Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

Is that growly noise what mother hens say to their chicks? It's very stern and righteous, like a school marm.

 

[BY Bob]

Is that growly noise what mother hens say to their chicks? It's very stern and righteous, like a school marm.

I'm not sure but we will find out if she goes broody in the spring. They are most definately sounds I have never heard my chickens make before this.

 

[MaryJanet]

I think she's been very clever, sequestering all those eggs.

 

[Ribh]

A Visit from my Friend

It's been 5 days and i have missed my mornings with my friend Maleficent. I have only seen her when checking to see if anyone has laid any eggs next to her. I got lucky this morning. I was truly startled when she came exploding out of the coop, all fluffed out and making sounds I had not heard before. I captured a lot of video that I have edited down. Here are some.

First thing she wanted was purple corn!

Then it was to drink and make soounds I had never heard before. Listen to this.

She spent a lot of time grooming and stretching. The older ladies were not around but when they showed up, Maleficent looked like her namesake. She certainly scared me. She actually seemed to imitate a turkey in her stance. Mal stared them down for quite a while before deciding to go to the lion statue and groom some more. Check it out.

She was out about 30 minutes and then back in she went. Goodbye my friend.

Some oberservations from when she was out.

1. The amount of stretching and flapping was crazy. She was constantly stopping to stretch and flap. One time I think she got a little too flappy and she actually took off staraight up into the sir. How did I miss captuing that?!
2. She only wanted high calorie foods. I have NEVER seen a hen turn their beak up at mealy worms before, Mal did. She wanted corn and crackers.
3. Second only to stretching was grooming. She spent at least 10 minutes just grooming. I was surprised at that.
4. I actually wish she had eaten more. It did not seem like it was nearly enough food. She did drink a lot of water.

I was wondering how many eggs she had gathered so I went and took a quick pic while she was out. Here is her clutch. There are 7 real eggs and 1 ceramic egg.
View attachment 1919644

You need to do something about that or you are going to have a hatch whether you like it or not!

 

[Ribh]

I'm not sure but we will find out if she goes broody in the spring. They are most definately sounds I have never heard my chickens make before this.

I do have a larger flock but those purry/growly sounds are ones I often hear when they go to roost. My broodies are nowhere near as nice!

 

[BY Bob]

You need to do something about that or you are going to have a hatch whether you like it or not!

No rooster, I'm good.

 

[BY Bob]

I think she's been very clever, sequestering all those eggs.

Very clever. I had no idea she could have that many. I thought maybe 3.

 

[Ribh]

Oops, I forgot...Though I'm told hens' eggs remain fertile for some time after the rooster departs. Probably too long ago & no Mal back then either if I remember correctly. No local boys coming calling...?

 

[BY Bob]

Oops, I forgot...Though I'm told hens' eggs remain fertile for some time after the rooster departs. Probably too long ago & no Mal back then either if I remember correctly. No local boys coming calling...?

Nope. No fence jumpers. (And that would be an image) There is a rooster around here somewhere. I can hear him every so often.

Hattie and Lilly were around but that was loooooonnnnggggg ago. My brother told me to save some of Jabber's eggs but no way they make it this long.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Hey Bob!

A Visit from my Friend

It's been 5 days and i have missed my mornings with my friend Maleficent. I have only seen her when checking to see if anyone has laid any eggs next to her. I got lucky this morning. I was truly startled when she came exploding out of the coop, all fluffed out and making sounds I had not heard before. I captured a lot of video that I have edited down. Here are some.

First thing she wanted was purple corn!

Then it was to drink and make soounds I had never heard before. Listen to this.

She spent a lot of time grooming and stretching. The older ladies were not around but when they showed up, Maleficent looked like her namesake. She certainly scared me. She actually seemed to imitate a turkey in her stance. Mal stared them down for quite a while before deciding to go to the lion statue and groom some more. Check it out.

She was out about 30 minutes and then back in she went. Goodbye my friend.

Some oberservations from when she was out.

1. The amount of stretching and flapping was crazy. She was constantly stopping to stretch and flap. One time I think she got a little too flappy and she actually took off staraight up into the sir. How did I miss captuing that?!
2. She only wanted high calorie foods. I have NEVER seen a hen turn their beak up at mealy worms before, Mal did. She wanted corn and crackers.
3. Second only to stretching was grooming. She spent at least 10 minutes just grooming. I was surprised at that.
4. I actually wish she had eaten more. It did not seem like it was nearly enough food. She did drink a lot of water.

I was wondering how many eggs she had gathered so I went and took a quick pic while she was out. Here is her clutch. There are 7 real eggs and 1 ceramic egg.
View attachment 1919644

If I’m not mistaken.. in that second video.. that is the little.. bek, bek, bek, sound they make to show the chicks where the food is... looks like that’s what she is doing.. maybe practicing for when she hatches all those eggs she’s collected ... she really is determined!