Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

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Amidala Sweet Girl and Itty-bitty's fluffy butt for Top Gun Tax

Are you sure that is a picture of Itty-Bitty’s fluffy butt?
I mean which end is which?

 

[RoyalChick]

I know I’ve said this before, but I’m so happy to see them behaving like a little tribe.

Me too!
I get such a kick out of them all together and am so glad Bernie isnt lonesome.

 

[Ponypoor]

@Ponypoor, 14 of the 15 eggs at my barn have something forming!! Pastel has been doing his job!!
Bolt and Pastel fluffy bums!!
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That's great! What is the expected hatch date? Good Pastel!
Two lovely fluffy derrieres

 

[Ponypoor]

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Amidala Sweet Girl and Itty-bitty's fluffy butt for Top Gun Tax

Good morning sweet puppy

Itty-bitty is a ball of fluff hahaha!

 

[Ponypoor]

Put meal worms up against a wall and they will line up to eat them. You can get a great picture of all 3 bums then.

Tricks of the trade - good to know - I actually do similar with the horses when I wanted photos - but why didn't I remember to do this with my chooks?

Thanks for the tip! I will do that when I get home

 

[Ponypoor]

One of Red's new gals actually went into the pen when the tribe did. The other 2 only required minimal coaching.

It's always a good sight to see them getting along and fitting in.

Why 4 feet high? My low roosts aren't even 2 feet high.

Well mostly because that is what I read - make the roosts in steps / different levels, the bigger lead hens would roost up high and the rest would roost lower. Only issue is everyone wants that top spot! If Blanche Sophia and Penelope get in there first to roost there is less drama. But Mum is putting them in bed before they go in themselves.

Why are all chickens "wee" to you? You better watch out or you are going to get "Gimli'ed"!
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hahahaha - it's an Irish / Nfld thing - everyone is wee ladd, wee lass, wee kiddie, wee drink.....
Wee Gimli scares the bejebbers out of me! One tough wee ladd that one

The Rare Snowback Chicken
There have been no sightings around these parts all winter until today.

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You're fortunate to get a photo of such a rarity!

3 Hens 1 Roost
Syd, Lady F., and Glynda share one roost tonight.

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Just wish they would pick a spot and stick to it. But they seem to want to run amok. In the morning they stand on the roosts waiting, and of course Mr P crows up a storm!

 

[Ponypoor]

Sorry for my short absence! I will probably have some (a lot) of pony pictures tomorrow!

Pony pic are on Sunday - Pony Sunday - Saturday is 'Caturday'

This is Miss Georgette Bootsie
BFTP

 

[bgmathteach]

Me too!
I get such a kick out of them all together and am so glad Bernie isnt lonesome.

I don't think you could be happier than I am! I'm so glad that A) you took them in time and B) they have gelled together as a group.

I couldn't be happier for you nor them. They will get so much more attention from you - I couldn't have placed them with a better chicken Mum.

 

[RoyalChick]

Well mostly because that is what I read - make the roosts in steps / different levels, the bigger lead hens would roost up high and the rest would roost lower. Only issue is everyone wants that top spot! If Blanche Sophia and Penelope get in there first to roost there is less drama. But Mum is putting them in bed before they go in themselves.

You all know that I am hardly an expert chicken tender, though I do think I did a pretty good job designing the Chicken Palace (a few things I would change if I had to do it over, but not many). So, take this view for what it is worth - just food for thought.

I think some of your jostling is because everyone wants to be on the top roost. So as long as you provide different levels they will always be shifting each other around.
I think 4' is a great height when you have more space - I don't know your dimensions, but from your night pictures it does look like they have to be precision fliers to get down from that height.

So, what I would do, is provide a single shelf lower down. I would probably do around 3' but my guess is Bob would say even lower. Remember I am the one with chickens in the rafters who found a nearly 5' roost an unacceptable alternative!

I would then provide one step up like a crate, or a concrete block, or a tree stump so folk can do the jump up in two goes if they want to.

 

[bgmathteach]

You all know that I am hardly an expert chicken tender, though I do think I did a pretty good job designing the Chicken Palace (a few things I would change if I had to do it over, but not many). So, take this view for what it is worth - just food for thought.

I think some of your jostling is because everyone wants to be on the top roost. So as long as you provide different levels they will always be shifting each other around.
I think 4' is a great height when you have more space - I don't know your dimensions, but from your night pictures it does look like they have to be precision fliers to get down from that height.

So, what I would do, is provide a single shelf lower down. I would probably do around 3' but my guess is Bob would say even lower. Remember I am the one with chickens in the rafters who found a nearly 5' roost an unacceptable alternative!

I would then provide one step up like a crate, or a concrete block, or a tree stump so folk can do the jump up in two goes if they want to.

I agree. The up and down that @Ponypoor is suggesting will probably cause just as much 'shuffling/fighting as she has now as they jostle for the top spot. I would also suggest something similar to what you have stated, RC.

Maybe across the back (i.e. far wall in pictures) a roost at 2.5 - 3 feet high the whole length of that wall, and then on the side wall (left in pictures) a roost the full length 3 - 3.5 ft high (whatever height you do the lower one, do the other one about 6" - 8" higher).
You could make deep nest boxes 1 story high on one wall, and 2 nest boxes high on the other. (doesn't have to go full length of the walls, maybe a few in that back left corner along each wall) If the 2 story high nest boxes are super deep, they can use that as a 'step/hop' for getting up. And, a log or crate, etc as RC suggested as a hop up, too.

Thank you @RoyalChick for starting this conversation - I was afraid that my thought that the alternating shelf heights was a bad idea was just me.....