Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

It is hard to train chickens to the fence until they have a full comb because their feathers are good insulators.
Even Babs I think hasn't got zapped because her comb is too small. Bernie definitely has been zapped.
I will try some staples if I can figure out where they are going - it is 250' or so of fence so a lot of staples unless I go for targeted areas!

I went and bought a bunch of these electric fence posts, then not only hold down the bottom strand but keep the netting between the built in post from sagging.

I put two between the built in posts. They are a pain in the butt to haul up when I want to move the fence but they keep it in place.

And in the 30 seconds it took to run out and snap those photos, Petunia decided she missed me, she is such a sweetie pie, definitely keeping her

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

I went and bought a bunch of these electric fence posts, then not only hold down the bottom strand but keep the netting between the built in post from sagging.

I put two between the built in posts. They are a pain in the butt to haul up when I want to move the fence but they keep it in place.
View attachment 3586405View attachment 3586406


And in the 30 seconds it took to run out and snap those photos, Petunia decided she missed me, she is such a sweetie pie, definitely keeping her
View attachment 3586407

How many hens/pullers are you keeping? Sorry if you already answered this in the past...
I know that for most breeds, it's a 10:1 ratio of hens to roos.
If you're keeping 20+ then maybe you can also keep Penne if you're keeping Rico? Whoever acts the best though ☺
Maybe keep them all until their hormones start kicking in, and keep the nicest and gentlest one/s?
Just suggestions

 

[bgmathteach]

Age of pullets & cocker

Tippy is now 14 weeks old
And so are her naughty brothers Rico and Floyd

Penne is 12 weeks old

School chicks will be 11 weeks tomorrow.

I would say 16 weeks for the cockerels to be processed (school chicks) and the others also if no takers for re-homing. Which at this point no one has expressed any interest in Penne.

General rule for heritage breed is 5 months for processing.

Until a year ago (when he passed) there was a gentleman who would buy my extra male roos at 5 mos. old. He had a clientele of immigrants from various areas of the world who would buy a live rooster - they would process it for their dinner. Heritage breeds - roos at 5-6 mos. old are large enough for processing, but not old enough to be tough. They make a good roaster (though a bit skinny for the work, if you ask my hubby! )

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

General rule for heritage breed is 5 months for processing.

Until a year ago (when he passed) there was a gentleman who would buy my extra male roos at 5 ms. old. He had a clientele of immigrants from various areas of the world who would buy a live rooster - they would process it for their diner. Heritage breeds - roos at 5-6 mos. old are large enough for processing, but not old enough to be tough. They make a good roaster (though a bit skinny for the work, if you ask my hubby! )

Very cool. I am really sorry about the person passing. It's nice to know that someone is enjoying the animals tou raise. Even if it means that they are no longer around.

 

[Ponypoor]

How many hens/pullers are you keeping? Sorry if you already answered this in the past...
I know that for most breeds, it's a 10:1 ratio of hens to roos.
If you're keeping 20+ then maybe you can also keep Penne if you're keeping Rico? Whoever acts the best though ☺
Maybe keep them all until their hormones start kicking in, and keep the nicest and gentlest one/s?
Just suggestions

Well at the rate we are going I will only be keeping Mr P, I forgot how much drama is involved with these jerks.

Add the fact I have new hens fighting with mine, and everyone squawking about wanting to either lay an egg, or have laid an egg. Well it’s not very quiet. Then add in the roosters crowing…. I might not keep any of the new ones (except Petunia), and just keep my original gals and my nieces old ladies.

Ya… just those original ones - keep it simple and quiet. Mr P hardly crows at all on his own.

Beasts! Brats! Noisy kiddos

 

[knoturavggrl]

Well at the rate we are going I will only be keeping Mr P, I forgot how much drama is involved with these jerks.

Add the fact I have new hens fighting with mine, and everyone squawking about wanting to either lay an egg, or have laid an egg. Well it’s not very quiet. Then add in the roosters crowing…. I might not keep any of the new ones (except Petunia), and just keep my original gals and my nieces old ladies.

Ya… just those original ones - keep it simple and quiet. Mr P hardly crows at all on his own.

Beasts! Brats! Noisy kiddos

I hope it settles down. The teen antics can be alot especially as the pecking order gets established then messed up then reestablished and then someone starts laying and it gets all screwed up again. and thats just the girls.

I have had awful experiences with Roosters so far. My Orps are great so far but I know how fast that can change. We will see how that goes. Its a hard decision but you have to do what is best for the flock and you.

 

[BeefQuesoritto]

Yeah I was originally planning on getting a white leghorn roo, but mine is so quiet and not troublesome, I don't really want to deal with the hassle of integration ever again!

Candled my quail eggs today. 8 quitters. I also lost power last night while I was asleep. I'm not sure how long it went out. So, the 16 eggs that show development might not have survived that if the temp dipped significantly. I mean, it's summer, if it dipped, it probably dipped to 85-90. Guess we'll see what happens. What a frought incubation this has been...

 

[knoturavggrl]

Yup, that is a chicken nugget Biscotti has

 

[Ponypoor]

General rule for heritage breed is 5 months for processing.

Until a year ago (when he passed) there was a gentleman who would buy my extra male roos at 5 mos. old. He had a clientele of immigrants from various areas of the world who would buy a live rooster - they would process it for their dinner. Heritage breeds - roos at 5-6 mos. old are large enough for processing, but not old enough to be tough. They make a good roaster (though a bit skinny for the work, if you ask my hubby! )

Ok good to know- they may not live that long. Seeing as how they are only 11 weeks old, so not glad way to 5 months of age.

It’s not just me listening to this cacophony, I don’t want Mr Chainsaw whining all about my noisy clucks. We have noise bylaws here and I dont want the twsp aggregating me!

As it is everyone is squawking and carrying on here, he had the chainsaw going which set everyone off, now he has a huge burn pile going near my fence line, my mum came up all pissed because his burn pit is so near the fence line where all the trees are. She is worried the trees will catch fire and then burn down everything. I told her grab the cat and her safe and drive out if it happens I would get the chooks out. Horses too…

If anything ever happened here it’s not me he would need to worry about, it’s my 4’8”, 77yr old mum!

Anyways I bought everyone inside and told them to zip it, they have all settled down now, I guess it’s not normal for him to be out there doing stuff so the chickens were all freaking out, they couldn’t see him through the trees, but could hear him. It wasn’t normal noise, they are creatures of habit.

Even the horses were milling about with his activities.

But now peace reigns and it’s all good

Back to what I was doing - fixing the Hen House door.

 

[Ponypoor]

Yup, that is a chicken nugget Biscotti has

View attachment 3586527

HAHAHAHA AWESOME !