Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

It is 22 out this morning and the water hose is froze. I was opening the back door for dad to go out with a bucket of water when I heard then saw it. What did I hear? The angry ticking time bomb broody cluck. Coming from a very poofed out fuzzball named Chiquita as she ran by the back door. She is not playing fair. I am not able to deal with her and her foolishness right now and I think she knows it. I'm really going to have to enlist the help of Rosie and Mom to watch her and help break her up if she sits. Crazy chicken.....it is freezing and you have chicks in mind.

Brrrrr chilly! Hate frozen hoses. Dealt with that many times. But this morning I was in the barn and thought maybe I should leave my electric waterer unplugged as it isn’t overly cold, then remembered all the times I forgot hoses outside and froze. And of course the truck not getting plugged in a couple weeks ago haha.

I decided better leave it plugged in!

 

[Ponypoor]

It's chilly here now, in the 20s. Later this week, we'll get colder and another round of snow. So far, everyone is fine (people, dog, and most importantly, chickens). The chickens got warm mash made with whey yesterday.

The mash about 1/3 the volume of their regular food allotment, and becomes even more when it's wetted down. They really like it, because they eat it all in about 2 hours. (Don't tell them mash is how I use up the fine bits out of the bottom of the feed bowls that they won't eat.)

I do that also! Make a lovely mash for them. Waste not want not! So they say.

How is the whey? Is it ground ? Crumbles?

 

[RoyalChick]

Mugshot Monday
I made the rookie mistake of putting the cabbage in the container before trying to get a mugshot.
This may be the best I get!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

These Silkies! They are cracked! Their electrical panel has fallen off the wall and the wires exposed! Their feathers are short circuiting their reasoning and thought patterns!

Hahahahaha

My kiddies better not try that - my mum will just ignore them!

At times I agree that they have a few screws loose. Other times they are wicked smart. It is their quirky personalities that have me hooked. As much as I love chicks and silkie chicks I cannot let Chiquita or any hen for that matter sit right now. We have had relatively mild weather so far. Until this morning that is and the next 2 weeks look to be super cold. Starting from the middle of December and all of January are the coldest weather snaps we tend to have. Now if she were to try this the end of Jan or first of Feb, I may pretend not to notice and blame it on menopause forgetfulness if she shows up with chicks.

 

[rural mouse]

Cuckoo snuck out last night while I was closing the coop. She spent the night on the bare patch of ground under the olive sapling. The deer spent the night between her and the garage. (I'm hoping she felt that they would alert her to night predators. She wouldn't let me pick her up until after she'd run back inside when I took food out this morning. Then she snuggled in with me for a few. Feet seem fine. Wattles are warm, comb is cold. When she started wiggling, I put her back down in front of the food. Have to go to work, but Christmas break, so kid will keep an eye on her and take out high protein munchies later.

 

[Ponypoor]

If you feel up to it you might want to give the barn a good once over. Look for any hidden eggs.

Hahahaha yep I did this morning when I fed them hahahahahahahaha

Looked behind and under the round bale cover which I thought would be a great location to hid eggs! I had a chat with them about “being broody”

Have to say they were giving me the evil eye this morning - looking at me like I was some crazy stranger! After I whipped out the warm mash though they figured I was safe enough ha!

Later on today I will let them outside! But right now I am gonna have a nap

 

[Ponypoor]

At times I agree that they have a few screws loose. Other times they are wicked smart. It is their quirky personalities that have me hooked. As much as I love chicks and silkie chicks I cannot let Chiquita or any hen for that matter sit right now. We have had relatively mild weather so far. Until this morning that is and the next 2 weeks look to be super cold. Starting from the middle of December and all of January are the coldest weather snaps we tend to have. Now if she were to try this the end of Jan or first of Feb, I may pretend not to notice and blame it on menopause forgetfulness if she shows up with chicks.

Yep not a great time to have chicks for sure! Here it’s winter until end of March, so I am saying to my kiddies lots of winter to get through still - grow those feathers back fast! I can’t even think of broody ladies!

How r you feeling today?

 

[Ponypoor]

Mugshot Monday
I made the rookie mistake of putting the cabbage in the container before trying to get a mugshot.
This may be the best I get!
View attachment 3353496

Love how they attack it

 

[ValarieF]

Awwww everyone is looking so good!

Yes it seems the western half of the continent is getting cold temperatures while here in the east it’s mild. It was like
This last year here, but in January it flipped so that here it was extremely cold.

Later on I am going to let the kiddos outside maybe on mount poopmore. I notice that the grey gals are molting and Sophia is getting over her molt. Fluffy has regrown all her fluffy feathers back and she is really fluffy

I live in the southeast and it is 22 degrees.......COLD! My poor chooks.

 

[Ponypoor]

Cuckoo snuck out last night while I was closing the coop. She spent the night on the bare patch of ground under the olive sapling. The deer spent the night between her and the garage. (I'm hoping she felt that they would alert her to night predators. She wouldn't let me pick her up until after she'd run back inside when I took food out this morning. Then she snuggled in with me for a few. Feet seem fine. Wattles are warm, comb is cold. When she started wiggling, I put her back down in front of the food. Have to go to work, but Christmas break, so kid will keep an eye on her and take out high protein munchies later.

Holy moly! Wow I would have been freaking out if I had that happen

But goes to show they are wiley and sneaky!