Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

They Care

People who do not own chickens don’t understand thee deep affection these wonderful animals have for each other. I don’t know why I am surprised every time i see evidence of it. Whether it is Patsy laying next to Daisy (greatest hen ever) as she passed, the whole flock saying goodbye to Patsy, they way the flock yelled at me all day yesterday when i crated Mal and took her eggs, or what I saw this morning.

I had to leave town briefly this morning before first light. So Maleficent is crated in the coop. I will move her to the run when I return in an hour or so. I have been checking in on her using the webcam in the coop and every time I check Aurora is with her. She could be out in the run scratching and carrying on with the other two but she has decided to hang out with her friend.


The picture is not great but you can see Aurora standing by the crate.

I have to thank @Kris5902 for the advice of keeping Mal with everyone. She has a support system in her flock to help her through this. It would have been much harder on her if I had removed her from the flock.

Thanks Kris.

By the way, I am so lucky to have all of you. I don't know why you all started reading my thread but I am very grateful. I have had some difficult moments all year and you have all made it much easier for me. I hope that I can repay you all over time. Thank you all for being my virtual flock and chicken friends.

 

[WhoDatChick]

They Care

People who do not own chickens don’t understand thee deep affection these wonderful animals have for each other. I don’t know why I am surprised every time i see evidence of it. Whether it is Patsy laying next to Daisy (greatest hen ever) as she passed, the whole flock saying goodbye to Patsy, they way the flock yelled at me all day yesterday when i crated Mal and took her eggs, or what I saw this morning.

I had to leave town briefly this morning before first light. So Maleficent is crated in the coop. I will move her to the run when I return in an hour or so. I have been checking in on her using the webcam in the coop and every time I check Aurora is with her. She could be out in the run scratching and carrying on with the other two but she has decided to hang out with her friend.


The picture is not great but you can see Aurora standing by the crate.

View attachment 1922472

I have to thank @Kris5902 for the advice of keeping Mal with everyone. She has a support system in her flock to help her through this. It would have been much harder on her if I had removed her from the flock.

Thanks Kris.

By the way, I am so lucky to have all of you. I don't know why you all started reading my thread but I am very grateful. I have had some difficult moments all year and you have all made it much easier for me. I hope that I can repay you all over time. Thank you all for being my virtual flock and chicken friends.

Glad to be here Bob!
I witnessed the same thing yesterday with Nilky... I gave the gals some old bananas and the older gals were chasing off the flowers so I one by one chased each bully out of the run until only the ones that could be civil and share were aloud the stay... well, Nilky was one of the ones left along with Kelly, Petunia and the flowers... and Nilky wasn’t having any if it! She ran up and down the side of the run where the other gals were on the outside.. frantically trying to get with them.. when I finally opened the door she ran out as fast as she could straight to Maryn’s side!

 

[drumstick diva]

that's a real friend!

 

[Kris5902]

They Care

People who do not own chickens don’t understand thee deep affection these wonderful animals have for each other. I don’t know why I am surprised every time i see evidence of it. Whether it is Patsy laying next to Daisy (greatest hen ever) as she passed, the whole flock saying goodbye to Patsy, they way the flock yelled at me all day yesterday when i crated Mal and took her eggs, or what I saw this morning.

I had to leave town briefly this morning before first light. So Maleficent is crated in the coop. I will move her to the run when I return in an hour or so. I have been checking in on her using the webcam in the coop and every time I check Aurora is with her. She could be out in the run scratching and carrying on with the other two but she has decided to hang out with her friend.


The picture is not great but you can see Aurora standing by the crate.

View attachment 1922472

I have to thank @Kris5902 for the advice of keeping Mal with everyone. She has a support system in her flock to help her through this. It would have been much harder on her if I had removed her from the flock.

Thanks Kris.

By the way, I am so lucky to have all of you. I don't know why you all started reading my thread but I am very grateful. I have had some difficult moments all year and you have all made it much easier for me. I hope that I can repay you all over time. Thank you all for being my virtual flock and chicken friends.

I’ve decided that overall Chicken Feiends are surely some of the best there are! At least for chicken people. I’m sure there’s other equally good friendships formed over cars, knitting, sports and such... but for me I’ve got to go with chickens. I’m glad it’s working out, and although I’m sure little Mal isn’t exactly happy about having her dreams of parenthood taken away, at least she has her (actual) chicken friends there to support her too! There’s always next year and better weather...

 

[LozzyR]

They Care

By the way, I am so lucky to have all of you. I don't know why you all started reading my thread but I am very grateful.

You had me at “Fluffy butt”.

 

[LozzyR]

Hey @WhoDatChick, with your broodys; do you just keep lifting them off the nest until they stop being broody or have you ever had to isolate them? Charlie stays off the nest when I remove her (until the next day) and she’ll free-range, sun-bake, have a dirt-bath etc. I don’t feel as though I need to put her in a cage of shame. Her broodiness seems to be different to @BY Bob ‘s Malificent, maybe it has something to do with breed/personality?

 

[WhoDatChick]

Hey @WhoDatChick, with your broodys; do you just keep lifting them off the nest until they stop being broody or have you ever had to isolate them? Charlie stays off the nest when I remove her (until the next day) and she’ll free-range, sun-bake, have a dirt-bath etc. I don’t feel as though I need to put her in a cage of shame. Her broodiness seems to be different to @BY Bob ‘s Malificent, maybe it has something to do with breed/personality?

Yes, every time I went in I’d move them off and take eggs of course.. I think my BuffOrp was only halfway broody as she gave up fairly quickly but my Silkie would not give up and at about week three.. right about when chicks would hatch.. I gave her 4 Cochin bantams to adopt.... it was adorable!

 

[LozzyR]

Yes, every time I went in I’d move them off and take eggs of course.. I think my BuffOrp was only halfway broody as she gave up fairly quickly but my Silkie would not give up and at about week three.. right about when chicks would hatch.. I gave her 4 Cochin bantams to adopt.... it was adorable!

Whilst I’d like to pop a couple of fertilised eggs under Charlie, I’d be sad if they died and I wouldn’t want to bond with them and then find out they were roosters.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Whilst I’d like to pop a couple of fertilised eggs under Charlie, I’d be sad if they died and I wouldn’t want to bond with them and then find out they were roosters.

Oh, I understand... one of the Cochins was a roo.. so I did rehome him... but I was okay with that as I really don’t want a rooster.. I thought I did and I absolutely LOvE to hear a rooster crow! But I knew that if I kept one and had fertilized eggs I would inevitably put them under a broody and hatch out more roosters...and so the cycle goes

 

[BY Bob]

You had me at “Fluffy butt”.

Just for you @LozzyR