Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

But if I drive down that way this weekend I will try their apple pie... I have yet to try the ice road - esp after our Safety got lost last weekend

His 3hr drive turned into a 6hr epic tour!

 

[bgmathteach]

Epic fail
With the aid of the two tall guys who are working on the barn, we rigged up a burlap ceiling to the Chicken Palace.
It looks beautiful and leaves absolutely no line of sight to the rafters.
Come roosting time I tempted everyone into the coop with some apple cores and closed off access to the run so the Math Majors couldn't just decide to roost in the rafters out in the run.
I sat quietly in the servant's quarters.
There was much peering up at the ceiling and much flying from roost to roost.
Babs tried to fly up to the rafters and failed several times.
I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for solving this problem.

And then suddenly there was Babs up in the rafters.

I was physically there and have watched the videos the cameras took, and I still have no idea how she did it. What is clear however, is that her failed attempts were in fact reconnaissance flights to identify weak spots in the structure.
Once up she called Eli to join her and even watching a second chicken I cannot figure out how they got there.

Anyway, the guys were still here and I wanted to make sure we didn't have an issue in the morning when they flew down into burlap, so in the dark we undid fixtures so there was a clear flight path down. While the guys were up on the ladder Eli was very interested in what they were doing so she flew down (by the light of their headlamps) but then couldn't get back up.
So, Babs is sleeping on her own up in the rafters, while Bernadette and Eli are on the main roost. Eli is a safe distance from Bernadette who pecked at her every time she came too close.

This deserves all of the below:


(these are from Babs & Eli!)

 

[featherhead007]

Epic fail
With the aid of the two tall guys who are working on the barn, we rigged up a burlap ceiling to the Chicken Palace.
It looks beautiful and leaves absolutely no line of sight to the rafters.
Come roosting time I tempted everyone into the coop with some apple cores and closed off access to the run so the Math Majors couldn't just decide to roost in the rafters out in the run.
I sat quietly in the servant's quarters.
There was much peering up at the ceiling and much flying from roost to roost.
Babs tried to fly up to the rafters and failed several times.
I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for solving this problem.

And then suddenly there was Babs up in the rafters.

I was physically there and have watched the videos the cameras took, and I still have no idea how she did it. What is clear however, is that her failed attempts were in fact reconnaissance flights to identify weak spots in the structure.
Once up she called Eli to join her and even watching a second chicken I cannot figure out how they got there.

Anyway, the guys were still here and I wanted to make sure we didn't have an issue in the morning when they flew down into burlap, so in the dark we undid fixtures so there was a clear flight path down. While the guys were up on the ladder Eli was very interested in what they were doing so she flew down (by the light of their headlamps) but then couldn't get back up.
So, Babs is sleeping on her own up in the rafters, while Bernadette and Eli are on the main roost. Eli is a safe distance from Bernadette who pecked at her every time she came too close.

Fail

 

[Ponypoor]

I like that rooster, looks like Blackie

One of the three Roos I had to process - he became quite agressive and was attacking my mum, and to rough with the wee silkies.

Which is why I was so leary getting Mr P - thankfully he is totally different from Pangoo.

But he sure was a looker...

 

[Ponypoor]

Epic fail
With the aid of the two tall guys who are working on the barn, we rigged up a burlap ceiling to the Chicken Palace.
It looks beautiful and leaves absolutely no line of sight to the rafters.
Come roosting time I tempted everyone into the coop with some apple cores and closed off access to the run so the Math Majors couldn't just decide to roost in the rafters out in the run.
I sat quietly in the servant's quarters.
There was much peering up at the ceiling and much flying from roost to roost.
Babs tried to fly up to the rafters and failed several times.
I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for solving this problem.

And then suddenly there was Babs up in the rafters.

I was physically there and have watched the videos the cameras took, and I still have no idea how she did it. What is clear however, is that her failed attempts were in fact reconnaissance flights to identify weak spots in the structure.
Once up she called Eli to join her and even watching a second chicken I cannot figure out how they got there.

Anyway, the guys were still here and I wanted to make sure we didn't have an issue in the morning when they flew down into burlap, so in the dark we undid fixtures so there was a clear flight path down. While the guys were up on the ladder Eli was very interested in what they were doing so she flew down (by the light of their headlamps) but then couldn't get back up.
So, Babs is sleeping on her own up in the rafters, while Bernadette and Eli are on the main roost. Eli is a safe distance from Bernadette who pecked at her every time she came too close.

I am sorry - I had to laugh - they are definitely smarter than we are!

Maybe if Eli has roosted with Bern for a night she will be more willing to stay down there tomorrow night... one can hope!

 

[RoyalChick]

This deserves all of the below:


(these are from Babs & Eli!)

Yup - that about covers it!
As I see it I have two options:
A) Let them do what they want, cover over the window on the people door with mylar tape so they don't try and fly through it when I close it and just accept that poor Bernie will be lonesome at night for the foreseeable future.
B) Tweak the ceiling to remove whatever route Babs found through it.
I am not sure which way to go.

 

[RoyalChick]

I am sorry - I had to laugh - they are definitely smarter than we are!

Maybe if Eli has roosted with Bern for a night she will be more willing to stay down there tomorrow night... one can hope!

I can always hope.
It was well worth a laugh.
The look on Babs's face when she looked down at me as I closed up having given up was priceless. Can a chicken look smug? ABSOLUTELY!!

 

[featherhead007]

No mistake, I love my birds, but tonight I seriously need some rest. I took care of Shenandoah’s bumble foot, gave Jaffar another breathing treatment, picked the poop from Flash, and fed Xzit until she had a full crop. Got eggs from Coco and Shanny. I also trimmed BoPeeps sharp nails. The next door neighbor added four more cages to his backyard (he must be raising birds for sale) so what.
So whines down my busy day.

 

[Ponypoor]

Should explain the Ice Road and Fort St John jibber-jabber

Like me GregnLety also works in the energy sector and was sent up here to do some work - he was just 'down the road' from here. The road being a winter ice road that is opened yearly to allow pipeline workers and logging trucks to get around in the back country here.

Last weekend a few of the Inspectors here decided to go into FSJ for the day (it's a 3 hr drive BTW), and one of the guys got lost coming home due to the heavy fog, there are no road signs out here, you need to watch for landmarks and 'mile markers' (those markers that show how many miles/KM you have driven) to get around. In the fog he missed a turn and for 3hrs wandered around till some logging truck showed him his way out! His 3hr drive home turned into 6hrs. AND it gets dark here early - well actually it's 5:22 right now and just getting dark now so not too bad!

Now me - I don't do so well getting lost, so I won't go on those ice roads at all! The road from the hiway to here is a logging road and it is the only road I will drive on!

GregnLety has promised to post lots of pics of the baby chicks when he gets home, but meanwhile here is my Ice Tax

Yummy snow and dirt!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I can always hope.
It was well worth a laugh.
The look on Babs's face when she looked down at me as I closed up having given up was priceless. Can a chicken look smug? ABSOLUTELY!!

You tell me can a chicken look smug.