Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Awesome build! I am sure they will love having the extra sunny space this winter! Do you use chopped straw or regular straw from bales? I have been wanting to add some layers for the winter to help insulate but I see many differences of opinions on whats safe or not. Chopped straw here is to pricey for my largish coop size but I could grab some bales I just cant work out if its fine or actually dangerous and they will consume it and possibly get crop blockages.

I watched Jurassic Park last night and the whole time I was like yep I see the similarities! They sure can be brutal sometimes.

I forsee you getting some kittens and a mini horse delivered sometime this yr

So far so good. I have stopped shooing the cats away when I let the chickens do supervised free range time. The only time I almost launched out of my chair to grab the cat was when they got spooked by something my son did and flew towards where the cat was. I could see the temptation on my cats face he was clearly thinking chase and attack as I saw the butt wiggle a little. However they settled quickly and he decided better of it. That is the sole incident though so I think it will be fine. We are getting the rest of the run wired in this week. Also, zero unsupervised free ranging will occur until next spring when they are full grown, if ever I am still not 100% decided on that yet but I think all will be well as far as the cats are concerned.

Mugs!
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Marvelous Mugs

 

[BY Bob]

Do you use chopped straw or regular straw from bales? I have been wanting to add some

I use chopped straw from tractor supply and the day I clean the coop they will spend hours scratching through it for seeds. Knock on wood, no stopped up crops here ever.

 

[Ponypoor]

So, here is my situation - take what you want from it.

I have multiple coops - most are all in my 'primary' run, but some are spread out at other places on my land. The goal, though, eventually, is to have the coops all in the same general area/run space eventually.

As youngsters, I have a dedicated 'broody coop' that momma and the kids are in. Exclusively for the first 4-7 days. This is housed within the main run. Once all chicks are strong & running, they then have access to the entire 'big kids' run. I enforce only momma and kids sleeping in that coop for at least the first 4 weeks, so momma doesn't get harassed. After that, it is usually just momma and the littles, but sometimes a Roo, or a lower on the pecking order hen will start roosting in there sometimes. Once Momma abandons the kids, she usually goes back to roosting in her original coop...and the littles eventually select a coop to. For my last batch of 9 littles and 2 broodies, both broodies went back to their original coop (same one). 4 of the 'kids' eventually followed suit, the other 5 selected a different coop. (Note, my second in command' roo of that second coop accepted all the littles and has gotten 2 of the hens as his consort, now.)

As far as adults, with the exception of when I separate roos & hens for breeding, they all pick where they want to roost. For the most part there isn't much drama regarding the Roos. When young roos are getting to the 'idiot hormonal stage', there is always some skerfuffling. However, eventually they settle into their 'place' in the flock, and it works out just fine! They do still sometimes chase each other, but nothing majorly bloody/dangerous.

The biggest drama I had regarding Roos was when my top roo (mr. red...a BR) hatched a son that I kept. At some point, son beat the proverbial snot out of dad (not major damage, just lots of humiliation for dad.)

The young roos know enough to avoid the more dominant roos (until they get big enough to really take them on) Either way, I have a number of things for them to run under, hop on, generally get away if needed...and eventually the roo pecking order is established and it is fine. I have 2 coops presently with 2 roos (dominant & subordinant one) all other coops have only one adult roos, and there are some younger roos that are presently co-existing fine. I have a LOT of roos presently, but most are too young and not yet into ;hormonal idiot; stage. I will process many of them once they are large enough to do so, so I will generally keep to 1-2 roos per coop.

Note the following: I generally have small coops for the number of chickens in them (intentionally), but have large pen space, all with additional roof covering in the pens to have 'out of weather;' space. My coops have roughly 1.5 sq. feet of space per bird, but roughly 15-20 sq. feet of run space per bird. This really does work well for my chickens, roos included...and, again, for the most part, each one chooses where they roost!

I agree on the smaller coop size - I have 13 in a 4x10 ‘Hen House’ JUST for night time use, and laying eggs - though my gals like to also lay eggs in the small animal cages in the shavings room - which I was not able to break them of and now I just go with it - it took me a long time for them to train me to just go with it

They have the run of the horse barn during the day which is 30’ x 60’ with tons of lovely hay to poop on and stalls to dig in shavings

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh dear. That looks like a lash egg which means infection. Do you know who ‘laid’ it?

Yea I was thinking that also

 

[Ponypoor]

First thing is to be sure that is what it is. Cut it open and show us the inside. Lash eggs are rubbery to touch and typically have lots of different layers of stuff inside.
Then how sure are you it is Tina? It has nothing to do with a regular egg ( though it may have some egg stuff inside) so Princess not laying may mean it is her. If Tina lays a normal egg today or tomorrow, then it is not her.
@BY Bob is more expert than me on antibiotics so can weigh in on the amoxicillin.

I agree that if Tina is laying it’s likely not her - but make sure she lays an egg before anything

Thinking good thoughts here Marie

 

[Marie2020]

What is it? Did you dissect it? I would!

Look forward to see what others think it is…?

@RoyalChick @Ponypoor @BY Bob

Here, as advised I've cut it open

Part 1

Part 2

It's very meaty looking.

I have written to @BY Bob he's around

 

[Marie2020]

Princess has only ever laid about 30 eggs in her entire life. She's looking good and growing her tail feathers back . @RoyalChick @Ponypoor

 

[Marie2020]

I'm walking the dog if it's not raining he's upset here

 

[Ponypoor]

Thank you! Pine shavings is what I have now about 8” deep I’d like to get to around 12” with the straw on top to have some nice insulation when it starts getting truly cold . Ill look for well dried bales after Fall decorating season ends!

There are many diff type of straw: wheat, barley, oats, rye.

I would stay clear of barley or rye. The barbs on barley are prickly and stick to things, and rye can contain a fungus call ergot.

Use either wheat or oat straw, oat straw is softer I find. If you can, open a bale and pull out a handful and smell, it should not smell fusty, or musty, and should be dry and not like sticks.

For my horses I stay away from oat straw as they tend to eat it but you won’t have that issue with chickens!

 

[Ponypoor]

I'm walking the dog if it's not raining he's upset here

A lovely walk will be good for him and you, I will check in later. I need to head to town now.