Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Sorry to hear that Bob, I know how it goes. Get some balance back soon.

Thanks. It looks like a tough 2 weeks are coming up. Hopefully it eases a little after that.

 

[micstrachan]

I wonder if you could get the measurements for that project? I have the wood, and the equipment. to build one here in California (for my chickens)

@featherhead007 where are you in California? I’m here, too, in the Santa Cruz Mountains (San Francisco Bay Area).

 

[BY Bob]

Let’s see if I can remember how to upload photos...

Four fluffy butts!
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Love it!

 

[BY Bob]

This is my Heritage Skyline, Charlie, who allegedly could lay blue eggs (but let’s not talk about that )

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She has a habit of going broody, in the ‘growling-pancake’ way, rather than a ‘shrieking beach ball’ way. It got so bad this time, we bought a cage of shame and sent her off to broody-jail. She snapped out of it really quickly.

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As @Shadrach was saying a while ago, she goes into the full on trance on the nest, we can stroke her, get our hands right under her and she won’t move. Neil picked her up and put her on my lap and she stayed put. She is in no way a lap chicken; if anything she is the flightiest of my flock

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Wow! That very cool. Your broody jail looks like mine. I like the pancake. That's what Mal was when she was on the nest. A giant, grumbly, pancake.

 

[BY Bob]

After hunkering down on the nest for hours and hours on end, here she is having a stretchView attachment 2143169
Followed by a dust bath, right next to the food of course (who doesn’t like a bit of soil seasoning on their breakfast?)
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Fresh spices!

 

[BY Bob]

Here they are all together (it feels like a massive achievement to get all four in one picture, and even more so when they all look up at the same time!)
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I’ve been making the most of lockdown and allowing them out to free range each day. Sometimes they only get 20 minutes, other times, hours, if we’re doing garden projects or enjoying the nice weather

Free range is a real treat for them. Mine are downright spoiled right now with constant free range available since we are both home.

 

[BY Bob]

My non-feathered flock members, Jinx and HexView attachment 2143204

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I love a good mouser!

 

[BY Bob]

Hex (the tabby) made the mistake of coming up to me and standing between Charlie and the entrance to the run (this was whilst Charlie had been evicted from her nest). Charlie went into apocalypse mode and lunges at her, flogging her wings like a rooster. Poor cat was utterly terrified and fled.

There is something about chickens beating up cats that cracks me up. Apex predators, right! Who is the food source for whom?

 

[BY Bob]

This is my alpha hen, Delta, first of her name, Queen of the coop, ruler of the high roosts, dispenser of harsh justice and all round meanie.

she is investigating a new diversion I made for them, I wired a load of pine cones to an upturned wooden hanging basket. I’ve been scattering feed and corn amongst all the pine cones to make them work harder for their treatsView attachment 2143256

Heavy lies the head that wears the crown. Who are we to judge her?

Nice to meet you Alpha Delta!

 

[BY Bob]

Self Service

looks like the ladies have moved on without me.