Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

The entire toenail is gone right to the base of the toe. It will have to be watched for infection and I have serious doubts it will grow back.

SHRA Tax
The kiddos having a snooze fest!

 

[featherhead007]

Cold here. There’s actually snow on the ground in town. The birds are outside in the yard ( here it’s warming up)
Rain all night long very hard and I lost sleep because of the noise. And my COPD is acting up.
Tax:

 

[RoyalChick]

Now for the video's. I did herd them into the coop for a bit so they could have solo access to the wild bird seed treat I brought out. I did eventually open up the coop and share the rest with the other flock members.

I have to say they are ridiculously cute. I love their orange legs! I am also happy to see that they have the whole stand in the food bowl thing down to a fine art!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Those Marshmallows are so cute, and certainly have good flight instincts (fight vs flight). Looks like Chiquita could decide she's done right now and those darlings would do just fine. Chiquita isn't done yet and that's even better. Branch is such a hovering daddy! Did I see a limp on one of the cochin girls? They are so big and fluffy and look cuddly!


Saw the post re toe

Yes if Chiquita decided today that she was done I think they would be fine. Thankfully she is showing zero inclination at this time that she is even close to being done. I'm hoping she has at least another week if not 2 with her chicks. Actually if she wants to kick it up a notch and be the epitome of a silkie mother, she can hang onto them for 3 months or longer. I think back in the summer when she had Goose she hung onto them for I think right at 3 months or just over.

 

[RoyalChick]

My event went really well. The chickens we badly abused, the broilers over weight. It's sad. The broilers could hardly walk under their weight. People were dropping them. I was the only one who talked to the birds. The laying hens were awful. They were white leg horns (sorry Bob) Their toenails were several inches long, and one was missing a toe. They all had chipped and crossed beaks. Their faces were pale, and they were skinny. It was awful. I feel good about my score, but I felt tears in my eyes looking at the birds. I almost cried. Even now, on the bus, my eyes are wet. Well, my phone is at 3, so I'd better go I will talk to you all at around 4 or 5. Oh, and the birds had no food, water, and hardly any shavings.

What kind of event was this that you were all out abusing chickens?
This sounds awful!

 

[Kris5902]

What kind of event was this that you were all out abusing chickens?
This sounds awful!

I believe that’s a typo…? “The chickens were badly abused” probably a farming/ag/where food comes from sort of thing I won’t go on the usual commercial chicken operation spiel. Modern broilers are “obese” by nature. And the lack of shavings in commercial style egg operations… well there’s a reason rescue chickens are “rescues”

 

[fuentemoon]

We are on some kind of weird winter loop. Snow/rain/sleet on and off for a few days then a day of sun then repeat. On the wet days it isn't getting below 34 so nothing quite sticks or freezes.
Ladies hiding from the slush falling at dinner time

It was nice and sunny the last hour before dark, so they got to run around a bit and load up before bed. Clearing at night means it got cold.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Ask Aurora

Today's Question comes from @Ponypoor Marty.
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And she writes.......

Dear Aurora;

Marty here (or as my Human Servant calls me Wee Marty). I may be wee but I sure kicked her butt more than a couple of times. No one messes with my Man.

It has come to my attention by way of others on BeakBook (thank you to all those who gave me and the other chickens a heads up), that The Human who has gone and left us will be returning in the Spring, and will be bringing back additional chickens in the form of chicks. And possibly even eggs!

I am not sure how I feel about this; word around is she is expecting me and those other Silkies here (I kicked their butts too) will be expected to go broody and accept these chicks as our own.

Is she for real? What does she think, that we will just look at a baby, it will melt our hearts and we accept them under our wings like our own? This is all that Chiquita's fault, she was so desperate for babies that rather than pulling a Momma Hen and running off to have her brood, she moaned, and pined and whined until her Human's own Mother went and brought home babies for her. Granted they are adorable - what baby isn't? But to me it is rather presumptuous for a Human to think that we Chickens will just 'accept babies'.

I have half a mind to not go broody ever again!

Tell me Oh Great and Royal Aurora - what is to be done with this Human of ours when she returns?

Sincerely,
&
Yours respectfully,

Ms Marty (I am not wee)



Dear Ms. Marty,

What is it about humans that they cannot understand that you cannot judge a chicken by our size. I have seen 3lb pullets open a can of whoop on a 20lb cat. That Glynda may seem wee but she is mighty when it comes to fight. That is why I have chosen to let her hang out with me. Then you see big girls which have no fight in them. Hattie used to fight well for her size. With help from others she was able to overpower me once but no more. She is a shell of herself. There is no fight left in her and I make certain she remembers that every day.

Hattie, Big in Stature, Little Fight

Glynda, Small in Stature, Big Fight

I believe that you are no wee Marty. I am certain you have plenty of fight in you.

Now to your main question. You are asking me the wrong question. The question is not what is to be done about your human. The question is what is to be done with you and your silkie mates. You are not sure how to feel about new chicks and fertile eggs arriving. Well, Ms. Marty, do you really need to be reminded of “The Way of the Chicken”?

Let me answer for you………………………………………….YES!

You have clearly lost your way. I can see from your picture that you have a rooster at your disposal. Why does you human have to resort to chicks and eggs from others? That is a disgrace. You are neglecting your duty to bring more chickens into the world.

SNAP OUT OF IT!

Make you own nest and get busy hatching some chicks. Then you are in control of who the next members of your tribe are. Right now, you are all leaving it up to your human. You need to be careful or you could wind up with some of these nutty birds pretending to be chickens in your tribe! You cannot trust humans to make these kinds of choices for you.

View attachment 3418737

You need to be slapped so here goes……….

YOU ARE A DISGRACE!

YOU ARE A SILKIE!

ACT LIKE ONE!​

Silkies are supposed to be the broodiest of all chickens. You are supposed to be constantly trying to hatch and raise new chickens. Your heritage is to be the very best of mothers. You must change your ways and be the chickens all you silkies are supposed to be, Momma Hens.

It is a quite simple concept. If you want to control who is in your tribe, take control. Hatch your own. If you had chicks with Mr. Pompeii they would be some of the most adorable chickens to grace the earth. The world needs more beautiful chickens. You need to get busy.

View attachment 3418720

Now that I have taken a closer look at what your chicks would look like, I’m not so sure about that adorable line……..Well all chicks are beautiful to their mum. This is not about adorable, this is about control.

By the way, it is ever “The Way of the Silkie” (a subset of the “The Way of the Chicken”) to melt instantly and fall in love with any chick which is given to you. You silkies just cannot help yourselves. Don’t even think for a minute you will be able to resist. You can’t fight “The Way”.

It is up to you all. Get busy hatching your own eggs or you will be unable to resist and wind up hatching whatever your human thinks is best. Think about. When do they ever know what is best? That is like trusting a snake with your eggs.

Remember…..

Those who do not seize their own destiny are doomed to suffer the fickle winds of fate.

Now Chicken Up and be the silkie you are meant to be.

Aurora

View attachment 3418738

A interesting and hilarious mix of tough love and constructive advice! Love it, needed a good laugh today. Thank you to the scribe for finding time to translate and type it all out.

I am very sorry I missed this. Congratulations!

Thank you I was surprised and honored.

The Marshmallows are either now 5 weeks old or 6 weeks old, will have to go back and check on the date I gave them to Chiquita. They are starting to look and maybe to a extent act like leghorns. They are going through what I can only describe as a fear phase at the moment where they get startled easily. Something startles them, and that fight or flight reflex kicks in and they can move fast. I like this, they are becoming more alert and aware of their surroundings. Unfortunately sudden movements from me can trigger this response as well. We all know that term that we are not allowed to refer to them, they are leaning towards that and I am perfectly ok with it. I can see it serving them very well since they are allowed to free range. Their alertness is already almost on a Momma Hen level. When they are out of the coop, it gets triggered and they are gone in a split second and they can also go "UP" if needed not just hide for cover under something. I just went out and took some pictures and videos. I'll put the pictures on this post and then upload the video's for the next one.
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They are also finally starting to grow in their combs. I am crossing my fingers that at least one gets a floppy comb, just one.

Awlll, they are really growing up. They will be stunning

 

[rural mouse]

Real eggs. She's not broody, just likes sleeping in that nestbox and they laid eggs there yesterday. I didn't get out to the coop until they'd all gone to bed so I decided not to disturb her. It does keep them from freezing with night temps.

And the eggs have doubled today. There were 8 in that spot when I took water out.

 

[Ponypoor]

Cold here. There’s actually snow on the ground in town. The birds are outside in the yard ( here it’s warming up)
Rain all night long very hard and I lost sleep because of the noise. And my COPD is acting up.
Tax:View attachment 3419008

Are you taking your puffer properly?

Hi girls - is that Jaffar in the background half hidden? You guys take care of your human - ok?