Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[notabitail]

Let's see if this works. Someone has asked to see the broccoli trick.

 

[Ponypoor]

Tax pics

As promised here are the tax pics

Dorothy thought about laying her egg in my hay/bedding wheelbarrow but didnt

The sun finally came out and they all made a run for it when I opened the door to empty buckets so I let them have some fun.

Misty on sentry duty

Mr P and Dorothy

Some of the ladies dirt bathing, note Marty wearing an apron she has been over bred and her feathers torn out

Whiskers (aka Whiskey)

Dorothy showing off her gleaming feather

And it’s Friday now so some Fluffy Butts

Misty

Dorothy

Marty

- hard to tell on these silkie which end is which sometimes!

 

[Ponypoor]

Let's see if this works. Someone has asked to see the broccoli trick.

Glad she grabbed her treat.

My gang detest broccoli in all forms they just will not eat it! But they love cabbage.

 

[notabitail]

Glad she grabbed her treat.

My gang detest broccoli in all forms they just will not eat it! But they love cabbage.

Yeah. She will usually grab it most of the time unless it's too high.

 

[Ponypoor]

Main reason being the Guineas terrorize the chickens to include our toughest roosters. We don't have much predator pressure here. I'd love to leave the Guineas out 24/7. We have plenty of tall trees for them to roost in. Lety doesn't like putting the Guineas outside but while I'm home I like to let them free range. Over time I hope to get the Guineas and the chickens use to each other. I acquired a female Guinea in hopes that it will distract the boys from the chickens. Time will tell if that works. I've seen Guinea flocks and chickens share the same range so I know it's possible.

@Pastel The Rooster has Guinea’s and might have some insight as to why they are terrorizing the chooks.

 

[Ponypoor]

She has a plan for the chickens so she says. I really only consider Red's tribe as mine. They're what's left of the original chicks. All others have been bought, hatched or acquired by Lety. I think we are near her capacity to take care of everything. Last night we discussed what chicks we are keeping and why. Every tribe will get 2 roosters and approximately 6 to 8 hens which will put us at 4 dozen grown chickens approximately.

They sure do breed like rabbits! I never want to go more than 16 just replace the old gals who are slowing down.

 

[Ponypoor]

He’s mad at me, but he had 3 hens to keep him company. Town was crazy (nobody knows how to drive in that town)
Walmart was…..,,.. well, Walmart!
My church was giving out free food, so I stopped there first. (So no duplicate food)
And I got lots of good stuff for myself this time! (And the chooks)
Talk away tax:
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I am glad you chose wisely the odd butter tart is allowed

But, do not eat it while sitting in a lawn chair enjoying the sun - some bratty hen (Blanche) will jump up and try to make a grab for it!

I shoved the rest in my mouth and I seriously thought she would peck me in the face ha!

 

[Ponypoor]

Now I want to see her.

I will try for some video of her whining

Another one of my layer chicks is not acting like herself. She is smaller than the rest and just standing there with her eyes closed. Is attracted to heat also.

they need really warm housing as chicks, mine are in my feed room which is heated to 19c during the day (at night I lower it to 17c as they are sleeping under the brooder plate), they have the brooder plate to hang out under any time they want where it’s dark and warm and safe.

But if it isn’t warm when they are not under the brooder plate they will get chilled quickly.

I spent 2 nights up with that one chick last week, making sure she drank and ate. Round the clock every couple hrs. They are like human babies. You are mama hen you need to make sure they have everything she would supply.

Good luck with the wee gal

 

[Ponypoor]

It’s actually very difficult to make a nutritionally balanced chicken feed in small scale on your own. When I first got my chicks I spent a lot of time reading in the food section of the forum and there was a lot of good info there, especially on how bad some of the “recipes” for homemade food are that are on the internet.

Mine eat their oyster shell and grit just fine from feeder cups I have put up in their pen. They get eggshell treats in one of them on occasion. The extra calcium really needs to be free choice and available at all times, or some hens might not get enough.

I found the chick starter I bought was too big for the little Ones to eat and they were hungry, I then gave them the stuff I already had and they went mad for it! Smaller crumbles and they just likes it better.

Not sure what to do with a whole bag of chick starter now! Might mix it wil the hens ration to get rid of it.

 

[Ponypoor]

The roosts are the same height in both coops. Hattie is actually spending more time in the nest box than in the roost. Take tonight for example.

View attachment 3475575

Last night they were actually separated by chicken wire. That roost has been split since Glynda and Lady Featherington started roosting with Phyllis.

I don't care where anyone roosts as long as they are locked in tight at night.

Phyllis tried this over the weekend when it was really hot out. I get it. The run was cooler than the coop but that's not safe enough.

View attachment 3475584

Agreed locked up tight and safe!