Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

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I feel i owe a very big tax for being gone so long. View attachment 3244626View attachment 3244633View attachment 3244635Baby butts

Marvelous bums!

 

[BY Bob]

View attachment 3244678View attachment 3244679View attachment 3244680View attachment 3244682View attachment 3244685Yes yes, now im done, to many butts i have i need to share.

that is serious fluff! i love it!

 

[BY Bob]

Great pictures! I like all chicken colors but goodness the iridescence in those black feathers is stunning. Reminds me of the Aurora Borealis.

I got lucky today. I caught Phyllis off the nest and in the sun. She is my last black hen and quite striking if I don't say so myself. Plus being broody this is about the fluffiest she gets.

 

[BY Bob]

Aww, I love the synchronised head-tilts!

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That's a wonder picture!

 

[BY Bob]

Mom saw the mares add yesterday as well. She actually brought her up to dad last night. After a long discussion while she is gorgeous now is just not the time. Dad made a very good point which I was also thinking in the back of my mind. Before any mare is ever brought here the stalls need redesigned. The open concept will absolutely not work. Dirt's and any future mares would need to be fully enclosed. He has had both stallions and mares in the past, but he said right now, with Dirt only just turning 5 he wants to wait a while longer before housing him next to one. Another point was brought up, He and Rosie are the only 2 riders. Rosie had a dr appointment Tuesday and it did not go to her liking at all. This time around we actually spoke to the surgeon and her 8 week post op back on the horse date was thrown out the window. I never got to speak to him after the surgery but the 1 1/2 hour surgery ended up taking closer to 4. I found out it was because he had difficulty reducing the fracture and was not able to get the ends as close as he wanted. The new x-rays shows she is healing, but she now has to wait 3 more months before she gets back on. If she rebreaks it, there is a good chance he will not be able to repair it again. This still leaves dad being the only one to ride all 3 horses. Dirt is his main priority, he is ridden on average 6 days a week. He is riding Russ at least once a week for Rosie. That leaves Louis, who dad has to ride. He hates how rough he is and while Rosie learnt to ride on him before Russ she clearly prefers to ride Russ. Louis pulls, and Rosie claims after 10 minutes her arms are falling off, Russ does not even need the bridle. Dad thinks we need to sell him to someone who will ride him more. Mom is on the fence as she thinks of him as a big puppy dog. I see dad's point though, if we can find someone who does not mind the way he rides he has many years left to be a riding partner. He might even be the perfect horse for a teenager.

Horse math seems much like chicken math.

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[BY Bob]

Lovely! It's interesting, she is quite similar to what could be found in Marseille and Provence in the 1950s.
If she still worked eight years ago she's probably good to go and you've even got the oven!
Cooking requires getting used to. The temperature isn't as precise. It's great for all the things that need to cook a very long time, like beans, or game meat.
It's good that you wish to keep it. My cousin took one that looked like a bit like yours down a flat he bought that was on the third floor with no elevator. He said it was heavier than a dead donkey.

We don't have raccoons here. It's one of the memories I have from the US- seeing them climb up to steal food in elevated dustbins on picnic sites. When we went hiking for several days we were given a tutorial on how to get our backpacks in a tree safe from bears AND raccoons .
In our place this year has seen massive number of hornets. I mentioned before that I discovered I was allergic and earned a trip to the ER, unfortunately the hornets have literally eaten every single apple and pears we had, and there were lots. My partner saved a few figs and now they're competing with the chickens to eat our grapes . I'm so afraid of getting stung again that I don't dare chase them or pick the fruits - and like your racoons, they eat them before they are completely ripe!

Hornets can be very aggressive but we need bees. Stay safe and give them plenty of room.
We had a bad storm come through the other day and knock grapes off of our vines. Well it is not just Betty that loves grapes. Glynda was all over them as well. Betty will leap up and pluck them from the vines over 3 feet up.

 

[BY Bob]

Chipie is a very meticulous hen for fluffy butt Friday.

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@Ponypoor and @featherhead007
How are you both feeling ?

That's a wonderful photo!

 

[BY Bob]

Hmmm, she will wins some battles, lose some battles. However, I'm positive she will ultimately win the war. They may have opposable thumbs, but we have tools!

If she can defeat the rodents, she can defeat the larger mammals as well. I believe!

 

[BY Bob]

I have managed this morning to thoroughly tick off several of my hens and they are loudly letting me know. I had a egg break in the porch box yesterday afternoon so first thing this morning I decided it was time to do a deep cleaning. All the old litter and hay was emptied from the wagon, a new bucket of sawdust placed in the bottom of it and the bottom of the nest boxes for cushion. I then put in fresh hay. Raven came up first to lay and has thrown a fit for the last 30 minutes. This has causes several of the other girls to come on the porch and join her in the complaining. None of them have so much as taken a single step inside the boxes. Apparently you can only lay a egg in a filthy box.

I think I am going to do the coops today as well. I have the day off, it is beautiful outside, and it feels like it has been a while since I did it last.

 

[BY Bob]

The chickens are absolutely freezing this morning and so am i. The cold breeze is a reminder that winter is not far away! So soon, to. It seems like yesterday it was so hot.

Em’s feet were icecubes this morning, all wet and cold. She was shaking and puffy. They all are cold but she is the only one with feathered legs, and it gets her feet more cold and wet.

How is everyone else doing with the cold? If its affecting anyone else.

How cold is it in Connecticut? Here is PA it is beautiful today.