Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

This is beautiful. THIS is why I love chickens so much. Such emotionally intelligent little feathered gems.

Hi Michelle

Hope you’re doing well.

 

[Ponypoor]

So I have pulled a good one. I did not mark anywhere the date I set Raven with her eggs. I know she is over 2 weeks....I think anyway. Yesterday sadly one of the 3 eggs was broken and all that was left was part of the shell. It was upsetting because there was veining in the shell that was left darn it. These were iffy eggs to begin with as they were older and not much chance for developing.

Sorry to hear this. Have you candled any of them?

 

[Ponypoor]

She has struck me lately as an orp in body build. She definitely has a wider more muscular breast than Versace. I definitely believe she will be a larger chicken.

Anyone who is waiting on egg color might have a long wait. She will be 21 weeks old on November 30. That means it may be February until she lays her first egg.

Not sure I can stand the suspense

 

[Lilion]

We do too! We dump the poop into the garden beds & throw out the used cardboard (biodegradable).

I was thinking of using the left over linoleum and just scraping it off as needed into a bucket, then to the compost. Either that or a "litterbox" with sand/stall fresh.

Bigger than honey bees, can sting repeatedly, bite also, attracted to meat (so they show up at barbecues, picnic, and other outdoor events with food involved, and can be MEAN.

They're more wasps than bees. Kill one, and that actually attracts more! I hate them. Honestly, I'd rather deal with hornets.

Life in the cooped up coop continues. I actually got 3 eggs yesterday! So they're using the nest boxes. I am thinking of buying that coco coir stuff to put in the bottoms, instead of shavings. Does anyone use nest box liners?

The Reds are spunky girls for sure! They aren't scared of me at all! Yesterday they wanted out thru the people door and were inclined to go thru me if necessary!

The older girls seem in charge, barely. They eat first for sure. Will chickens overeat? I've always just had free-feeders until now and I wonder if I'm overfeeding them...

Anyway, last night it was Reds in a row to the left and Meanie and Sheba to the right on the top roost. Sweet Eenie was all alone on the bottom in front of her sisters. It's a hoot watching the dynamic.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

What a nightmare.
I've only had the tiny moths and fungus flies to deal with. The flies bite like crazy but these yellow jackets must be hell to cope with.

As others have said the demons bite and can sting repeatedly. They will also give chase if angered. I've been nailed by them twice collecting eggs from the porch boxes. The first sting was on my cheek bone right under my eye. I simply opened the door to step outside and the devil came out of nowhere. I'm mildly reactive to their stings. The spot swells up, instant headache and itching for several days and that is with taking Benadryl repeatedly. My brother is the one who braved taking down the tin to see where the nest was. He removed the tin and was then proceeded to be chased around the house to the back door by a swarm of them getting stung 4 times. This morning there are a couple around the porch. I've not tempted to anger them but they are not immediately swarming if the door is opened either.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Sorry to hear this. Have you candled any of them?

I have not but I need to. They are dark eggs so I wait until they are close to hatching to candle or else I cannot tell anything with them.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Well, I need to now go outside and give Julio a hug and shed a few tears. For a few years now I have followed a facebook page called The Adventures of Cotton the House Rooster. While he was a lone chicken to his family this boy was loved. He came from a pet shop at 5 months old. According to his owner on her facts post he was afraid of other chickens, they tried to introduce him to some which is why he was the only one. Cotton lived in the house. At night he wore a diaper and slept at the head of the bed. He got spa days regularly and had dog friends he loved to chase. The last 2 years his owner was babysitting her niece. Cotton was so good with her, there have been pictures and video's posted that could make you cry. This morning a few days after his 8th birthday Cotton crossed the rainbow bridge after a illness. My heart hurts for his family. Rest easy Cotton. Your time here is done.

 

[featherhead007]

I love this tiny little lady. CeeCee is such a good girl. Headstrong and a brat, but I wouldn’t want her any other way!

 

[featherhead007]

I have it made. I have a chook that does my nails, one that trims my mustache and eyebrows.
And one that reminds me that I need to do my laundry!

 

[Lilion]

It's done! At least, done enough for now. It's cheap and flimsy and couldn't keep out anything more ferocious and determined than a chicken But they can't get out and they have outdoor space we could give them quickly and that's what matters.

There's still some trimming of wire and clipping of zip ties. I know that poultry netting won't stop anything determined. But we're going to skirt it with hardware cloth, and landscape timbers, to stop diggers from going under. Hawks and such can't get in, and in daylight, they're the biggest threat. A dog might make a hole...but not before the girls could get back inside. Under the shed is blocked off with rocks and timbers and hardware cloth.

They were bit wary, but once they came out, the stretching and digging and dusting began.