Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

Happy Halloween from Fluffy Butt Acres

Our first lady dressed up as her namesake.
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Lilly wanted to remind everyone of her Iron Beak by dressing as the Iron Chancellor, Otto Von Bismark. Be sure to check out that monocle.!
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Hattie wanted to try out a flashy outfit and some red hair!
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And my little princess wanted to be anything but a princess. She went for the pirate look.
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I love their costumes!

 

[BY Bob]

I love their costumes!

Thank you. A little silliness for the .holiday

 

[Shadrach]

@BY Bob Have you got the details of the online chicken course you mention in your egg song article?

 

[BY Bob]

@BY Bob Have you got the details of the online chicken course you mention in your egg song article?

I am traveling but I will look when I get home. It was through the University of Edinburgh. They have a fabulous poultry science program.

 

[BY Bob]

Molting?

I have noticed that Aurora has started dropping feathers and while not a ton, enough for me to start to be concerned. My first thought was of course the worst, feather mites. However, I have not seen any.

Yesterday while Maleficent sat on me grooming herself, I first noticed some feathers dropping off of her as well. Not a lot, 1 or 2. Then I got a close look at her beard, right after she pecked my nose and tried to pull it off OUCH!

Maleficent has small pin feathers coming in on her beard.

That got me thinking, with the stoppage in egg laying is there anyway my 6 month old hens could be going through a small molt? Has anyone ever seen that before?

Or is it a "sympathy" molt in solidarity with the other girls?

 

[Ribh]

Yes. My first 1st POL buy was August & all the girls were molting by March. They may have been a month or so older than your girls but everyone molted their 1st winter. The younger BRs had a soft molt. The older Australorps had a really hard time.

 

[BY Bob]

Yes. My first 1st POL buy was August & all the girls were molting by March. They may have been a month or so older than your girls but everyone molted their 1st winter. The younger BRs had a soft molt. The older Australorps had a really hard time.

Well I feel a little better then. I have never seen this before. It's a very light molt.

 

[CajunChickenMama]

Yes ma'am @LCG Chicken Coop like they said i too am warm and wet most of the year in South Louisiana and i like it better than cold on any day of the week! I use pine shavings everywhere and they become soil in about 6 months. I dont throw any away i take it out of the brooders and fill in the driveway even. Leaves, sand and dirt also help and the birds mix it all down for me i just dump it in a pile. The mucky pens are like poop soup if nothings done

I'm also in South Louisiana, and researching how to start a deep litter for our new 8x10 coop. The recent rains currently has my sand floor coop a stinky mess, which will not work! Going to look for a roll of plastic to drop over the sides for when I get my new Silkies next weekend.

 

[AsaDotJava]

My goodness, this thread is wonderful!

Your chickens are so lucky to have you, Bob I'm glad everyone is safe after the weather event!

 

[mixedUPturk]

In case anyone wondered i PMed Ms Shelley cajunchickenmama

Who wants to see our toddler costumes?