Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Considering the heart ache in trying to get a black hen before you got Eli, I say you do not need a excuse to post pics of her. She really is a beauty and I love the brown lacing on her. What is wrong with looking like a crow? Raven got her name by looking like a crow as a young lady. She filled out and is a beauty now. Crows are good by the way, I have personally witnessed them chasing a Hawk. They occasionally visit my back yard in the scrap pile. They are welcome whenever they want and I wish they would visit daily.

Thank you. I will keep posting!
I am with you on crows. They harass the hawks here too. In the summer it was interesting to see how the chickens reacted to the hawk shouts. They could tell when the hawks crows were just being noisy vs when they were dealing with a hawk.
The much smaller grey cat bitds or northern mockingbirds (I can’t decide which they are) also mib the hawks quite aggressively and make a big racket doing so.

 

[RoyalChick]

And because no excuse is needed.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I have a feeling this day will still feel special and sad in ten years. She was very special to you.

So you'll probably get some different opinion. Mine is that I would be too nervous about what would happen if one of them got stuck in. Would there be any way you could go up and unstuck them, in that case ? Can you be there when they go to roost with a ladder?
I could be completely wrong and maybe just seeing the hessian bags will dissuade them. But my point is, I would only try this with a backup plan in case of a problem.

Yes, Elie is truly a lovely hen ! I have a question (I'm pretty sure it is not for you RC unless you have just made a jump to the next level in breed knowledge). Some of the black hens who have been shown in this thread share that look (like Maleficent, and Bella also did) with a kind of beard, and a slender neck and face. I don't see at all hens that look like this in France. Does it come from the Ameraucana ?

I can tell you exactly where my bearded black hen got her looks from. The beard, muffs and attitude in posing came from her momma, a silkie. Her color and hard feathering came from her dad, my Black Copper Marans.
This head cocked pose is a Chiquita trait i swear.
Goose

Momma Chiquita

My little Ezzie, Goose's half brother did is as well.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

And because no excuse is needed.

View attachment 3385892

In this lighting with that pair I say you have the best of both worlds in those girls. A lovely shiny black hen and a soft blue girl in Babs. My Raven and Blueberry approve your choices in them. Well, Blueberry thinks Babs needs feathered legs but Raven Disagrees.

 

[RoyalChick]

In this lighting with that pair I say you have the best of both worlds in those girls. A lovely shiny black hen and a soft blue girl in Babs. My Raven and Blueberry approve your choices in them. Well, Blueberry thinks Babs needs feathered legs but Raven Disagrees.

I agree. They are a stunning pair. And as you know I am with Raven on the feathered legs!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I agree. They are a stunning pair. And as you know I am with Raven on the feathered legs!

2/3rds of my flock squawk that you are wrong. It is of their opinion that you should get 1 feathered leg chicken. They feel you will see the error of your ways and decided you will need all the feathered leg breeds afterwards. They are also of the opinion this year when you add chicks it is time you add a boy to your flock. It will not be complete until you have a rooster on duty.

 

[rural mouse]

Thank you. I will keep posting!
I am with you on crows. They harass the hawks here too. In the summer it was interesting to see how the chickens reacted to the hawk shouts. They could tell when the hawks were just being noisy vs when they were dealing with a hawk.
The much smaller grey cat bitds or northern mockingbirds (I can’t decide which they are) also mib the hawks quite aggressively and make a big racket doing so.

I've see a crow (or raven, hard to tell at the distance) harrass and drive off a bald eagle for over a mile. The magpies around here will do that too. They can be a nuisance, but as a part of my chickens' alarm system, they're priceless.

 

[rural mouse]

2/3rds of my flock squawk that you are wrong. It is of their opinion that you should get 1 feathered leg chicken. They feel you will see the error of your ways and decided you will need all the feathered leg breeds afterwards. They are also of the opinion this year when you add chicks it is time you add a boy to your flock. It will not be complete until you have a rooster on duty.

Agreed!

 

[knoturavggrl]

Maybe Eli will fill out over time, but right now she looks like she is built more like Glynda. She has a really lean build - her fluffy face makes her look bigger, but from some angles she looks more like a crow than a chicken!

Any excuse to post an Eli picture.
View attachment 3385696

I love her delicate lacing

 

[RoyalChick]

2/3rds of my flock squawk that you are wrong. It is of their opinion that you should get 1 feathered leg chicken. They feel you will see the error of your ways and decided you will need all the feathered leg breeds afterwards. They are also of the opinion this year when you add chicks it is time you add a boy to your flock. It will not be complete until you have a rooster on duty.

Agreed!

There seems to be a subgroup of enablers emerging here!
I think part of the reason I am not in favor of feathered legs is that I really like the look of the snakeskin boots. With Bella I was besotted with her black snakeskin boots and both Babs and Eli have a similar style in green. I can't imagine it being better than that!