Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Middle of September and besides the cochin nonsense I thought I would be finished this year with crazy broodies. Nope, I was wrong. Apparently my girls think once someone has chicks reach a couple weeks of age someone has to pick up the ball and go broody. Bunny with no warning waited until it got dark and instead of going to the roost plops herself down in one of the porch boxes. Angry, shrieking, biting hen sitting on NOTHING. Once it gets good and dark I will pack her squawking butt to the roost. I figure it will take a week of throwing her out of the boxes to break her.

Have to say I would still love to throw chicks under some next year…. But not practical with my life at the moment

So I just live vicariously through you guys

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Have to say I would still love to throw chicks under some next year…. But not practical with my life at the moment

So I just live vicariously through you guys

I will be honest, I am happy with my flock and numbers right now that I have no major hatching plans next year. I still want another similar to cricket so I will probably try for one. I also want another silkie pullet. If Hoppy is a boy, I will once again get eggs off of my neighbor who gave me the eggs I hatched Branch and Poppy out of I think. Option 2 for silkie eggs will cost me 150 plus shipping. A facebook friend who has Rockies also has silkies, show quality silkies in Black, white and self blue. One of their hens just took Reserve Grand Champion at a show this past weekend. If I fork over that much money for eggs, those would be worth it in my opinion.

 

[Ponypoor]

I will be honest, I am happy with my flock and numbers right now that I have no major hatching plans next year. I still want another similar to cricket so I will probably try for one. I also want another silkie pullet. If Hoppy is a boy, I will once again get eggs off of my neighbor who gave me the eggs I hatched Branch and Poppy out of I think. Option 2 for silkie eggs will cost me 150 plus shipping. A facebook friend who has Rockies also has silkies, show quality silkies in Black, white and self blue. One of their hens just took Reserve Grand Champion at a show this past weekend. If I fork over that much money for eggs, those would be worth it in my opinion.

Well if you do I will look forward to those hatching, eagerly

I might be interested to see what I get with a polish cross…

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Well if you do I will look forward to those hatching, eagerly

I might be interested to see what I get with a polish cross…

I would interested to see what a Pompei and Marty cross would look like, I bet they would be pretty.

 

[LozzyR]

Sunday (yesterday) I attended a church in town. The pastor made an offensive joke about my hair loss. (I’m thinner on top, so what,) but is it right for the pastor to make jokes about my personal looks?
What are your opinions?

That’s really poor form. Does he think he’s still at school? I wouldn’t be going there again, although you could have a conversation with him and let him know that you found his remarks hurtful and unnecessary. Don’t do it in an emotionally heightened state though.

Tax:

 

[ManueB]

I eat my chickens because I know they were raised with love, good food, and had a good life. Far better than any store bought chicken in flavor, and in their life experience. It is hard at times, but also very rewarding to me to know they had a good life, not some crappy caged experience without love and scratching about in any meaningful way.

You love your steaks. Wouldn't you rather know it came from a cow who was well loved and cared for than one who lived a miserable (cow) life?

I am an omnivore. While I fully respect vegetarians and vegans, I just can't do it. So, in my mind, the least I can do is to make sure what I eat had a decent life. I have consciously made a shift to have some non-meat meals (i.e. subbing legumes instead of meat into some recipes), but there really is no substitute for good meat, be it steak, chicken, or other. When you raise it yourself, and have to kill it yourself, it makes you much more aware, and much more desirous of using the whole animal as much as possible.

I love that you love your girls (and Jaffar) so much, treat them so well, and have such a unique and wonderful relationship with them. I respect that you can't think of eating them. However, I got my chickens initially specifically so that I COULD eat 'contaminant free' eggs and chicken meat. I love them, I treat them as well as I can, I cry when I process them, but I also love what they give to me food wise as well. Each and every one I process, I thank, I hold them tenderly before processing, and I sincerely hope that they pass as stress and pain free as possible.

Tax for rambling reactions: (Yes, water-fountain me is crying again, now!)View attachment 3260696View attachment 3260697View attachment 3260699

I fully understand that everyone doesn't have the same opinion on the subject of eating animals. I think all choices should be showed consideration for, when they are consciously made by people who love and respect animals.

I love Chipies coloring

Isabella has started her seasonal egg laying break.

View attachment 3260968

@fuentemoon I also love her colourings! I don't remember if I've written about her arrival at our place before here. Gaston, the old farmer who had just given us Théo, showed up two days later without warning in his old tractor and he was holding her in one hand, poor thing, he had tied her leg's together with a piece of string. He handed her to me saying it was to keep Théo company until he grew up and the bigger hens accepted him. She was the prettiest, daintiest chicken I'd ever seen... and also the wildest one !
Théo and Chipie their first week here in quarantine.

@Lexicon I'm seeing your Isabella has pretty much the same colour and some similarities, do you know what the colour is called, and what kind of chicken she is ?

I would interested to see what a Pompei and Marty cross would look like, I bet they would be pretty.

You and ponypoor enjoy funny hairdos .

 

[ManueB]

I

That’s why I diffused the whole situation. I packed up all eight of my birds, and they are at a ranch, other side of town. And after a very long conversation with my brother, I’m flying up to see him in Seattle for a few days. Linda from church, is watching over my house for now.

Personally, I think you made a wise choice, and I commend you as I'm sure it wasn't easy for you. I hope those few days with your brother will help to find a longer term solution, and I'm also sorry you have to go through all this.

 

[Kris5902]

The challenge is getting into the woods to harvest the worst areas. We have some seriously rough country and a dearth of road, tracks or other access. Packing trees out via horse back (or other pack beast) is so far beyond practical. There have been enough hissy fits about the environment to ban motorized vehicle access, logging, or other use beyond hiking through brush I some areas. Those same areas are frequently in need of major wood hauling or become the new fire area. It's a fine balance to maintain, and NEVER easy or simple.

Are you sure you don’t live in the Gulf Islands? sounds so very familiar. Yeah, let’s ban wood stoves… switch everyone over to heat pumps in a place that has 1+week long power outages EVERY winter! Oiii let’s not even get stared on the anti-hunting crowd. I can’t afford those taxes! There’s a reason our island didn’t get the nasty deer hemorrhagic disease. Fewer deer, believe it or not by the four I have in the field everyday now, because every year we have people putting 12-20 in freezers and keeping the population in check. We have no apex predators.
Thirsty Thursday tax payment morning water cooler chat (this should be enough chickens to excuse my late ranting… and it’s still Thursday here )

And Sammy, because he’s a gorgeous old man

 

[Kris5902]

Neighbor altercation today. I’m not making this stuff up: Jaffar was upset about something, and I went outside to investigate. Neighbor was teasing the hens and throwing rocks at the chooks. I ran outside and pointed my 357 magnum straight at his head. Then told him to back away and go back home. I’m waiting for a visit from the local authorities (so I can explain myself)

How high a fence can you build? I would gladly help you build a wall. Scum. I am sure you were careful and polite in discussing the situation with enforcement. But please, do be careful, can’t have your chooks all alone because you end up in the clinker over some idiot neighbour.

 

[Kris5902]

It is hard enough to keep her sugar under control without baking any more cakes then we already have been.

Sorry I haven’t been keeping up at all… is Grandma back with you and family? I hope all is well. I did catch an update about Rosies surgery a little while back, but I am hopelessly behind (but making some headway on my roof). Hugs and best wishes for your family.