Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValarieF]

Love Hades comb and wattles

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Cold and steady raining here

I just started a big pot of deer chili

I did that a few days ago.

Thunder Bay

Can't stand it here, the roads make no sense, can't find a service station with a bathroom, ended up going into Walmart, gave me a walk and a stretch so guess it worked out ok.

Some pics of the drive so far.
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Whining tax

The chickens don't seem to miss me!
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Gorgeous pictures. Sometimes finding a bathroom is a real chore. And I’m sure the chooks are just keeping themselves busy because they miss you so much.

 

[BY Bob]

My happy girls with their corn on the cob.
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After removing all of the straw and scrubbing the floor with salt pine and eucalyptus, I added the wooden stand my friend made for them then covered it with cardboard. They now have fresh pine straw and some of the local farm staw on top for warmth.

The side perches have also been cleaned and oiled. It smells heavily in there now . Job done ✔
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Looks great!

 

[BY Bob]

My poor little Princess. It is very windy and every gust sends more feathers flying off her. She is walking around with angel wings at the moment.
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She is so precious

 

[BY Bob]

Thunder Bay

Can't stand it here, the roads make no sense, can't find a service station with a bathroom, ended up going into Walmart, gave me a walk and a stretch so guess it worked out ok.

Some pics of the drive so far.
View attachment 3327723View attachment 3327724View attachment 3327725

Whining tax

The chickens don't seem to miss me!
View attachment 3327729

Hotels are great places to go to the bathroom. The lobby bathrooms are always clean. Just walk in like you are staying there.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

15F (-9.4C) this morning, and going to get that low or lower tonight. Broke down and setup a warming pad on part of the roosting platform area. At least there will be an alternative to the snuggly nest box in case anyone (looking at you Popcorn) decides to hog the entrance to it. Heating pad with foam and cloth cover removed, then inserted into two rag pillowcases and an old t-shirt, then chopped hemp sprinkled on top.

I cannot figure out how to take a video or still on demand with my Arlo system. I did get an SD card. This is a screenshot from my tablet, looked up how to do it, that’s easy enough!

This morning Peanut was on the perch over the coop warmer panel that’s just below their coop in the Little Run. But once the sun started coming over the hill she moved to the Big Run to try to catch some rays. Standing there in the thin winter light, shivering and hunkered down, loyal Hazel by her side, it was hard to watch her. They do really like that corner, and I had had the panel there before. So I stole the second warming panel from under the red worms (yes, they don’t do well below 40F and they are in a cool work/storage room) and set it up in that corner. Hmm I might buy a third panel….

Peanut likes the edge of the doggy pool dust bath (very soft vinyl) or maybe she’s trying to get the last of the sun’s rays. But most of the day she parked herself right next to the panel, her front, side or bum pointed at it, making forays out to eat and drink and forage a little. She ate some mealworms and pellets this morning. Her poop today was very liquid but I think normal - some runny green and runny white, with a small marble of regular poop in there.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I don't know that I can call Aurora a hard molter. She seems like sort of a medium molter. No truly naked spots but lots rough patches if that makes sense.

If they are molting and not letting Peanut in, I would intervene. I would go out after dark and rearrange them. Starting with bringing popcorn in the house if she hates it. After you do that mine tend to roost as far from the door as possible the next night. I won't tolerate a molting hen being left out because someone is being a bully. That is not allowed here.

I agree on stopping bullying, but I’m not clear on your reply. Are you thinking about times someone blocks the entrance to the coop?

Peanut got into the coop, but not into the nest box area where she’s been sleeping since the molt began. Popcorn was perched in the divider between the nest box and the roost areas, blocking it (but this is all within the coop). Hazel didn’t boot her off, I think because she herself usually roosts on the bars, and maybe she had clocked out for the day on taking care of Peanut. Hazel does tend to run interference for Peanut during the day now. Maybe Peanut didn’t care?

- Do you mean if Popcorn is nasty about being rearranged, bring her into the human house for a while?

- After the rearranging at your place, the next night they tend to roost far from the coop door, you mean? Cause they get the message… Or far from the human access door?

 

[Marie2020]

My lovely breakfast of pop tarts and hot chocolate! (I really should eat better)

So should I

 

[Marie2020]

Checking in for any updates on Ponypoor.

 

[fuentemoon]

Poor girl. Does she have bald patches? How cold is it there? Luckily, any of mine that had bald patches got that stage over before the cold set in. Good thing, because this November has been the coldest one we’ve seen in awhike (nights down into tge 30’s and frost). Usually we don’t see that until January!

Cold for here, into the 20s at night. It was 23° in my way to work this am. No fully bare patches i can see, but she is losing feathers with every step