Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

The Queen's Proclamation only covered the northern hemisphere. You should read it closer.

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CLOSER!

Your Majesty, ..

 

[featherhead007]

Eli almost trained the grasshopper well!

Grasshopper?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Awwwww soooo sweet

Hopefully Popcorn just decides it’s too tiring the hunt them at roost time; Marty acted like a T-Rex hunting all the chicks, but once she went to roost in the evening they were fine. Sophia’s chicks roost with the big kids now on the ledge, Marty has been roosting in her ground floor residence

I hope so. The Buckeyes sometimes make such a fuss with just them in there! I think the noise is Hazel and Popcorn. Butters goes into the nestbox and leaves them to it.

 

[fuentemoon]

So, I use both. I use the larger flake in the run and under the coop (I have mostly raised coops), but use the small flake in the coop proper. The smaller flakes generally absorb better, the large flakes hold up better for loft and traffic and dampness (only part of my run has a roof, the rest is open to the elements.)

Do you use the deep litter method in the coop? If not, how deep do you keep the litter? AND - what is your density in the coop (i.e. sq. ft. per chicken) and how much - if any -protected run space do they have outside the coop (i.e. on rainy or bitter cold winter days when they might spend a significant amount of time in the coop - or do they have 'outside space' that has a roof and you put up wind breaks?

If you use the deep litter method and keep the litter pretty deep, I would probably use the larger flake. If, however, they spend a lot of time in the coop on miserable days, and the litter is less than, say 6" deep, I would probably go with the small flakes.

How often do you add litter? Do you use litter in your run? If you think you have the time (i.e. before you need to purchase enough bedding for the winter), buy one bag of each and put it out in the run in opposite ends, and see how it is after a week or two. Honestly, part of it is definitely personal - so experiment and see which YOU prefer before buying enough for the season.

Sorry, probably not the definitive answer you wanted

Shavings are cheaper than chopped straw, though!

My ladies only go in the coop to sleep or lay, even during the nastiest weather. They will get up late/go to bed early, but otherwise they are out somewhere. In the summer i use sand and some used coffee grounds. My coop is elevated too, about 3 feet off the ground. My biggest issues are cushioning their jump from the roost (my ladies are all 5+ yrs) and some insulating come winter. The run is dirt and only partially fenced, they mostly just dust bathe there.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Yes close you eyes and don’t watch the cameras!!

I am sure they will be fine, they have been around you ladies a lot and they all know each other; how big is your indoor space for your coop?

The coop is 34" deep and 35" wide inside, with a nestbox divider which is removable. I think the divider makes the nest area 11 or 12 inches wide. Butters usually and sometimes Hazel sleeps in there. It's tight to turn around in but they do it.

I know some people take the divider out if there's lots of fighting over the nestbox, it then accommodates more hens because they can sit crossways, facing the roosting bars. I've been considering if that might be good to do for this integration. Reason Yes - more room to move within and do the chicken doh-see-doh; Reason No - nowhere to hide. Except I suspect Popcorn will only peck them when they're close, and won't pursue in there. Maybe.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Agree! I have been thinking she needs to keep one to help Mr. P. Maybe let one that you think is a keeper @Ponypoor in with Mr P and the girls, and keep the others locked up in the 'summer house'. r P really could use help with all the girls, and both Mr. P and the girls can handle keeping ONE young roo in line!

This seems logical.@Ponypoor @BY Bob I think a big influence on why Mr. P is such a good roo is a combination of his breed and his background. He was getting bullied and beaten up where he was before reh, wasn't he? I remember the pictures of the poor little guy then! So, it's possible his Polish breed makes him inclined to not be aggressive, and then on top of that he was low in the pecking order and submitting there.

 

[bgmathteach]

They are all equally evil towards the hens, but those aren’t the ones I am worried about. I worry that a younger Roo might kill poor Mr P - he is not the most aggressive Roo in fact tends to stay away from them all, he hides with the hens! ESP now he is molting.

I am really not wanting to risk his life.

But wasn't Penne hanging with them all somewhat calmly and nicely before? (At least for a teen idiot roo) And the school chicks seem to be pretty social and fairly well behaved. I can't beleive that ALL of them are aggressive. Rico had past behavior of wanting to be the head master and a bit of attacking previously - others, not in their personality the same. Look at @rural mouse : she had some well behaved cockerals, and then 2 that were fighting idiots. Pay attention to which ones 'get along' in general, and plan on keeping ONE of those...put him in with Mr. P and the girls when you are around, and watch their behavior. If you have 2 to pick from, put one in at a time when you are out there. At the moment, you can be around a fair amount (sorry about the job ending )

So each 'potential' can be with the main flock for a few hours, and observe their general behavior. They will self-select for you.

That said, feel free to give yourself a couple of days before starting this - just observe the cockerels for now in their summer house and think about the 1 or 2 potential keepers. When you have had a chance to regroup personally, then one day, let one option roam with the main flock. If there is an option B/2, on another day, them him roam with the main flock while option #1 is back in the summer house. Observe overall demeanor and interactions with the main flock, and make a decision. Not all of your cockerels will be like Rico. Matter of fact, seems none really had been slightly aggressive before except him.....to the general world. (they will all bump chests some - even the girls do growing up as chicks to figure out their place in the pecking order!)

 

[Ponypoor]

Actually, I have 5 broodies out of 9. World doesn't share with anyone & Tsuri was late to the party. @ BY Bob thinks they're hysterical.
I don't think he'd find them so funny if they were his!

5?!

Oh boy, that’s a load of trouble!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Grandma update.

She is still very weak. If she needs to be moved from the bed to a wheelchair or recliner or potty chair it takes 3 people. 2 to lift and hold her in place while the other one moves it to her so she can sit down. Shuffling her feet to try to help is out of the question as she cannot do it and she and the 2 people trying to hold her up about go down. Her apatite is gone, it is a struggle to get her to eat anything. There is one huge change in her, her attitude. Since she has been home she has not complained or said one ill word to anyone. When she does eat we are following the very strict no salt diet the hospital put her on. She has not once asked for salt or a regular drink. If anything she says things are too salty and sweet when nothing has been added. She does ask every night to hold her chicks before they go to bed. Her chicks have finally began roosting in the coop on their own. Now instead of packing each one from the porch I find myself packing them one by one inside each night so she can hold it for a minute. Grandma thinks they are still trying to roost on the porch and she is getting to hold them before they go to bed. I am not telling her any different. If she wanted to hold every chicken on the place right now I would get everyone of them off the roost at night and bring in to her.

 

[Ponypoor]

Caught up again, at least for today.
Those of you that use shavings in your coop, do you use the small or large flake? Thinking about trying shavings for the winter instead of chopped straw.
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Outside I don’t use anything.

Inside I use a softwood shaving that has mixes large and small particles, it has good absorbing ability and easy to clean, it comes in a bale bag that weighs a good bit.

Don’t get sawdust it’s bad for both you and your animals lungs. Large fluffy flakes look great but are not as absorbent as smaller flakes.