Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Too late! Phyllis has already flipped herself many, many times!

I’ve seen the video. It’s not right that she be flipped!

 

[Ponypoor]

It’s bad for me to be here today (at home) because the people who’s house burned down last week, are burning trash and debris in the yard behind it. The smoke is hurting my eyes and breathing is horrible.
They have been fined for doing that already, but they are still doing it anyway.
Pity me and my animal friends tax:View attachment 3590795View attachment 3590797

They should be fine an environmental fee along with a burning fee, disposing of that type of material needs to be done by a special environmental hazard treatment plan here. To do so with out would be thousands of dollars in fines.

Meanwhile one can burn as many trees as you want!

 

[Ponypoor]

LOCK UP RICO!

But then he will be lonely

No easy answers, but one thing is for sure, those old gals cannot tolerate this rough treatment from those youngsters. May have to keep the old girls in the new Summer House.

 

[Ponypoor]

Despite all of my celebrity here no one asks my opinion when writing laws about the number of chickens one can have in their backyard. I just can't understand why. I made due for many years with less than 4 but I did bump up to 5 when I was adding. Having only 2 and then needing to wait to add is courting disaster. It has happened to me too often.

How many are you allowed in you municipality? Even in Toronto they allow 4 in most areas.

 

[RoyalChick]

And here I was thinking 20ml! Was going to suggest 10ml tops if she was eating!

You may be right if she is eating.
According to The Chicken Chick website the capacity of a hen's crop is 45ml. I would not want to fill to capacity in case it overflowed - so I decided no more than 30ml.
My chicken (Bella) wasn't eating on her own however. Nor did she have a crop full of mud! So maybe 20ml is safer.
I think @lightm will get a feel for it as she practices. I definitely gave less if there was stuff already in the crop.

 

[Ponypoor]

I have been reading lots of threads about cockerel behaviour and it seems to be pretty common for them to need to be separated for a time for the well being of other flock members, usually the same age pullets, but I can see that older unwell hens would need protection as well.

My hens are my priority, so I would probably create a bachelor flock with the males that were causing problems if I was planning on trying to keep them and wait out their hormone overload. Does it help to think that he probably can't help it and could be bewildered by his crazy hormones too?

I am following your situation with interest since I have an unexpected cockerel and don't have any experience with male chickens.

He is learning, and he is young and hormonal.

I don't like separating them from the main herd (flock), as that is how they learn, normally the others would whoop their butts - same as young colts would get a butt whipping from the older mares.

But if I decide that they are going to freezer camp I might put them all together in the Summer House and put the hens and pullets together with Mr P and whichever cockerel I decide to keep (if any more).

Your youngster will need to learn the hard way with many pecks from the older girls, they too will need to learn as they have never has a rooster around. I will also be closely watching your situation to see how your ladies train you wee fella.

 

[Ponypoor]

If it is a 'she', how about Velvet? (in terms of 'black velvet '- except she isn't black")???

Though, black velvet supposedly has hints of caramel, coconut and rye (all colors, imo, as well as 'things', so could maybe work with the 'black??)

Wow now there is something I haven't hear of in a long time! Can you still get it?

 

[Ponypoor]

If it is a 'she', how about Velvet? (in terms of 'black velvet '- except she isn't black")???

Though, black velvet supposedly has hints of caramel, coconut and rye (all colors, imo, as well as 'things', so could maybe work with the 'black??)

BTW I love Velvet good horse name also

 

[Ponypoor]

You may be right if she is eating.
According to The Chicken Chick website the capacity of a hen's crop is 45ml. I would not want to fill to capacity in case it overflowed - so I decided no more than 30ml.
My chicken (Bella) wasn't eating on her own however. Nor did she have a crop full of mud! So maybe 20ml is safer.
I think @lightm will get a feel for it as she practices. I definitely gave less if there was stuff already in the crop.

True, @lightm has far more experience with this (as do you!), and yes you are correct I do not ever have to do this - I would be a nervous wreck - the older I get the less nerve I have for doing these sorts of things.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Thirsty Thursday

A sticky muggy morning, not hot but very clammy.

Had a lot of takers for the wild water while cleaning waterers

Marty, Misty, & Petunia
View attachment 3590538

Penne, & Petunia
View attachment 3590539

Penne, Eli-Too, Seagull, Petunia, & Diamond
View attachment 3590540

Marty, Mr P, Misty, & Henny Penny
View attachment 3590541

Butterscotch (Pullet right? ), & Floyd
View attachment 3590542

Butterscotch, Floyd, & Spot (Roo right? )
View attachment 3590543

Spot is Butterscotch’s brother - school chicks

I am sorry to hear Ricco is being a jerk. It is hormones driving it. If you did not have aging and ill hens I would say try to wait it out as long as he did not turn on you. The more mature girls and Mr P. will not tolerate his antics for too long. He has a trashing coming his way, and soon it sounds like. All it may take is that one good walloping to put him back in line. Next question, and I may have missed it lately, how is Floyd behaving? He is the same age as Ricco right? Floyd just gets more unique looking as he gets older. Floyd is eye candy as far as a rooster is concerned. I would not mind having him in my flock if I were in the market for another boy.