Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

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.)

Agreed unless it’s -20 hahaha!

 

[RoyalChick]

Awwww see you are an awesome chicken mama

I think that as long as they are dry and it’s not too drafts they should be fine.

Ok I will check on everyone later I am going to check on my chickies then go to town…

It was Diana being still quite unfeathered that had me worried. She isn't completely naked but when she flaps her wings there is bare skin under there and when one of the gusts blows her feathers I can see skin and pin feathers.
Probably I was overly anxious, but no harm done (well Bernie appears not to agree with that sentiment).

 

[bgmathteach]

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

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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.
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Great photos of them snuggling up to the heater!

I've been meaning to ask you - what is that that you made the dust bath area out of? It looks almost like an inflatable kiddie pool, but not inflated.

 

[rural mouse]

Breakfast al fresco

 

[RoyalChick]

Great photos of them snuggling up to the heater!

I've been meaning to ask you - what is that that you made the dust bath area out of? It looks almost like an inflatable kiddie pool, but not inflated.

And @ChicoryBlue I have been meaning to ask you about the heat pad you have - how do you get it hot? Is it a microwaveable pad?

 

[BY Bob]

Awww - thanks for your concern - you are a better chicken mom to Bernie than I am!
This storm is terrifying - I was out trying to make sure there weren't too many projectile hazards and it was truly scary - the wind sounded like a freight train was hurtling right towards me!
The Princesses roosted right close to the flat panel and I wasn't sure whether to bring them in or not. It wasn't yet fully dark and they were not settled.
Honestly I was afraid of the Bernie issue and that they would be as terrified as me out in the wind.
So I decided to wait until a bit later and go back out and check on them. Of course I sat on the sofa and immediately fell asleep! I woke up about 11:30pm in a panic - my chickens have frozen and my pipes have burst (I hadn't yet turned on the little heater).
So I rushed out.
All is good. Bernie stood back on my arm like a good girl and I stuffed her under my jacket to walk her back to the garage so she could avoid the worst of the freight train.
Diana complained more than Bernie but she is a friend so she snuggled under my jacket. Both are now in the garage in the big dog crate on a perch and asleep. The pipes are not burst.
Phew!

I'm so glad everything went well. I was also wondering.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Why?

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

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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.

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They went out for the same reason the Buckeyes did, I assume to get some food and water at least. But they could all go back in, and didn't. When the Buckeyes were hanging out in front of the panels, they did some looking around. Peanut stuck her head up to look over the panel and out. So did others every now and then. Maybe that's for predator watch, but I also wonder if they don't just like a change of scenery and want to see the world!

 

[bgmathteach]

It was Diana being still quite unfeathered that had me worried. She isn't completely naked but when she flaps her wings there is bare skin under there and when one of the gusts blows her feathers I can see skin and pin feathers.
Probably I was overly anxious, but no harm done (well Bernie appears not to agree with that sentiment).

The laugh was for Bernie not agreeing. Hugs to poor Diana, and to you, for having to worry!

 

[featherhead007]

36f here, cloudy with a chance of pancakes and ham this morning. Jaffar isn’t ready for today quite yet. The reason for the colder temperatures, is my foothills are covered in snow ️

 

[RoyalChick]

Yay - it got to 10F. It is still windy and the windchill takes it to -7F (-22C) but my Princesses are out and about. Crazy ladies!