Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

If you can get a few bales of straw and pile in there they love to jump on that, and fly off of. AND tear it apart and eat any seeds! My kiddos destroyed a straw bale in a couple hours at Christmas! Made a terrible mess but they had fun doing it!

If you can get even hay bales - 3 stacked 2 on the bottom and the third on top like a pyramid they love to jump off that - I also put 2 on the bottom and leave a space between them and place a third as a bridge across the top Great place to poop on also hahaha!

A step ladder is also fun my 3-step ladder seems to be a great place to jump up onto poop on and then jump off hahahaha.

I see the barrels in your run - do they like to jump on that? it looks way too clean mine would be covered in doodoo in no time!

Oh yes hay bales is a great idea. I never by hay - but I rake up leaves into huge lawn bags and drag one inside and tip it in the middle of the floor. They can spend hours happily destroying that mountain. It is fun to watch - they have different strategies. Some work in from the outside edge and some launch themselves into the middle of it and sort of dig their way out. A good time is had by all!

 

[Ponypoor]

I found a link to the feeder I was thinking of. Itbisnt where I first saw it - that was a lady and she used a cork instead of the PVC coupling. But it was the same idea.
This guy is talking about how it detwrs rats and wild birds and keeps feed dry (all good things!) but the thing that caught my eye about the design is how the chickens would be distracted because they had to work for their food.
Anyway, I haven’t tried it but I thought it was an interesting idea.

Great idea! I may try this. (I started singing 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Lizza...')

 

[BY Bob]

Happy Friday

Some "lighter colored" bums.

 

[rural mouse]

Hmm, yes, but at 16' deep, it could still make it a bit dreary under there late spring through early Fall. Especially if she ends up roofing a large section.

That said, the metal will be much more durable long-term. Honestly, in my opinion, it is a 50/50 dilemma!

She could do a combo. Our carport is roofed in metal, like the garage. However, there's a section deep in that's roofed in plexiglass or something like that. Light comes in but it's not entirely transparent.

 

[rural mouse]

I will say, beards/muffs aren't guaranteed with Ameraucauna/EE crosses. Case in point:

Both @RoyalChick 's Babs & Eli are 1/2 DC(mom) and 1/2 Americauna/EE (dad). Babs looks much more like her DC mom, with no beard/muffs and build. Eli looks much more like dad with Beard/muffs and build. That said, Eli is closer to Mom's coloring, while Babs has general feather patterning like mom, but has the coloring that definitely came from dad.

And, yes, I am SURE of parentage...as the only other possibility is DC mom, BR dad - and there is absolutely no hint of barring on either... and, for whatever reason, y poor BR boy in that groups is so low ranking....he doesn't get to share Roo duties at all

When I extend my run and build an additional coop, I will move him and give him some young pullets of his own. He is a good boy (he sounded the alarm regarding the hawk a couple of months ago when I was in the other side of our 'yard'). I feel bad for him, he looks quite dejected at times

Pippa has a twin at my in-laws. The twin doesn't have beard/muff. It's another reason why I think she's a beautiful mix. The variations are so much greater.

 

[rural mouse]

I have a genetic Silkie question. If you get eggs from a white and buff Silke are the chicks gonna be those colors or can throwback genetics work its way in and give me diff colors.

Depends upon whether the white is Dom white or recessive. The buff is a light version of red. Red and black are the 2 base colors. Recessive white will mean chicks should come out buff, possibly blonde (like Marilyn Monroe) as adults. Dominate white does weird things.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Pippa has a twin at my in-laws. The twin doesn't have beard/muff. It's another reason why I think she's a beautiful mix. The variations are so much greater.

Also when it comes to beards/muffs and mixes. Just because they have a beard or muff does not necessarily mean that they have EE in their lineage. Other breeds like silkies or Salmon Favorelles can also pass down beards and muffs to their chicks.
Twig and Goose are 2 perfect examples. Silkie x Marans crosses and both have lovely beards and muffs.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Depends upon whether the white is Dom white or recessive. The buff is a light version of red. Red and black are the 2 base colors. Recessive white will mean chicks should come out buff, possibly blonde (like Marilyn Monroe) as adults. Dominate white does weird things.

Another thing to consider. Are the buffs actually buffs, or a partridge in disguise. I bought Chiquita as a buff silkie, she looks from a distance like a buff silkie. Chiquita is actually a partridge silkie.
Chiquita as a buff

Nope, look carefully and see what is hidden. Those stripes in her wings make her a partridge.

 

[RoyalChick]

Is it Friday?
Here is a not very fluffy butt. Bernie is not well endowed in the fluff department, but she is off on an important mission to construct a castle out of leaves and shavings in the nest box. She was in there just under an hour but I don’t think we have an egg yet. She did look a little shell-shocked when she emerged so I may be wrong.
Happy Fluffy Butt Friday everyone.

 

[RoyalChick]

Another thing to consider. Are the buffs actually buffs, or a partridge in disguise. I bought Chiquita as a buff silkie, she looks from a distance like a buff silkie. Chiquita is actually a partridge silkie.
Chiquita as a buff
View attachment 3408117
Nope, look carefully and see what is hidden. Those stripes in her wings make her a partridge.
View attachment 3408121View attachment 3408123View attachment 3408124

I feel like I walked into a post doctoral class in chicken breeds and colors when I have still not graduated high school.
I am totally out of my depth and in awe of all the people who understand.
I will stick to my high school class. I know she is a pretty chicken, and with my class guide I can tell she is a Silkie.
And that is as far as I can get today!