Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

This solution gives her control of when and how much to toss but limits the total per day amount. But @BY Bob are you sure it’s a rotating crew out there, or are some getting bellyfulls and others none?

As soon as the door opens the entire tribe sprints over. So those standing watch get firsts but everyone eats.

 

[BY Bob]

And I must say now she has an alliance with Mrs By Bob I'm slightly worried about you

That makes 2 of us........

 

[lightm]

A New Strategy
It seems Aurora has instituted a new policy and the early returns for the tribe are quite good.

To understand the change you need to know a little about how things work around here.

Mrs BY Bob will throw snacks out into the deck anytime chickens show up at the backdoor. In the past this is not too much of an issue as she worked during the winter and never saw them during the daylight hours except on weekends. However, Mrs BY Bob retired last February. With the constant snow cover last winter nothing really changed.

This winter there has been no snow cover. Not more than a couple of hours.

So what alerted me to the change?

We ran out of meal worms yesterday.

Those meal worms should have lasted another month!

So how has Aurora gotten the tribe more snacks?

She has stationed 2 hens at the backdoor all day long. There are always two of them staring into the house. That way every time Mrs BY Bob passes the backdoor, there are chickens awaiting snacks and she tosses some out.

I can't get over how smart this is. It has been super effective. I have had a discussion with Mrs BY Bob but I doubt anything with change.

Here are two of them on duty at the backdoor. Waiting patiently.

View attachment 3379521

Mrs BY Bob is being played like a fiddle.

Maybe hide mealy worms from Mrs BY Bob?

 

[Sally PB]

I'm getting close to ordering chicks by mail. I've never done this before.

Sooo... if you were choosing among hatcheries... who would you order from? I really want Bielefelders, so that is the first criteria. If you have ordered from any of these places, what was your experience, and would you order from them again?

Cackle
Murray Mc Murray
Mt Healthy
Other...?

Thank you.... getting chick fever here, can you tell?

 

[knoturavggrl]

I'm getting close to ordering chicks by mail. I've never done this before.

Sooo... if you were choosing among hatcheries... who would you order from? I really want Bielefelders, so that is the first criteria. If you have ordered from any of these places, what was your experience, and would you order from them again?

Cackle
Murray Mc Murray
Mt Healthy
Other...?

Thank you.... getting chick fever here, can you tell?

I had a wonderful experience with Alchemists Farms, they do have Bielefelder chicks. I ordered a 10 chick surprise box they sent 13 all arrived alive and are now 23 weeks old healthy and happy. 2 roos were rehomed, they were gorgeous, I just couldn’t keep that many with only 10 pullets. They really seem to care about their chicks and the quality of their breeding stock. I would buy from them again even though they are higher priced then the large hatcheries.

 

[LozzyR]

Yes, she is the last of the original Princesses. She is an ISA Brown and she has had reproductive issues (shell-less eggs) for 9 months or so.
I anticipated she would likely get egg bound when she started laying again in the spring so I have been expecting her to die soon but had hoped she would make it to her 4th birthday in a couple of months. Honestly I thought she would go before Maggie.
My best guess is she has reproductive tumors or something like that.
She did fine on the roost last night and if last night turns out to be her last night with me, then I am glad she spent it with some normality.
She has been a very benevolent leader and will be the last of my people-friendly chickens. Without her I will definitely fall behind on Chicken Palace gossip unless one of the others takes pity on me.

I’m sorry to hear that RC, I am thinking of you.

 

[LozzyR]

I'm getting close to ordering chicks by mail. I've never done this before.

Sooo... if you were choosing among hatcheries... who would you order from? I really want Bielefelders, so that is the first criteria. If you have ordered from any of these places, what was your experience, and would you order from them again?

Cackle
Murray Mc Murray
Mt Healthy
Other...?

Thank you.... getting chick fever here, can you tell?

Maybe ask Bob about his last Mail-order chick experience before you order some. It did not go well.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Thank you for the camel video - that was fun to see.
Yes, I know Diana doesn't care about her birthday - it was more of a personal milestone for me. I have a sort of background feeling that I have let down my chickens somehow because I lost so many so early. I know that isn't rational, but it would have made me feel less of a failure as a chicken tender to have had one that lived to four years.

Well, you can look at it that she is already in her fourth year.
I wonder if those who've grown up with chickens and their usual life spans and unknown causes if death deal with this better than those of us who had cats and dogs - and their vet services, where so much more is known.

 

[Ponypoor]

What are the other rules?

Rule tax
View attachment 3379510

Oh such a beauty

Rule 2
Always smile - no matter what. It makes people off guard and not so prone to feel threatened (even if do want to clobber them).

 

[knoturavggrl]

Yes, she is the last of the original Princesses. She is an ISA Brown and she has had reproductive issues (shell-less eggs) for 9 months or so.
I anticipated she would likely get egg bound when she started laying again in the spring so I have been expecting her to die soon but had hoped she would make it to her 4th birthday in a couple of months. Honestly I thought she would go before Maggie.
My best guess is she has reproductive tumors or something like that.
She did fine on the roost last night and if last night turns out to be her last night with me, then I am glad she spent it with some normality.
She has been a very benevolent leader and will be the last of my people-friendly chickens. Without her I will definitely fall behind on Chicken Palace gossip unless one of the others takes pity on me.

I am sorry to hear this, I have read your journey with these girl and you have done everything right. You are an amazing chicken tender! As to the last bit of what you wrote, you have many friends here, when her time does come, you will not be alone. I know with certainty all of us will be here with you.