Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Mine will be outside. They have endured worse. I am concerned because Betty spent the night alone in the Cluckle Hut 2 nights ago for no apparent reason. I need her to be in the Main Coop with everyone else.

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They are taking advantage of the heater though. They found its new location fast enough.

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They are spending most of their time in the Main Coop as they usually do in cold nasty weather.

I am wavering on bringing them in. I can’t see them being happy in the garage all day!
I will set up the dog crate so I can bring them in if need be and maybe just go out and check on how they look once they are roosted.

 

[BY Bob]

This is great! I was chuckling throughout and left wanting more - I’ve read it three times now for more chuckles - plus to look again at her pirate & parrot outfit! I look forward to her next installment!

Roosters according to Aurora seem to be at the bottom of the pecking order, yet they aren’t about to get pecked by the bottom hen, are they? Or do they indeed get pecked? I’m not sure how to word this, but is it more accurate to say roosters in her world are more like satellites?

Roosters are servants in Aurora's mind. They exist outside the pecking order.

I'm glad you liked the photo. I feel the reaction to that has been underwhelming. I'm very proud of that one.

 

[BY Bob]

Finally zeroed in on what she reminds me of….

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That amazing. Well done.

 

[BY Bob]

Got my injections and came home and fell asleep. My legs aren't as bad as last time and the injections were a little lower this time. And watching Top Gun Maverick

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I'm glad it went better this time.

 

[fuentemoon]

Braving the ice for a walk about

 

[BY Bob]

Does this officially make me a crazy chicken person?? View attachment 3356418
I think it just might

If it does I have been one for years.

 

[rural mouse]

It is -2F here right now with wind chill gusts reaching into the -30’s It dropped from the 40’s to the single digits in less then two hours overnight. Crazy cold for Southern Ohio.

I went out this morning brought hot water with me in a bowl and added feed to the hotwater for a mash. They came down from the roosts to eat the warm food. Bucket heater is working well and their water remains unfrozen. Everyone looked good and Oreos comb (my bellwether for frostbite) looks healthy and is the normal pink color.

I did not open the pop door today. I don’t think I should since it could let in wind. Is this what you guys do in weather this brutal? I usually trust them to decide but this time my gut is saying keep in the coop for today.

So far so good!

Hope everyone else who is experiencing this weather is making out well!!

I haven't opened the pop door in the coop since Tuesday. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the POSITIVE teens Tomorrow. Door will be opened if it's looking like it will be then. I'll also be cleaning out any eggs laid during this cold as I wasn't going to try collecting. They've been frozen solid, have cracked, and the chickens (and magpies) are welcome to them.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hang in there. Forced family fun will soon be over. Picture #2 is a FANTASTIC Marilyn fluffy butt!

I don't know if I will get any pictures today - the storm is just reaching me now - we are dropping from 60F to 6F in just a few hours (15C to -14C) and the wind is picking up. Lots of storm warnings because of expected 60MPH (96K/hr) winds. I need to secure stuff outside as best I can.
I have decided I will bring the Princesses into the mud room or the garage in the night. It is less about the absolute temperature (though that is pretty cold, but more about the sudden drop and Diana still being only partly clothed).
Both areas stay very cold and indeed I will need to put a heater on in both to prevent pipes from freezing. Having the chickens co-located with the at-risk pipe will be one less thing for me to worry about and they will be asleep anyway so it should be OK.
Hope I keep power.
My one worry about the plan is I have not tried to handle Bernadette and I worry she will freak out on me even in the dark. She is a big bird and if she freaks out it will be hard to contain her.

Wish me luck everyone. And everyone stay safe in whatever crazy weather you are contending with.

Well I have not tried this, but if I were really worried one of the Buckeyes was going to freak out I would try touching her at night, on the roost, but with my hands ready in a towel, so that when she first feels anything I would be quickly wrapping her up the towel.

 

[bgmathteach]

Full on blizzard conditions here with temperatures plummeting - it won't get above 10F (-12C) all day tomorrow. Brrrrr.

Yes...then you are sending it my way

We had snow last night that turned to rain (about 2 inches of it! ) Now the wind has really picked up and temps are starting to fall., but it is still raining off and on Times like this when I really wish we had that other half of the run roofed!!
At least the ducks & geese are happy - they were having a grand old time in the big tub that filled overnight with roof runoff. Gosh, just like having exuberant kids! Wish I could have gotten video!

 

[GregnLety]

A little snow here in town but is sleeting now. Miserable to work in. Hopefully it lightens up later. At least the temp is going to be near 40. Praying for those enduring the harsh cold.