Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[notabitail]

I gave up any notion of catching mine. Sometimes I can herd them. Mostly I rely on the fact that they go back in at the end of the day.
I don’t know how much I owe that to Eli. Probably quite a lot.

All I have to do is make the food call, toss some mealworns on the ground, and trick them into entering the coop. Then I slam the door and lock it, making sure I have no escapees.
And of course, I let them out at the first chance I get after eating my dinner.

 

[Lexicon]

I gave up any notion of catching mine. Sometimes I can herd them. Mostly I rely on the fact that they go back in at the end of the day.
I don’t know how much I owe that to Eli. Probably quite a lot.

My problem is that it gets a bit dark, like dusk in the wee hours of the morning before starting to get light again, and I don't want to stay up that late ! We are very far north.

I experienced this with my first hens when they were chicks. Now that they're mature ladies, they go into the coop around 8:00 pm.

 

[RoyalChick]

My problem is that it gets a bit dark, like dusk in the wee hours of the morning before starting to get light again, and I don't want to stay up that late ! We are very far north.

I experienced this with my first hens when they were chicks. Now that they're mature ladies, they go into the coop around 8:00 pm.

Yes. You have more of a challenge than I do. Though mine do go in well before sunset. If I don’t close the doors however they come out again for another snack before bed!
@notabitail - it isn't quite as easy with little ones as they are less attune to treats. I can get the big Proncesses in byvrattling the sunflower seed cup.

 

[notabitail]

Yes. You have more of a challenge than I do. Though mine do go in well before sunset. If I don’t close the doors however they come out again for another snack before bed!
@notabitail - it isn't quite as easy with little ones as they are less attune to treats. I can get the big Proncesses in byvrattling the sunflower seed cup.

The littles need to learn how to train you then.

 

[Lexicon]

Yes. You have more of a challenge than I do. Though mine do go in well before sunset. If I don’t close the doors however they come out again for another snack before bed!
@notabitail - it isn't quite as easy with little ones as they are less attune to treats. I can get the big Proncesses in byvrattling the sunflower seed cup.

I opened the door to their little coop today as I have a small run of about 250 square feet for just them that is adjacent to the much larger one the hens occupy when not in their foraging yard. No one was brave enough to even approach the door! Or maybe it was too chilly for their liking.

Anyway, they are busy learning about the world. I saw my first chest bumps today, initiated by Goneril!

 

[Lexicon]

All I have to do is make the food call, toss some mealworns on the ground, and trick them into entering the coop. Then I slam the door and lock it, making sure I have no escapees.
And of course, I let them out at the first chance I get after eating my dinner.

My older hens know about the food call, but these ones are only two weeks old. They do really love hard boiled egg though!

 

[featherhead007]

Bug hunting success! Under a garbage can, there were countless bugs of different types. The chooks had a wonderful time munching away at them.
(I try not to think that I’m eating the eggs that are produced by such a meal)

 

[BY Bob]

See, that is what happens with older gals & no Roo!!!

at least their 'crows' aren't as powerful(don't carry as well), and aren't as frequent.

It is kind of cute seeing the older gals crow!

Everything Aurora does is cute........

ISN'T IT SO!

 

[BY Bob]

Hattie in all her Glory?!!
(Here she looks like a Cochin, but I finally uploaded it-- My computer wouldn't let me before.)
Miss Hattie
View attachment 3523221
I know very terrible, I am sorry if I disgraced her Bob.
I had to alter some of the dimensions to draw her better.

I just love it. Thanks so much for drawing her. It's very sweet.

 

[BY Bob]

Eli update
It is time I did a bit of an update on Eli.
Just a reminder of the sequence of events:
- At the end of April Eli had some sort of neurological episode and fell off the roost in the middle of the night. The following day she was unable to walk properly and kept falling over on her head.
- A vet visit confirmed that she had no broken bones and no swelling. And a blood test came back negative for Marek’s and Avian Leukosis.
- Eli retreated to a nest box looking like a very sick chicken.
- Almost immediately she went broody.
- While she is only a couple of days into being broody I move 18 day old chicks out to the Chicken Palace where they are situated right next to Eli’s nest box.
- I assume she won’t accept them as they are quite big and she has been broody only a few days. So I don’t even try.
- At some point broody Eli starts to talk to the chicks through the wall separating them - particularly if one of them sends out a distress call. But she makes no effort to get in and visit them.
- Eventually after 21-25 days Eli stops being broody

And now we come to today.

I have convinced myself that Eli has adopted the chicks.
She spends a lot of time with them. They are six weeks old so pretty independent, but they tend to hang with her.
I don’t know if she thinks she is their mother - I got one short video clip where she seems to call Pooh to have some of the apple core Eli found.
And I think she sometimes calls them to a good spot for digging.
Maybe she just likes hanging with young folk?
It definitely seems that she has a unique relationship with them. Neither of the other big Princesses would welcome being groomed by the little ones.
She does not seem to get aggressive in their defense - though honestly nobody really attacks them as they seem to be accepted as part of the tribe. And they are not really helpless little chicks any more.
It is very cute to observe but quite strange.
Eli has not gone back to roosting - she still sleeps in her nest box - I wonder if she does that to stay close to ‘her babies’. She doesn’t seem to have any neurological issue any more.

View attachment 3523301View attachment 3523302View attachment 3523303

Just amazing!