Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

A tribute to a fallen Queen.

You came into this world during the wee hours of May 15 2020. The world was going crazy but you were a innocent ball of yellow fluff. We cannot say tiny because Butter girl, you were never tiny.
View attachment 3588724
It did not take you long until you were towering over your siblings. Yes at this point I was questioning you on if you were a boy.
View attachment 3588730
You were also a pig, you never saw a day of hunger in you life. If it could be swallowed, you swallowed it.
View attachment 3588732View attachment 3588733
Not even 3 months old yet but getting a preview of the beauty you were to become.
View attachment 3588734
Exactly 4 months old here. Butter you already had mom wrapped your toes. The phrase "Whatever Butter wants, Butter gets" was already in use.
View attachment 3588736
You never got into trouble as a youngster, you had minions for that. Instead you excelled at napping and supervising your future domain.
View attachment 3588738
The snow and the cold never bothered you. You had extra fluff for protection and used it as a backdrop, and a snack.
View attachment 3588739View attachment 3588740
You bucked the orpington trend of being broody. Chicks were not in your cards although you saw many of them come and go in your life. I could always count on you to ensure fair treatment at night once their momma's abandoned them. They knew they could count on you to shield them from pecks and flocked to you. You did become a mother though thanks to momma hen when your daughter Squirrel was born.
View attachment 3588742
Butter dear you gave me your first scare a month shy of your first birthday. You managed to receive a glancing blow from Dirt while he was playing. You were paralyzed and for the first few days unable to stand even with assistance. We were preparing ourselves to let you go when you rallied. 5 days in you laid a egg again letting us know everything was ok internally. You also started to stand for short times with assistance. Your stay inside cemented it in your mind that if you wanted to come inside you could and would. In fact you took it upon yourself to ensure stays inside your next 2 winters when you molted extremely late and it was either bring you in or let you freeze.
View attachment 3588743View attachment 3588744
Once you rejoined your flock in 2 months your limp was gone and you could run again. You also at that point took over as the undisputed Queen of the flock. You were never ruthless but was able to keep the others in line with a simple glare. Momma hen even backed down to you.
View attachment 3588753
Farewell my sweet Butter. May you have your fill of raisins every day and nap until your hearts content.

Farewell sweet girl. We shall see you on the other side.

 

[featherhead007]

We’re back from the vet visit. Nothing has changed, except that my wallet is a little lighter. Sadly the eye situation isn’t going to change, and it’s possible that Jaffar is in his twilight years of life. But I had to go check. He’s my roo, what can I do?

 

[Ponypoor]

We’re back from the vet visit. Nothing has changed, except that my wallet is a little lighter. Sadly the eye situation isn’t going to change, and it’s possible that Jaffar is in his twilight years of life. But I had to go check. He’s my roo, what can I do?

It’s good to know though, and he will continue
To have a good life with you and his ladies.

 

[notabitail]

Two-fer Tuesday
Felicitas and Josephine sit by the Tree of Peace (even though Josey beat up a cockerel right under its shade...)

Dominica and In Albis snuck inside for a quick preen. I told them they aren't supposed to be inside. I get the feeling those tools they bought me had more purposes than fixing devices and distracting me from them. They were a bribe to let them in.

 

[bgmathteach]

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

So, others may have responded already - but I don't think removing the bottom 4' of wall is the best option. Given that the sheet metal proper walls block most of the breeze in the first place, taking down a couple of strategically placed sheets of the metal sides (for best cross breeze/air flow) and replacing them with good welded wire would be a much better overall help, I think.

My thoughts for best single sheets to remove: (won't let me draw on photo when downloaded, so have to describe here)the sheet/panel on the front left corner of coop proper, and back right corner of coop proper. That said, depending on prevailing breeze, might want to do one sheet center back and one sheet on the front of he shed that we can't see in photo, etc.

While it won't be a 2 second job, it shouldn't be too hard. Cut some 2x4s to length to fit upright between your horizontal runners, toe-nail them in so the form a 'solid' vertical line top to bottom the width of a panel, purchase some hardware cloth the height of the space between your newly created vertical 'runners. (I'm guessing your panels are 2" wide (26"), but some are 3'wide..... They make 2', 30" and 3' high fencing, so you should be able to find some that works. You can staple (or screw) the fencing into place under the remaining metal panels, The screws from them should go through the fencing - but you will probably need a few more to secure the fence well than what is used for just the panels.

This is something you can start working on before removing any) of the 'safe' metal panels! You can start cutting and placing the vertical 2x4 sections from the inside of the shed. (just be sure that your metal panels remaining overlap these 2x4s so they can be securely screwed back on all the way up). You should be able to order a roll of 1/2 in welded wire from Amazon. I don't know how tall your shed is - and shipping can sometimes be a bit high for something as heavy as fencing...but if you can even remove one panel that faces the prevailing wind for now, it will make a significant difference. So, 1 roll 10' long by whatever "height" you need to fit over the studs when removing a panel. (example of fencing - TSC and Amazon also have a variety of selections.

(Note -if the panels don't run full length top to bottom (i.e. 2 overlap to run top to bottom), then removing the top 'half' of 2 opposite or kitty-cornered panels will be a big help, too!

 

[featherhead007]

I had to go purchase some closeup reading glasses for use with my iPhone.
My new eyes see well for distance and said to be 20/20 but it’s easier to read up close now with a pair of $7.00 reading glasses.
Tax.

 

[bgmathteach]

When they were The Gang Of Four. I miss Peanut very much.

I don't think the sorrow ever goes away, but in time it does get a bit less sharp - the pain.

Final 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.

Yay for Storm They are always adorable at this stage/age, but I think I am a bit biased toward the Whisky and the Havoc colored ones

The 3 MIA eggs may have been kick out of the nest by her - and some critter or other took them. I am always amazed - HOW.DO,THEY.KNOW especially early on - if an egg is a dud/quit??????

Hopefully you found the eggs soon enough that a couple more might hatch. How far off is Jessica? Will that maybe throw her hatches off by them hatching too early???

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

A tribute to a fallen Queen.

You came into this world during the wee hours of May 15 2020. The world was going crazy but you were a innocent ball of yellow fluff. We cannot say tiny because Butter girl, you were never tiny.
View attachment 3588724
It did not take you long until you were towering over your siblings. Yes at this point I was questioning you on if you were a boy.
View attachment 3588730
You were also a pig, you never saw a day of hunger in you life. If it could be swallowed, you swallowed it.
View attachment 3588732View attachment 3588733
Not even 3 months old yet but getting a preview of the beauty you were to become.
View attachment 3588734
Exactly 4 months old here. Butter you already had mom wrapped your toes. The phrase "Whatever Butter wants, Butter gets" was already in use.
View attachment 3588736
You never got into trouble as a youngster, you had minions for that. Instead you excelled at napping and supervising your future domain.
View attachment 3588738
The snow and the cold never bothered you. You had extra fluff for protection and used it as a backdrop, and a snack.
View attachment 3588739View attachment 3588740
You bucked the orpington trend of being broody. Chicks were not in your cards although you saw many of them come and go in your life. I could always count on you to ensure fair treatment at night once their momma's abandoned them. They knew they could count on you to shield them from pecks and flocked to you. You did become a mother though thanks to momma hen when your daughter Squirrel was born.
View attachment 3588742
Butter dear you gave me your first scare a month shy of your first birthday. You managed to receive a glancing blow from Dirt while he was playing. You were paralyzed and for the first few days unable to stand even with assistance. We were preparing ourselves to let you go when you rallied. 5 days in you laid a egg again letting us know everything was ok internally. You also started to stand for short times with assistance. Your stay inside cemented it in your mind that if you wanted to come inside you could and would. In fact you took it upon yourself to ensure stays inside your next 2 winters when you molted extremely late and it was either bring you in or let you freeze.
View attachment 3588743View attachment 3588744
Once you rejoined your flock in 2 months your limp was gone and you could run again. You also at that point took over as the undisputed Queen of the flock. You were never ruthless but was able to keep the others in line with a simple glare. Momma hen even backed down to you.
View attachment 3588753
Farewell my sweet Butter. May you have your fill of raisins every day and nap until your hearts content.

Beautiful. Just a beautiful tribute to a beautiful queen.❤❤ RIP Butter. Fly high lovely girl.

 

[bgmathteach]

I wish my rooster would behave better today! He’s being a stubborn old man.
He didn’t even want to get into the car. Usually he loves the rides

Hmmm,, sounds like he learned from the best, oh, Master Alex!

 

[bgmathteach]

A tribute to a fallen Queen.

You came into this world during the wee hours of May 15 2020. The world was going crazy but you were a innocent ball of yellow fluff. We cannot say tiny because Butter girl, you were never tiny.
View attachment 3588724
It did not take you long until you were towering over your siblings. Yes at this point I was questioning you on if you were a boy.
View attachment 3588730
You were also a pig, you never saw a day of hunger in you life. If it could be swallowed, you swallowed it.
View attachment 3588732View attachment 3588733
Not even 3 months old yet but getting a preview of the beauty you were to become.
View attachment 3588734
Exactly 4 months old here. Butter you already had mom wrapped your toes. The phrase "Whatever Butter wants, Butter gets" was already in use.
View attachment 3588736
You never got into trouble as a youngster, you had minions for that. Instead you excelled at napping and supervising your future domain.
View attachment 3588738
The snow and the cold never bothered you. You had extra fluff for protection and used it as a backdrop, and a snack.
View attachment 3588739View attachment 3588740
You bucked the orpington trend of being broody. Chicks were not in your cards although you saw many of them come and go in your life. I could always count on you to ensure fair treatment at night once their momma's abandoned them. They knew they could count on you to shield them from pecks and flocked to you. You did become a mother though thanks to momma hen when your daughter Squirrel was born.
View attachment 3588742
Butter dear you gave me your first scare a month shy of your first birthday. You managed to receive a glancing blow from Dirt while he was playing. You were paralyzed and for the first few days unable to stand even with assistance. We were preparing ourselves to let you go when you rallied. 5 days in you laid a egg again letting us know everything was ok internally. You also started to stand for short times with assistance. Your stay inside cemented it in your mind that if you wanted to come inside you could and would. In fact you took it upon yourself to ensure stays inside your next 2 winters when you molted extremely late and it was either bring you in or let you freeze.
View attachment 3588743View attachment 3588744
Once you rejoined your flock in 2 months your limp was gone and you could run again. You also at that point took over as the undisputed Queen of the flock. You were never ruthless but was able to keep the others in line with a simple glare. Momma hen even backed down to you.
View attachment 3588753
Farewell my sweet Butter. May you have your fill of raisins every day and nap until your hearts content.

What a lovely tribute to a beautiful and smart girl. May her reign continue in her new, peaceful home free of predators - with lots of time to sun bath and rule fairly.