Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I’m flying home now and should arrive later today.

Fly safe!

 

[Ponypoor]

Too bad there aren't vitamins or supplements to feed our electronics to make them work better!

DH still dogsitting DD's pups. DH will be back tonight.
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Looks like they are all having a good time relaxing

 

[ILoveDaffy]

Princess was chatting with two friends and the Turkey, the chickens named are Minnie and Ivy, apparently she's been talking too all three since being there .

Sadly I'm not on Facebook but princess will be soon.
So if anyone here would be kind enough to look up "Deansfarm Sanctuary" I would love any update that could be found.

I have asked for the name of the Turkey who has been bullied and was molting, hence her and Princess became good friend's

It is believed that Princess "is a lovely Sussex chicken" . She is certainly loved that's for sure.
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Congratulations Princess! I'm so glad she is happy there. I'm sure she misses you though Marie. You found a lovely home for her, and she seems so happy.

 

[Ponypoor]

That's a good point about age groups. We've always acquired chicks in pairs but if one chick passed it left the new chick alone to fend in an established flock. So back in 2017 when we added new chicks we started acquiring them in triplet so if one passes there will still be 2 left to pal around.

We really don't have ordinance to add 3 new Silkies which brought to one chicken over limit. But our Dana is over 7 yrs & we have no idea how long an older bird will live so getting an extra chick was a speculative decision. Currently we have 3 older birds & 3 new ones & although the ages mingle occasionally they do gravitate to their own age group.

3 older birds in front w/3 new pullets in back eating at a feeder against the block wall. All birds somewhat together yet grouped by age.
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I found that once the youngsters started laying eggs they were accepted by the older hens. Of course they still had to give way to the older ‘boss mares’ (as I call them); but sometimes one of the youngsters makes it into the upper echelon and becomes a ‘boss mare’.

Now that Penelope is in with Mr P there isn’t really a Big Boss in my group. It’s very fluid in nature - one will be boss over another, and that bird will boss another who will in turn boss the first bird around!!

Somehow they all make it work and get along. I don’t have any big bullies who terrorize they others, and most of the time it’s just nest box dramas.

Though I am starting roosting drama a bit now that I am starting to make them go to bed when I get home. It’s dark by 5pm so they want to roost anyways, but they want to roost were they want to roost! That ended Friday night, I started making them roost where they should. They were not very pleased with me. But once I had them in their respective roosting locations I turned off the lights and they settled down.

Now if I can just get them to go in on their own…. Baby steps.

 

[Sylvester017]

Well no luck just now. Grumpy old ding-bat. I’ll have to get hold of her this afternoon when I bring them in. She just walks away and turns her butt to me - her threat to kicking. Beast!

The sheer size & power/stubbornness of horses or cattle are probably the reason my folks sold them & downsized to a couple goats & sheep for slightly more manageability. Although in the long run poultry turned out the easiest for meat & eggs (ducks, geese, chickens ~ no turkeys).

Mom missed the cow for milk, cream, & homemade cheese & yogurt & also the sheep & goats were a chore to keep milked so they were all sold too. Plus having citrus orchards to harvest for market meant having to downsize somewhere!

Farm life seems nostalgic yet it's FAR from glamorous!

 

[Ponypoor]

The sheer size & power/stubbornness of horses or cattle are probably the reason my folks sold them & downsized to a couple goats & sheep for slightly more manageability. Although in the long run poultry turned out the easiest for meat & eggs (ducks, geese, chickens ~ no turkeys).

Mom missed the cow for milk, cream, & homemade cheese & yogurt & also the sheep & goats were a chore to keep milked so they were all sold too. Plus having citrus orchards to harvest for market meant having to downsize somewhere!

Farm life seems nostalgic yet it's FAR from glamorous!
View attachment 3984289View attachment 3984290View attachment 3984292View attachment 3984294View attachment 3984295

Yes the horses are the reason for my back and restless leg syndrome (secondary to spinal deterioration) - once my old girls are gone they will not be replaced.

The chickens are fun and don’t break my back! Well unless one slips in slippery poop!

 

[Sylvester017]

Yes the horses are the reason for my back and restless leg syndrome (secondary to spinal deterioration) - once my old girls are gone they will not be replaced.

The chickens are fun and done break my back! Well unless one slips in slippery poop!

Ooooo ~ spinal degeneration is a family thing w/us too. DH's sis has had spinal fusion, my sis & I have slipped disks/degeneration, mom, DD, & I have scoliosis. We're built to deteriorate w/age! & on Friday the Ortho Dr recommended surgery for my humerus that refuses to heal. The bone stimulator was a waste of another 6 weeks in which time I could've already had surgery! He didn't console me w/any warm fuzzies about success. W/my advanced age, heart & tests all have to be resolved before surgery. W/ insurance taking its sweet time I'll be dead before all the approvals get done

I'm guessing the reason my folks were able to buy/sell/trade/rehome livestock so readily is that we had several relatives w/ farms near us. Not only was there entrepreneurial-ship going on between farms but these aunts/uncles/grandparents/cousins were mostly our social & church group as well.

Me, Jiggy, & cousin Diana on the farm. Such a small community I shared school classes w/ her and another cousin till my folks split & I moved away to the city. Mom kept possession of the farmland & rented it out for years.
c.1956

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Wow, I had a pleasant surprise this morning. Back in the summer when all the contests were going on I entered photos of my dear Drumstick in this one..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...mmer-fair—standard-bred-chicken-show.1631942/

I've always thought he was special and a real good looking boy. I know I am very biased as I loved that rooster with every fiber of my being. This one was to be judged and not chosen randomly. This morning the winners were announced.

Drumstick was first in the standard recognized Large Fowl Rooster and second place overall in the recognized category. Way to go my brave boy. I hope this morning up in heaven you came across a whole mountain of raisins and dried cranberries. I feel honored as all the entries were gorgeous birds.

 

[RoyalChick]

Ooooo ~ spinal degeneration is a family thing w/us too. DH's sis has had spinal fusion, my sis & I have slipped disks/degeneration, mom, DD, & I have scoliosis. We're built to deteriorate w/age! & on Friday the Ortho Dr recommended surgery for my humerus that refuses to heal. The bone stimulator was a waste of another 6 weeks in which time I could've already had surgery! He didn't console me w/any warm fuzzies about success. W/my advanced age, heart & tests all have to be resolved before surgery. W/ insurance taking its sweet time I'll be dead before all the approvals get done

I'm guessing the reason my folks were able to buy/sell/trade/rehome livestock so readily is that we had several relatives w/ farms near us. Not only was there entrepreneurial-ship going on between farms but these aunts/uncles/grandparents/cousins were mostly our social & church group as well.

Me, Jiggy, & cousin Diana on the farm. Such a small community I shared school classes w/ her and another cousin till my folks split & I moved away to the city. Mom kept possession of the farmland & rented it out for years.
c.1956
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Oh I am so sorry about your arm. Very disappointing the stimulator didn’t work.

 

[rural mouse]

Non chicken pics...

And why the look?

Sherlock barked when I was getting camera set up.