Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Read this post, and you'll see what I mean.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sallys-gf3-thread.1579174/page-29#post-27017900

I feel very badly for her chickens. They don't know any better, but still.

I don't know about your state, but in mine there is an annual inspection by the 'Animal Inspector' in each town. Usually they do inspections in Nov. - so prior to the cold of winter - and make sure there is adequate housing, bedding, etc for your animals. Our state also has minimum standards regarding space and housing spelled out. I think the min. is too low - but we are also one of the few states that mandated min. size of caged chickens - that forced a number of Chicken farms to go out of business as they would have needed to increase their cage size by at least 50% - and they said cost was prohibitive, and the decrease in # of chickens they could then house would make them unprofitable. If your state has any such guidelines (and person to check on meeting those guidelines), then you could always anonymously tip them off that there is unsuitable conditions/overcrowding', and it would trigger a visit.

It was done all the time here. I worked for a number of years on a local Dairy farm, and each fall/early winter - they would get at least one visit from the local chapter of the ASPCA (MSPCA here), because people thought the heifers didn't have shelter. (their huge pasture included an open field and some woods, they hade a 3 sided, roofed shelter in edge of the woods - but the cows would stand out in the field during the day - even when it was snowing at times - and people thought they didn't have any shelter. but the girls were happy enough, eating the standing hay. (The cows were only in that pasture in the winter - as it gave them some standing hay and was close to the house/barn so they could keep an eye on them. The field part was mowed for hay during the summer - and last mowing was skipped (so 2 cuttings, not 3) so there would be some forage for a while - and, yes, they were supplemented with baled hay and a bit of grain throughout the winter...and, of course, had a tank of H2O with a de-icer in it to keep it liquid.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Thanks for the reassurance! I'm still not sure how to break it to hubby, I feel like I lied to him even though it was an honest mistake! But I can absolutely take care of six chickens!
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Thane/Kasumi (we'll go back to the original name if there's eggs!)
"Hen, rooster, I'm still your little cuddle bird!"
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She is very suspicious and I'll have to keep trying to get a side view. So happy to have a bird with lacing on her feathers!
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And of course kiddo loves "fluffy white chicken and black and brown chicken" very much!

How involved is you kiddo with the chickens right now? I'm happy they are enamored with them. Now it is time to employ the kiddo to win over the silkies. They could end up being "their" personal chickens and loved pets. Have them come out to the coop with you to just sit. Do not chase them around but come armed with treats. High value treats like raisins or mealy worms. Eating out of your hand is a start. Then insist that they eat from the hand while sitting on your lap. It will not be long before no treats are needed and they will be up on your laps for cuddles. There is a reason why silkies are highly recommended for families with children. In general they are natural love bugs. If a child comes over and wants to hold one of my chickens, my go to one is my silkie Rooster Branch. He loves attention and cuddles and can be trusted to let the smallest child hold him.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Isn't that justification enough???

They are gorgeous eye candy. Hope they learn to trust you and love/cuddle like Thane does!

They are! I held Morinth for a bit earlier and she let me check her over. They are so beautiful! And Thane/Kasumi jumped on me for a snuggle while I set up the food and water station. Even Liara and Ash wanted me to pet them!

Scary does not bother me one bit. I never did get into the James bond movies. And I may be one of the few people who has never saw a star wars movie.

I have a Star Wars tattoo haha. I have some serious anxiety issues so no horror for me! Especially not now that I live in the dark spooky forest! I've never seen a James Bond film, so no comment there.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Oh good idea! I will try it when they settle in. I'm going to have kiddo bring a bowl of snacks out to them and feed from the door. She used to give them mealyworms but they pecked her fingers a couple times. Now we sprinkle them on the ground and let them come up to us. She knows all their names and they recognize her voice and come running for "treats kid"
Shep is the most tolerant of the kid, thane second. They'll sit on my lap or on my hand and let kiddo stroke their feathers and necks. Even a little petting of the comb and wattles.

 

[bgmathteach]

View attachment 3668331The dingalings braving the cold: Granite, Quartz, Cumulo, and Nimbus. I managed to chase them back into the coop where everyone else was after I refilled their water. The later in the afternoon, I went back out to check on them again. Quartz had decided to roost with the bigs (kicked off come bed time). The other 3 were back outside under the olives. Encouraged them back into the coop again, then closed it. Storm isn't calling the kids to her, but she isn't driving them away either. They are still roosting together. 13 weeks old.

And I thought my one hen keeping them until 10 weeks was long - and she will still allow them to be near her during the day. She also doesn't peck them when roosting near her - but she went back to roosting with her crew - and the other bigs peck them away as they haven't yet 'earned' the right to roost on the high roost, so usually none roost with her (there is one stubborn one who will sometimes get on the far side of momma and hence gets to roost next to her - the rest all huddle on the far end of the lower roost.) At least that is one younger crew I don't have to get out of the trees nor off the 6'door nor the 9' strapping that holds the end of the shade cloth in the summer!!! no lie, it takes 60-90 min. to lock everyone up each night - what with all the 'one at a time pull you down from the tree on the handle of a shovel ' routine.

I appreciate them wanting to roost high, but I so can not wait until Hubby helps me put a roof over the second half of the 'inner run' and I get the rest of the run extended and can put up netting to at least keep them below the 8' line!!!!

 

[notabitail]

Scary does not bother me one bit. I never did get into the James bond movies. And I may be one of the few people who has never saw a star wars movie.

I've never seen either.

 

[featherhead007]

The problem with my rooster Sir Jaffar, is that if I’m holding him in my arms and don’t rub his waddles, he will yell at me to do so!

 

[Ponypoor]

New feeder and waterer out
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And those pavers were heavy! But I got it done because it needed to be. Broke a nail too goshdangit!

Tell me about it! I had to haul those 2 bags of cement mix in yesterday - 30kg (66lbs) - holy dinah! I think I busted a gut! Then I had to unload 4, 25kg bags of horse feed



I hope these animals appreciate me!

 

[Ponypoor]

New feeder and waterer out
View attachment 3668565
And those pavers were heavy! But I got it done because it needed to be. Broke a nail too goshdangit!

.... long nails long ago I had to give up long nails, I would tear them off (and I had natural nails!), they would bleed like a stuck pig. Over 40-odd years since I had nice long nails

 

[Ponypoor]

Scary does not bother me one bit. I never did get into the James bond movies. And I may be one of the few people who has never saw a star wars movie.

Oh you have got to watch them! Then you can go outside and tell the chooks, May the Force Be With You... Now go lay an egg.