they came from a hatchery. I am not knocking a hatchery by any means at all. I would just assume that they would have a larger number of parent birds in order to meet demands which would lead to greater genetic diversity.

 

[RoyalChick]

I once put Vegemite around a tree trunk to deter possums. It worked.

Did you just spread it on the bark?
I have rigged something up with a coil of metal flashing and am just pondering whether to also spray it with cooking oil.
I have Marmite not Vegemite but it would probably do.

 

[MaryJanet]

Did you just spread it on the bark?
I have rigged something up with a coil of metal flashing and am just pondering whether to also spray it with cooking oil.
I have Marmite not Vegemite but it would probably do.

I put it directly on the bark in a 30cm wide band.

There's no harm in trying. You might want to use a wider band?

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Update, all 3 eggs are now pipped. The first will probably be out in a few hours but I will wait until morning to check again. I am not going under the floor after dark, I just wont.