Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[biophiliac]

Love at first bite
Thank you to all of you who suggested live meal worms to bribe the baby-Princesses to tolerate me. Oh boy, it is like they have a switch in their brain when it comes to those wiggly worms! They will grab them from my hand and are beginning to look expectantly when I show up.
I am now confident that the babies can make it back up their ladder. And they are getting braver about coming out of their little door.

I am not totally confident that they can find the ladder when they are at floor level but both have now ventured around the Palace floor. Minnie got there by falling between the rungs of the ladder and Dotty flew inside the Brooder-Palace but because I had the doors wide open so she just kept going and found herself out and about too.
Next step is for them to meet the big Princesses at ground level (supervised at first). I will give that a go tomorrow.
Today I tried to build a step from the servants quarters down to the main Palace level. Jumping up and down the 18" drop isn't that convenient. I carefully dug out the dirt to create a level area on which to build the step. Then helpers arrived and they pushed all the dirt back where it was. So still no step!

And now just because it is Friday.. ..View attachment 2225974

Now that you have found the perfect treat/reward, would you consider 'clicker-training' these youngsters. I think you could have a blast shaping their behavior!

 

[BY Bob]

I am just loving bribery by live meal worm!
This morning I woke up 6 tiny meal worms from the fridge and headed off to the Chicken Palace. The little Princesses did not squeal and panic on my approach. They didn't rush towards me like the big girls do, but they stood there watching me carefully, and when I put my hand in their brooder-Mansion with a meal worm on it they dived towards my hand to get the worm.
6 meal worms should be 3 each. However, Minnie (the small one) is by far the most adventurous and so she got there first for 5 of the 6.
Her way of keeping the worm away from Dotty is to grab and run. With one worm she made a tactical error by running out of the brooder-Mansion and onto the ladder and then dropping the worm.
It landed like manna from heaven for Diana who happened to be passing by. I think Diana may have had a religious conversion as she had never seen a meal worm before!
The score is: Minnie 4; Dotty 1; Diana 1; meal worms 0.
The big winner though is me as I am definitely slowly taming the baby Princesses.

Perfect. I'm so glad.

 

[BY Bob]

Just a quick note, my phone is not working and I don't have internet at home, so I'll be MIA for a bit.

I went kayaking on the river yesterday and I unintentionally took a swim 3 times.

My phone also took a swim. Now it won't recognize the sim card. It's been in rice, but I have the extended warranty on it, so it should be fixed soon.

Happy 4th of July to all my US friends!

Happy Independence Day to you as well.

 

[BY Bob]

I am pretty sad about it and not sure how I will transport him. I have a good size box and only have to go 6 miles.
I am also concerned with how the others will do with him gone. I watch them at dusk and he is always the one up in the coop last after making sure the rest have gone up. Time will tell.

It's always tough when they lose a friend but one of the hens will step up. It will take a little bit. Watch closely it is fascinating to watch them work it out.

 

[TopazMaster91]

Boy I hope this works.

It worked! She accepted it, lets it hop on her back, called it to the food bowl I set directly in front of her, etc And thanks for giving me your experience, in the cage in the run they can see and be seen by the other chickens, so it should really help them get along when they can actually interact directly in a week or two!

 

[RoyalChick]

Now that you have found the perfect treat/reward, would you consider 'clicker-training' these youngsters. I think you could have a blast shaping their behavior!

Oh goodness - they could do tricks! I am not sure I have the patience though It is tempting!

 

[RoyalChick]

It worked! She accepted it, lets it hop on her back, called it to the food bowl I set directly in front of her, etc And thanks for giving me your experience, in the cage in the run they can see and be seen by the other chickens, so it should really help them get along when they can actually interact directly in a week or two!

Hooray! Well done.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Love at first bite
Thank you to all of you who suggested live meal worms to bribe the baby-Princesses to tolerate me. Oh boy, it is like they have a switch in their brain when it comes to those wiggly worms! They will grab them from my hand and are beginning to look expectantly when I show up.
I am now confident that the babies can make it back up their ladder. And they are getting braver about coming out of their little door.

I am not totally confident that they can find the ladder when they are at floor level but both have now ventured around the Palace floor. Minnie got there by falling between the rungs of the ladder and Dotty flew inside the Brooder-Palace but because I had the doors wide open so she just kept going and found herself out and about too.
Next step is for them to meet the big Princesses at ground level (supervised at first). I will give that a go tomorrow.
Today I tried to build a step from the servants quarters down to the main Palace level. Jumping up and down the 18" drop isn't that convenient. I carefully dug out the dirt to create a level area on which to build the step. Then helpers arrived and they pushed all the dirt back where it was. So still no step!

And now just because it is Friday.. ..View attachment 2225974

How old are they now? Mine are seven weeks and I had been concerned about letting them out before this point but I have let them out a couple of times supervised.. but they eat the big food and they aren’t supposed to have it until seven weeks.. I was wondering if that is why Claudine had a bad morning..? Thought that maybe she ate too much big food and it didn’t agree with her... I was also thinking that she may be a bit younger than the other two cuz she’s a bit smaller than them... it’s hard to keep them from eating the big food when they are out... your food may be different so I’d check the label....

 

[WhoDatChick]

Happy 4th of July to all of my fellow Americans! Have some cake

 

[WhoDatChick]

I need some advice.... I am thinking if rehoming my Silkie and my three Cochin bantams... to the young lady I was telling yall about.. the one with all the sweet roosters... she has a frizzle bantam who is alone at the moment and thought that my bantams might be happier with him.. being able to breed and hatch eggs as the three Cochins are broody AGAIN!! My question is.. should or could I move them now while they are broody? I was thinking that the move might snap them out if it which would be fine for now... but was also wondering if it’d be too stressful..? Thoughts?
I am torn about this.. cuz when they are laying they lay every day!! And I do love them but they also get picked on a bit... and I know Nilky.. no matter what the big girls do to her.. she seems very content with her flock...