Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Are they eating right? Give them Layer or All-flock and they will be fine - and some treats every couple days.
Are they sick? No - your chickens do not look sick - they look good to me.
Do they have everything they need? Food, water and you - so YES they have everything they need.
Are they cold ? NO - it isn't -10C so they are NOT cold. You might feel cold but chickens are far more hardy than you or I.
Why do they fight so much? They are chickens - it is The Way of the Chicken. Let them be.
And other issues Don't trouble trouble, till trouble, troubles, trouble.... in other words relax, and enjoy their antics!

You are doing an awesome job as a chicken keeper - no need to worry or stress or fuss.

Awesome (and accurate!) post.

You need to worry about/take care of yourself, or there will be no one to give your chooks all the love and comfort and care you do!!!!!

 

[bgmathteach]

This reminds me of what my mom used to do. She would slowly put the chicken's head in the wing and that's how the chicken would fall asleep. Don't ask me how that happens.
Anyways, last night, I went to go check on the chickens just before the sky went dark. Who am I awaited?
Parmesan.
And Mozzarella didn't seem to mind having a stroke from me.
But Parmesan was a different story.
She wanted to bite.
Mozzarella wasn't a biter.
So how could her evil twin be a biter?
Well, this photo looks like one body, two heads, three legs. This is what happens when your chickens are never interested in photos.
View attachment 3399123

I think this would be a great photo to submit to the caption contest!

 

[bgmathteach]

@BY Bob
I think I found a glam boy with high enough style even for Phyllis:

​ PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALEX TEN NAPEL ​

For decades, Alex ten Napel specialized in human portraiture. Now he’s building mini runways in barns and backyards to capture the essence of chickens. You read that right. “What I hope you see in the photos is that chickens can be proud beings or funny beings,” he tells us. “They can be like gymnasts or ballerinas.” ​

 

[bgmathteach]

Dear Aurora,

Miss Queen Aurora, I know you are a busy lady, what with keeping your flock in fear of you and all. But, I was hoping you could help me with a problem I am having. My HUMAN!!
I am a slight girl (like Phyllis' build, but NO TOP KNOT - I am a REAL CHICKEN), and because of this, I am near the bottom of the pecking order., and there are way too many chickens here (26 in my group alone) to be able to instill fear and trepidation in them all like you do. Recently, my human started giving me private feedings, which I thought was wonderful! However, now she thinks she has the right to hold me! Now, I'm okay with stepping onto her hand so she can give me a lift to my private feeding dish - as I can hop off anytime...but that is where I draw the line. She now thinks she can pick me up!!!! I'm not okay AT ALL with this, and will flap furiously, screech, and try to scratch with my claws. Yet, she will still try it sometimes. How do I train her to understand that private feedings, and occasionally hand lifts to my little feeder are okay....but holding me, petting me, touching me (other than ME stepping ONTO her hand) is just out of the question! I have never tried to preen her, why does she think she can touch and cuddle me?? You and your tribe have been so successful at training your human... any help in training my human would be so welcome! (besides that, she completely ruins my carefully preened feather look when this all happens! Oh, the indignity of it!!)

Sincerely,
A definite NON-teddy bear chicken.

 

[RoyalChick]

Oh yes try curtains - I have curtains in my boxes and they prefer that.

I just stapled some fabric onto the front, you can see that top box has an egg and a golf ball in it :
View attachment 3399289

I am thinking of experimenting with making some curtains for the nest boxes made out of strips of material.
I can’t find a picture but small convenience stores used to have them over the door to the back. You can just walk right through.
Sort of like this but I would make it myself.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/809520840/

 

[rural mouse]

Yes I will call them when I get home.

I was just playing around with the check-out cart and it only lets me select 5 of each! I now have 15 pullets in the 'cart'...

Why can't this be easy? I want 2 of each: Welbar, Bielefelder, Cream Brabant - that makes 6 chicks - not 15!! gaaaaaaaa!

I guess I can sell the ones I don't want - sheesh! we all know how that will end - what crazy sort of chicken math is this anyways? 13+15= too many chickens!

13+15= lots of eggs to sell (gold mine) and at least 2, preferably 3 more roos to help Mr. P out with escort/ sentinel duties.

 

[RoyalChick]

@BY Bob
I think I found a glam boy with high enough style even for Phyllis:

​ ​ PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALEX TEN NAPEL​

​ For decades, Alex ten Napel specialized in human portraiture. Now he’s building mini runways in barns and backyards to capture the essence of chickens. You read that right. “What I hope you see in the photos is that chickens can be proud beings or funny beings,” he tells us. “They can be like gymnasts or ballerinas.” ​

Is that from the Nat Geo article on chicken portraits?

 

[RoyalChick]

Dear Aurora,

Miss Queen Aurora, I know you are a busy lady, what with keeping your flock in fear of you and all. But, I was hoping you could help me with a problem I am having. My HUMAN!!
I am a slight girl (like Phyllis' build, but NO TOP KNOT - I am a REAL CHICKEN), and because of this, I am near the bottom of the pecking order., and there are way too many chickens here (26 in my group alone) to be able to instill fear and trepidation in them all like you do. Recently, my human started giving me private feedings, which I thought was wonderful! However, now she thinks she has the right to hold me! Now, I'm okay with stepping onto her hand so she can give me a lift to my private feeding dish - as I can hop off anytime...but that is where I draw the line. She now thinks she can pick me up!!!! I'm not okay AT ALL with this, and will flap furiously, screech, and try to scratch with my claws. Yet, she will still try it sometimes. How do I train her to understand that private feedings, and occasionally hand lifts to my little feeder are okay....but holding me, petting me, touching me (other than ME stepping ONTO her hand) is just out of the question! I have never tried to preen her, why does she think she can touch and cuddle me?? You and your tribe have been so successful at training your human... any help in training my human would be so welcome! (besides that, she completely ruins my carefully preened feather look when this all happens! Oh, the indignity of it!!)

Sincerely,
A definite NON-teddy bear chicken.
View attachment 3399354View attachment 3399357

A proper chicken - oh this made me laugh!

 

[RoyalChick]

@BY Bob
I think I found a glam boy with high enough style even for Phyllis:

​ ​ PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALEX TEN NAPEL​

​ For decades, Alex ten Napel specialized in human portraiture. Now he’s building mini runways in barns and backyards to capture the essence of chickens. You read that right. “What I hope you see in the photos is that chickens can be proud beings or funny beings,” he tells us. “They can be like gymnasts or ballerinas.” ​

Oh yes. It is from that Nat Geo article
Does this link work for it?
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/alex-ten-napel-show-chickens-photographs

 

[bgmathteach]

I am thinking of experimenting with making some curtains for the nest boxes made out of strips of material.
I can’t find a picture but small convenience stores used to have them over the door to the back. You can just walk right through.
Sort of like this but I would make it myself.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/809520840/

You could go retro! (beaded doorway, )