Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

So many responses! Too many to quote you all, but Thank You All so much!

We'll get the shade cloth Wednesday and get it up asap. Still can't imagine how we'd get anything on the roof, but hope that shading the front and more of the run will help. We can thoroughly water down the run. They've got some pretty deep holes dug in there. I'll fill them up and let the water sink in good. We have several gallon jugs frozen.

My husband works until 9 p.m. tonight, but I'm going to see how much of the coop wall I can take down and cover with wire by myself. I'm worried about the chickens, but I'm a tad worried about this fat old office worker working in 100° heat too.

So far I haven't had the triplets out with the others. It tends to be a couple degrees cooler in their little spot. Have to think about that.

Make sure you have that box fan on YOU when you are working! That is what I do here if I need to work in the heat.

Sounds like they should be fine, and I bet making an awning at the front of the shed and run will make a huge difference!

 

[Ponypoor]

The coop is inside the other structure. We're not really worried about anything getting in there after the doors are shut for the night. The top is chicken wire already, but the bottom 4' of the walls are plywood and block the breeze.
That's the part I'm taking down.View attachment 3588444

That is cement floor - you may wish to uncover it so that they will be next to the cool floor, my gang likes to sit on the paver bricks here in the barn where it's cool. I love a cement floor, it is so easy to clean and cool in the summer.

 

[Ponypoor]

Went out to feed this morning. There was a bird on the other side of the olive trees. Went up to look. Was StormView attachment 3588453View attachment 3588452View attachment 3588454View attachment 3588451View attachment 3588450Final count: 5. 2 black/blue, 1 coco (like whiskey), 1 yellow, and 1 yellow with black head spot ( like Havoc). Went out to the nest. 5 eggs not hatched. Dunno what happened to the other 3, but took the 5 and tucked them under Jessica.

She's sheltering under the olive tree to the left of the pics now. I have a sprinkler tucked under the one above that, so lots of wild water for them.

Are you going to try and get her inside the coop at night now?

 

[Ponypoor]

There is a hurricane brewing. It's coming right for me. If it does end up a hurricane, my chooks will likely come on my closed in screen porch. Not sure about my guineas...

Hmmm - must check the news - haven't heard much this season on them, been quiet.

 

[Ponypoor]

Those are great! You had a good day with the camera!

While fighting the mosquitoes! But I am glad they all enjoyed themselves. I need to repair that netting pronto so I can electrify it and turn them out.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Thank you for all this.

I am happy that there continues to be some progress with Butters! Hopefully, the more she eats and forages, the more it will lead to MORE eating and foraging.

I just had a thought - is there a petco or something similar near you that might have live worms? Since she doesn't seem enamored with the dried mealworms, but is getting better about eating 'found' worms, maybe you could try to supplement her intake by offering her live worms? (I assume uncovering parts of the soon to be garden isn't enough, worm wise, to fill her up)

I'm assuming nightcrawlers for fishing could be had in your neck of the woods, but was concerned they might be a bit big considering how she needs to pummel regular garden worms?????

My local one has assorted size and age meal worms. You can start a live farm off of them. Just dont get the super worms. They're treated with a growth hormone of some sort and are sterile. The chickens will eat the beetles too, btw...

These are good ideas, thanks! I’ve thought about a mealworm farm, I might try that. Not thought about buying garden worms. I do have red worms in the house for kitchen compost and winter composting, and tried them yesterday, of course, Popcorn cottoned on to them pretty quickly, but Butters didn’t like something about it - the worm poop still on them? Flavor? - which Popcorn thought was a little weird (only at first) too. I washed a couple and tried again, and it was hard to say. They aren’t muscular and lively like garden worms, and also Butters’ interest goes in waves. I stayed out with her after I put the other two back and she had another go at several garden worms, this time being alone seemed to help. This session was about two and a half hours. She’d need three of these to eat enough.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

Hmmm - must check the news - haven't heard much this season on them, been quiet.

The water is so warm. Perfect temperatures for bad storms.
About to head back down to GA. Not home though. North GA. I'm so eggcited! I get to see some friends that moved away. I don't care if they are 10 and I don't remember (?) And I don't care if I'm much older than them. I've known them since they were born. They are like my little sisters.
They love seeing my chooks too!

 

[RoyalChick]

They are little ladies now aren't they

I am having issues counting everyone now hahaha. They are almost as big as the Grups!

Honestly I think of you every evening. I don't know how you do it. I only have to count to seven and I still cannot manage it. There is always one (usually Pooh) who either gets counted twice because she runs round to the start of the line, or disappears entirely.

 

[Lilion]

There is a hurricane brewing. It's coming right for me. If it does end up a hurricane, my chooks will likely come on my closed in screen porch. Not sure about my guineas...

Stay safe yourself!

Make sure you have that box fan on YOU when you are working! That is what I do here if I need to work in the heat.

Sounds like they should be fine, and I bet making an awning at the front of the shed and run will make a huge difference!

I have taken most of the litter out of the coop. Still a big pile inder the roosts. I am NOT looking forward to doing work out there. I wish I could do it now while it's only about 85°, but I have a job. So it'll have to be this evening.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Thanks

I was thinking of this one instead
View attachment 3588105

Wow both are great love the reflections