Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Marie2020]

They are all spoilt rotten brats! I have two pinch marks on my leg now from her. If I don’t pay her any attention she gets all annoyed and peck me.

Today I was trying to finish up some work on the stall walls and they were all getting in the way, giving me advice on how to measure and cut the boards, what sort of wood screws to use, sheesh!

Then I made the mistake of letting Mr P out, and in 10 min someone had him picked and bleeding on his head. I had planned on putting some of that pick-stop on him but now I have to wait till that heals.

I can put it on his butt and the other side of his head. Brats I tell you brats!

I'm pleased you keep a close eye on your Mr.P . He is irreplaceable, such a handsome little guy.

 

[Ponypoor]

I'm pleased you keep a close eye on your Mr.P . He is irreplaceable, such a handsome little guy.

Oh he is a brat also! Chasing down poor Shirley, who is terrified of him, which is a good thing. He’s a big boy!

 

[Ponypoor]

Good Sunday morning all!

Had snow overnight, yay. You all know just how much I love winter

Had to clean the walkways to the house, clear off the truck, and now the barn doors need to be cleared of snow, and the path up the manure pile needs to be cleared so I can get the wheelbarrow up it.

Checked the water trough- all good the de-icer is working….

The horses are taking a snooze and just hanging around as usual.

And looks like more snow n the way, it’s clouded over.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Hello everyone-

After a difficult personal upheaval, I am back and trying to catch up.

The flock I had was rehomed however the people that took them send me updates and they are doing well and thriving. I was also able to keep them all together. So, I currently have no chickens till Spring.

I am planning on getting some Swedish Flower hens. I swear this time I will keep my numbers down to a reasonable amount. You believe me right?

What are everyone’s plans for spring? Has anyone decided if they are going to make additions, if so what breed(s)?

I missed everyone and reading all the stories, glad to be back!

We do have a new puppy she is a mixed breed part poodle part old english sheepdog. Her name is Luna.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Welcome back! I also am waiting for chickens currently, my entire flock died back in November. However, I'm looking forward to doing some new things with my current set up before I put chickens out there.

Your pup is super cute. She looks velvety soft!

 

[SimpleJenn]

I can incubate up to 34 eggs now...I feel powerful.

Cousin is letting me borrow his incubator. Hubby says if we're buying shipped eggs we need to set more than 12 in case some die during shipping. He always surprises me when he comes up with ideas.

Also here's more zombies. So cute

They remind me of the old black and white cartoons

 

[ManueB]

Yes I have two here that crow, Penelope and Sophia, I do think it’s an age and hormonal thing.

Yes, my friend had an older Australorp hen that crowed at about 5 yrs old ~ although she would still occasionally lay an egg or two in later yrs.

Thanks, that's very interesting ! I've yet to see if Chipie will lay again this year- usually she lays for two or three months in spring and goes broody once she has laid ten eggs.

When Chipie crows, Gaston climbs up next to her (she's usually perched in the coop) and he does the herding wing shuffling to her .

She is just adorable, can you get any more like her?

Yes, but it wouldn't be as simple as I thought some time ago.

I think I already talked about Chipie's lineage, but I'm not sure if it was on this thread ? I apologise if I'm being tedious rambling on and on . About 15 years ago our friend Gaston was given two pair of bantams from a man in a village higher up our valley. Both couples hatched many chicks, and Gaston then gave a few bantam pairs to other villagers. The hens all look like Chipie and were used as broodies, and the males all look like Théo but smaller.
His closest neighbours in particular let the hens hatch whenever they turned broody, so there used to be many bantam couples looking like Théo and Chipie, with armies of chicks, free ranging on the road in front of their house all the time.

But, things have changed. These villagers are all elderly, and some of them have died in the past two years or have serious health issues. On top of that, there has been a massive increase of fox presence, and many chickens killed, much more than usual. Our friend Gaston lost his three remaining bantam couples, including a broody with chicks, to foxes.

I believe that his neighbours still have some of those bantams ; I haven't seen any for a long time, but sometimes I hear a rooster crow in front of their house. We're in a place where there was a lot or rural poverty and hardship, these people like many elderly here don't read or write, the woman only speaks the local vernacular, and since they have been having health issues the past two years they live completely secluded. My partners family is not friend with theirs ; they used to be shepherd and there was an old feud about rights of way for the sheeps...70 years ago..you know.

So, I have this fantasy of either buying a pullet from them, or getting eggs to hatch but... We would need to find someone to act as an intermediary...and we're not really in the dynamic of getting more chickens, more downsizing, for a number of not very pleasant reasons.

I hope you're not sorry you asked . It's something that's been on my mind along with letting Merle raise chicks since she's such a stubborn broody...but I don't know if it will happen.

I don't have any ponies today but some nice landscape pictures. I went running down the valley for a change this morning to what is modestly named here "le point sublime"... they did not hesitate marketing our valley as "le petit Colorado Niçois" (the small Colorado in Nice )

 

[Ponypoor]

Hello everyone-

After a difficult personal upheaval, I am back and trying to catch up.

The flock I had was rehomed however the people that took them send me updates and they are doing well and thriving. I was also able to keep them all together. So, I currently have no chickens till Spring.

I am planning on getting some Swedish Flower hens. I swear this time I will keep my numbers down to a reasonable amount. You believe me right?

What are everyone’s plans for spring? Has anyone decided if they are going to make additions, if so what breed(s)?

I missed everyone and reading all the stories, glad to be back!

We do have a new puppy she is a mixed breed part poodle part old english sheepdog. Her name is Luna.

View attachment 4036635

View attachment 4036636

Welcome back!

Gosh she is getting so big! How adorable, I just love her!

Swedish Flower Hens, are they a landrace breed?

 

[Ponypoor]

Thanks, that's very interesting ! I've yet to see if Chipie will lay again this year- usually she lays for two or three months in spring and goes broody once she has laid ten eggs.

When Chipie crows, Gaston climbs up next to her (she's usually perched in the coop) and he does the herding wing shuffling to her .


Yes, but it wouldn't be as simple as I thought some time ago.
View attachment 4036673View attachment 4036675

I think I already talked about Chipie's lineage, but I'm not sure if it was on this thread ? I apologise if I'm being tedious rambling on and on . About 15 years ago our friend Gaston was given two pair of bantams from a man in a village higher up our valley. Both couples hatched many chicks, and Gaston then gave a few bantam pairs to other villagers. The hens all look like Chipie and were used as broodies, and the males all look like Théo but smaller.
His closest neighbours in particular let the hens hatch whenever they turned broody, so there used to be many bantam couples looking like Théo and Chipie, with armies of chicks, free ranging on the road in front of their house all the time.

But, things have changed. These villagers are all elderly, and some of them have died in the past two years or have serious health issues. On top of that, there has been a massive increase of fox presence, and many chickens killed, much more than usual. Our friend Gaston lost his three remaining bantam couples, including a broody with chicks, to foxes.

I believe that his neighbours still have some of those bantams ; I haven't seen any for a long time, but sometimes I hear a rooster crow in front of their house. We're in a place where there was a lot or rural poverty and hardship, these people like many elderly here don't read or write, the woman only speaks the local vernacular, and since they have been having health issues the past two years they live completely secluded. My partners family is not friend with theirs ; they used to be shepherd and there was an old feud about rights of way for the sheeps...70 years ago..you know.

So, I have this fantasy of either buying a pullet from them, or getting eggs to hatch but... We would need to find someone to act as an intermediary...and we're not really in the dynamic of getting more chickens, more downsizing, for a number of not very pleasant reasons.

I hope you're not sorry you asked . It's something that's been on my mind along with letting Merle raise chicks since she's such a stubborn broody...but I don't know if it will happen.
View attachment 4036677
I don't have any ponies today but some nice landscape pictures. I went running down the valley for a change this morning to what is modestly named here "le point sublime"... they did not hesitate marketing our valley as "le petit Colorado Niçois" (the small Colorado in Nice )

View attachment 4036629View attachment 4036630View attachment 4036631View attachment 4036632View attachment 4036633

First off, wow spectacular scenery. Just gorgeous.


Second, yes I know all about the feud situation in small rural isolated villages. Newfoundland is similar. Not so bad now but in the past….

I am hoping things work out, and if you need an intermediary to get chooks let me know

Meanwhile you have a wonderful flock and some lovely scenery, I hope you’re just taking a moment every so often and just ‘being’.

 

[Ponypoor]

13:30 hrs…. And still haven’t had lunch. But I have finally finished shovelling snow and poop.

The wind it up, which means blowing snow. And maybe more snow squalls. Yay….

This morning…