Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

View attachment 3357448Not a bad view when the weather isn't crappy.

Spectacular!

 

[Ponypoor]

Caturday Saturday!

Merry Christmas everyone

Missy wishes everyone a lovely Christmas and she hopes the weather improves for all.

 

[Ponypoor]

View attachment 3357448Not a bad view when the weather isn't crappy.

Wow! Spectacular! Makes it worth getting up and going to work doesn’t it

Sorry you can’t be home for Christmas, we will all be thinking of you and your family and pets. Hope Lety is managing ok with the cold weather.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

@Ponypoor Hope you have finally kicked that bug!

@RoyalChick You ARE a good chicken mom. And see, Bernie loves you . I'm sure they were pretty cozy in the garage with a heater.

@rural mouse I don't mind the cold too much, but your dip was just plain old too low for me! Glad the chooks survived - and yes, I bet it will be a mass exodus today!

@ChicoryBlue I think your pen set-up is great. And, while I realize that you don't want rain/snow to come into the run, a few cracks in the plastic shouldn't hurt...they have plenty of space to get out of the wind and with their deep bedding, they can 'burrow in' if they want - or go to the heater for spells to warm up. And the feathering out is coming along pretty well.

@BY Bob What happened to the light up goat Mrs. By Bob got last year?? Love the light up chicken you and a few others have! I think instead of being called a 'crazy chicken lady/person', it should be 'crazy for chickens'

@Ponypoor This is for you, another earworm.

With the wind we had, and the sudden drop from the 30’sF to -7F there was a dusting of snow on the western side of the big run, plus what looks like hoar frost from the warmer ground and litter on top of the litter.

It was pretty cold this morning, the lowest was - 7F so I waited on opening the coop until 7:15 or so. They were not looking like they were anxious to get out either. Plus it took awhile to get my outside clothes on! They didn’t leave until an hour later, and here they are just a little while ago on the panel heaters. Peanut and Butters, both molting, look cold. But that’s Hazel who’s snuggled down on the left. Popcorn is just hunkered by herself

But right now, all lined up and sharing the two panels, yay! Happy to see Popcorn allowed to get in there. Sometimes she retreats to the coop and the warm pad there due to pecking.

 

[Ponypoor]

29F before dawn this morning. 48 hours ago it was almost 70 degrees COLDER. The coop is getting opened today!!!


And the fire can die so the ashes can get cleaned out.

Not sure if the hens or the roos will be happier about freedom.

Glad they can get out! It’s supposed to be mild on Wednesday and Thursday here so I hope the kiddos can get out then.

 

[BY Bob]

Why?

it is 5°F (-15°C). Why did they leave the coop?

Glynda did not want to come out. She was laying in front the heater but finally succumbed to peer pressure. Peer pressure in chickens is real.

 

[Ponypoor]

With the wind we had, and the sudden drop from the 30’sF to -7F there was a dusting of snow on the western side of the big run, plus what looks like hoar frost from the warmer ground and litter on top of the litter.

It was pretty cold this morning, the lowest was - 7F so I waited on opening the coop until 7:15 or so. They were not looking like they were anxious to get out either. Plus it took awhile to get my outside clothes on! They didn’t leave until an hour later, and here they are just a little while ago on the panel heaters. Peanut and Butters, both molting, look cold. But that’s Hazel who’s snuggled down on the left. Popcorn is just hunkered by herself

View attachment 3357544

But right now, all lined up and sharing the two panels, yay! Happy to see Popcorn allowed to get in there. Sometimes she retreats to the coop and the warm pad there due to pecking.
View attachment 3357549

So glad you chooks are doing ok, and glad they are using the heat panels.

 

[Ponypoor]

Why?

it is 5°F (-15°C). Why did they leave the coop?

View attachment 3357552

Glynda did not want to come out. She was laying in front the heater but finally succumbed to peer pressure. Peer pressure in chickens is real.

View attachment 3357553View attachment 3357554

I think as long as it’s not windy, raining or snowing they will pretty much go outside. They look like they are enjoying themselves!

 

[bgmathteach]

I did enjoy a cuddle (albeit an enforced cuddle) with Bernadette. But boy did she yell at me once she was back home. I could do nothing right!
Great earworm!

Well, you disrupted their routine....chickens LOVE routine. They will settle down and forgive you!

Bet the enforced cuddle was nice

 

[bgmathteach]

Thank you Bob, and thank you Kelly for thinking about them. They were fine and are as lively as ever. Light went back out around 9am when temperature was 22F. She laid a beautiful egg in the pine shaving bag in the house. She enjoyed the good old days being a house chicken. She was standing still and watching me doing dishes for a while. She is such a good chicken.
View attachment 3357542

What a sweet girl! She clearly likes you/your company, to be content visiting/watching you do dishes.

(Though I could watch anyone doing dishes, if it means I don't have to do them!!!! I'd rather muck out stalls and coops than do dishes or vacuum! Guess I'm weird.)