Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[chickenn00b11]

What kinds do you think you will get? Do you have favorites?

I like buff opingtons, silikies (cuz they are so cute), Amber star, and barred rocks.

 

[RoyalChick]

They took the cows away? Sounds like the whole family is messing around in the farm now. Even more so than before.

Wha? I missed that. Where did the cows go?

 

[RoyalChick]

You can follow along with ours for now.

Yes! Between us we have a nice big flock.

 

[ValerieJ]

Yes! Between us we have a nice big flock.

Yes, and I have some to share! I'm beginning to think I've let the girls go overboard with egg sitting this year. I now have my adult flock of 11, 2 roosters and 9 girls, and they are all getting along pretty well, but some of my hens are past their laying years and I'm not getting enough eggs this year. Soooo....Surly sits on eggs, but only gives me one chick, and that's Louie Louie. I decide to put some eggs in an incubator, 6 because that should give me 3 chicks by most hatching standards, and I get 5 chicks. 2 are definitely cockerels, so hopefully 3 pullets. Perfect. Except that Gertie is sitting on 4 eggs and she is being pretty faithful. When she does get up,, Queen Bee hops up on her eggs and keeps them warm. So, that sounds like it might be a more successful hatch than Surly's first. Oh wait, I forgot Surly's second hatch of 2 pullets. Altogether, I'm at 21 chickens at some level of adulthood or development running around out there, and possibly 4 on the way.

How is this a problem? My large coop is 8x10, which is technically big enough for 20 chickens, but maybe not practically. It doesn't seem like it would work. And what do I do with all these cockerels? Start a bachelor pad? Divide up the girls for them? Who gets the big coop and who is relegated to the lesser coops? Do chickens feel slighted if their coop isn't as good as their neighboring flock's coop?

We have 4 usable coops and a prefab that is used as an additional food station, "The Restaurant at the other End of the Universe". We have a lot of safe space for them to run around in, and easy ways to divide them off. But, who do we divide off, how do we split them up, and will they be happy with it, are all the considerations.

I think about Shadrach's tribes and wish it could all just work itself out organically, but I don't see that happening now.

This all keeps me awake at night.

 

[BY Bob]

I like buff opingtons, silikies (cuz they are so cute), Amber star, and barred rocks.

Good choices. Rooster or all hens?

 

[BY Bob]

Yes, and I have some to share! I'm beginning to think I've let the girls go overboard with egg sitting this year. I now have my adult flock of 11, 2 roosters and 9 girls, and they are all getting along pretty well, but some of my hens are past their laying years and I'm not getting enough eggs this year. Soooo....Surly sits on eggs, but only gives me one chick, and that's Louie Louie. I decide to put some eggs in an incubator, 6 because that should give me 3 chicks by most hatching standards, and I get 5 chicks. 2 are definitely cockerels, so hopefully 3 pullets. Perfect. Except that Gertie is sitting on 4 eggs and she is being pretty faithful. When she does get up,, Queen Bee hops up on her eggs and keeps them warm. So, that sounds like it might be a more successful hatch than Surly's first. Oh wait, I forgot Surly's second hatch of 2 pullets. Altogether, I'm at 21 chickens at some level of adulthood or development running around out there, and possibly 4 on the way.

How is this a problem? My large coop is 8x10, which is technically big enough for 20 chickens, but maybe not practically. It doesn't seem like it would work. And what do I do with all these cockerels? Start a bachelor pad? Divide up the girls for them? Who gets the big coop and who is relegated to the lesser coops? Do chickens feel slighted if their coop isn't as good as their neighboring flock's coop?

We have 4 usable coops and a prefab that is used as an additional food station, "The Restaurant at the other End of the Universe". We have a lot of safe space for them to run around in, and easy ways to divide them off. But, who do we divide off, how do we split them up, and will they be happy with it, are all the considerations.

I think about Shadrach's tribes and wish it could all just work itself out organically, but I don't see that happening now.

This all keeps me awake at night.

These are wonderful problems to have. I'm sure that given enough space they would decide themselves up. I'm pretty sure they don't suffer from coop envy. I think you are safe there.

 

[chickenn00b11]

Good choices. Rooster or all hens?

All hens.

 

[Kris5902]

They took the cows away? Sounds like the whole family is messing around in the farm now. Even more so than before.

Wha? I missed that. Where did the cows go?

Cows are still physically here, but there was a big blow out summer of 2019. After the best year/condition of a decade thanks to my management techniques, I should add. I no longer am caring for them. This has resulted in some severe issues, ultimately leading to the culling of two yearlings due to horrendous weaning practices. Without a vehicle I am not even able to sneak them feed. They don’t put any care into the cows until they absolutely have to, and the husbandry under the “Aunts” is shameful and disgusting at best.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm pretty sure they don't suffer from coop envy.

That's a relief!!!

 

[Shadrach]

If there’s such a think as a silver laced brahma, yes. But I’m only aware of light, buff and dark brahmas. OMG, dark brahmas are gorgeous and on my list. Shad wouldn’t like them much, as they are huge fluffy things, but they are so pretty and cuddly looking!

I think Brahmas are lovely looking but they are just too big and slow to do well here free ranging. Unfortunately the Goshawk here doesn't care how big you are.