Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Lilion]

Just looked out and the run is empty. So I guess I don't need to worry about whether they'll go back indoors.

 

[SimpleJenn]

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. View attachment 3936243View attachment 3936244
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. View attachment 3936246

Looks good! My 10x20 run is also mostly chicken wire. We have a hawk living in the woods behind our house, so that's the daytime threat. They go into predator-secured coops to sleep.

 

[bgmathteach]

I am quite eggcited to see colour egg she lays. I am hoping for green

I guess @BY Bob doesn't get a vote on egg color????


Actually, no body does....except Aster

 

[RoyalChick]

If the eggs came from an older hen, may show white - although I would assume it would be an off white (technically light, light blue, but look white), but those do look very white next to the white carton, so

I have had blue egg layers in their later years lay more of an off white. I haven't had green egg layers lay off white, but they have gotten much, much paler in some. And, any green egg layer can throw a blue or brown (brown more likely) egg laying chick.......so if they aren't careful about their selection based on everything (egg color, adult plumage, body type, etc.) It could be possible....though I don't know how they would get mixed in with the other white eggs unless their is poor quallity control - which could spell lots of possibilities......over time.

So bottom line she is unique. Or a mutt if you want to say that!

 

[RoyalChick]

They are light brown. All of my eggs were beige, remember?

Bob. I am a huge fan of yours and believe you could succeed at anything you turned your mind to.
But you would not be any good at naming colors for a paint company.
Your eggs are not beige. Beige! How insulting.
Your ladies lay eggs in exotic colors like: Elephant’s Breath, Roasted Macadamia, and Ammonite.
These are all real paint colors by the way.
https://www.farrow-ball.com/us/pain...zhJc1KYMZnHdOwD16EjeCe0KSuixxgV4aArzTEALw_wcB

 

[BY Bob]

Did

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.

You post here when you did it? We could find that post.

 

[BY Bob]

Randy is trying and proving himself. Mom is not thrilled with a game rooster. She is his toughest critic. That said, he impressed her a bit yesterday. She was mowing the grass. She always has several of the hens on her heels when she mows after the bugs that are stirred up. Randy was on the creek bank watching her and the hens. Judy, Dottie and Spot got out in front of her and she was heading towards them with the mower. Randy ran and put himself between the hens and the mower and raised his hackles at her. She said she paused not sure if he was threatening to attack her or the mower and yelled at him to move. He stood his ground until one of the suspects came up to him and pecked him on the head to make him move aside. She continued on and he kept a eye on her and the girls but did not offer to do anything else. He listens to the girls according to her, score a point for Randy. He protected the girls in his mind without attacking her or the mower, another point for him in her books. Randy is no Bubba though. It has never been any secret that between Bubba and Branch, Bubba was always the better rooster. Branch was the little $hit that she was forced to like because I loved him so. She misses Branch, she has no one to argue with and crow at her constantly and is perfectly fine with one of the silkies being a boy to keep. It hurt her to loose Bubba. It has bothered her so much that yesterday she had me go through my eggs when she realized Raven is broody. Raven now has 3 eggs that were 11 days old from Corona, Holly and Bunny. If there is a shot at pure Marans they would come from those 3 as they still do not like or accept Randy. It is a long shot they will hatch but she is willing to take the chance. If these fail this fall she is going to contact the guy we got the original Marans from. I can have my silkie aggravator, she needs a big gentle giant.

@RebeccaBoyd. Does this help to date when you gave them to her?

Additionally, on August 26 you posted that you were going to wait a week to candle them so they would be at 14 weeks.

 

[BY Bob]

Bob. I am a huge fan of yours and believe you could succeed at anything you turned your mind to.
But you would not be any good at naming colors for a paint company.
Your eggs are not beige. Beige! How insulting.
Your ladies lay eggs in exotic colors like: Elephant’s Breath, Roasted Macadamia, and Ammonite.
These are all real paint colors by the way.
https://www.farrow-ball.com/us/pain...zhJc1KYMZnHdOwD16EjeCe0KSuixxgV4aArzTEALw_wcB

You are too funny.

Marketing has never been my strong suit. I am a scientist at heart. I could give you gradients of brown if you like but Elephant's Breath is beyond anything of which I could conceive.

 

[notabitail]

You are too funny.

Marketing has never been my strong suit. I am a scientist at heart. I could give you gradients of brown if you like but Elephant's Breath is beyond anything of which I could conceive.

I need to get my beige chicken and take a picture of her with the beige Macintosh I have.

Felicitas is pretty beige, but she won't let me get near her due to molting. (which brings the beige out even more).

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

@RebeccaBoyd. Does this help to date when you gave them to her?

Additionally, on August 26 you posted that you were going to wait a week to candle them so they would be at 14 weeks.

Thank you. Yes I set her that afternoon. Ok so then day 21 will be the 10th. If my broody girls have taught me anything I will start looking for possible hatching on the 8th.