Happy Friday

In the coop
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Barbarians at the Gate
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Fluffy Butt Friday

Hard to get any bitts that aren’t bare or trimmed or moulting these days!

Rose is fairly fluffy…. Will she moult?
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Misty is just starting to moult.
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Fluffy, darn it turn just as I was about to take her photo! But she is pretty fluffy, she is more than 1/2 way through her moult.
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Since broody seems to be a trending topic:
Today one of the Butt Orpingtons was laying, and when I peeked in the box, it screeched. Putting my hand close to my motion activated no batteries required screecher caused it to move and attempt to peck my hand.
Not sure I'm looking forward to the gift of broodiness from 5 chickens next spring. That would mean the littles will only have 5 functioning nesting boxes if they go broody.
Cypriano the Cockerel just told me that he's looking forward to meeting his children in the spring and wishes "many hen pecks to those who interfere with broodiness".View attachment 3652733
Just because they screech and peck you doesn't mean they are broody. My pullets scream in the nest box all the time and not all of them are broody. But Esme screams like she's being strangled and makes the classic buk-buk sound, so not sure anymore. It is very common for young pullets to go broody here.
 
Be careful what you wish for is all I am going to say. Who is to say they plan to wait until spring? I had to break Karen up last week again. I will also say having allowed it to happen a few times, I sort of like fall hatches. Same as early spring hatches weather wise with possible cold snaps but the momma's do fine. A bonus with a fall hatch. The hen would normally take a break anyway in the fall to molt and stop laying through winter. Raising a brood they are not technically freeloading. A plus is the pullets that hatch out, are ready to start laying themselves with the spring rush. Hen pecking will happen regardless with a broody. Either trying to stop them, check the eggs to make sure no one has laid a extra one or even offering food to the new chicks. Hens are going to growl and peck. How hard and viscous is the question.
My broodies didn't peck me. None of them. Blueberry is not broody but she pinches like all heck. Eggshellsea isn't broody either but she pecks but not too hard.
 

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