Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[knoturavggrl]

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!

She really is just as soft as she looks! Like a walking stuffed animal

Welcome back!

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

Swedish Flower Hens, are they a landrace breed?

Yes, it is my understanding they are a landrace breed. It seems they imported two flocks one had small crests not unlike the roadrunners have and one does not. So now you can get either and it’s also really diverse as far as their coloring goes. They are all speckled but beyond that you could get just about any color.

OMG she's really beautiful
How old is Luna?

Thank you! She is 5.5 months old now. She will eventually be approximately 50 lbs. She is so smart and gentle, we are lucky to have her!

 

[Sylvester017]

I might, it depends on where I source eggs from. I am going to go down the rabbit hole looking for orp eggs it seems. I could swap out chocolate for the laced. I still kick myself for 3 almost 4 years ago passing up the chocolates I spotted at Rural king. I have never saw them again at either TSC or Rural king. If I do this, I want at least 6 Buff eggs for mom. Silkies and Marans hold my heart. For my mother, it is the Buff orps. Butter was her Branch. Those 2 had a connection and I know it hurt loosing her. It hurt me as well. We've always had the American style orps, I would like to introduce her to the English Buff orps if possible.

When you see something that catches your rare fancy grab it when you see it cuz there's no guarantee it will still be there on the next visit! Good luck!

 

[Ponypoor]

Good afternoon everyone.

Oh the things you find out at work. While I am only working 2 to 3 days a week at the moment, Mom is working the other days the diner is opened.

My coworker Val asked me yesterday how were my hens doing and if they were laying good. They want to buy my eggs for their baking, they prefer to use fresh eggs when making their cakes. Not yet, girls are currently on strike due to freezing weather. It is supposed to warm up this week so maybe, just maybe they will get their butts in gear.

Then she told me she had talked to mom about them and let slip mom's plan. My mother, "Mrs. We have enough chickens", wants to get a dozen buff orps this year. Wait, what? For months after we lost Butter and 2 of her sisters you fought me and wanted me to sell Siri my last buff orp. It hurt to much to see her walking around without Butter. Now she wants a dozen more? We need to have a long talk. I'm all for another buff or two, but there are other colors of orps. How does she plan on accomplishing this as well? It has been guaranteed by the end of March when the new restaurant is opened where it is bigger I as well will be full time along with her. Who is going to raise those chicks? If mom seriously wants some more orps this spring I guess I need to find some eggs. I will not have time to bring up chicks myself, I will need a broody hen. I'm looking at you Raven or Holly. If she wants Buffs, I also want either jubilee or silver laced orps as well. I'm also for sure getting my silkie rooster now at some point this year if she plans on adding to the flock.

Oooooo and a Lavender Laverne or two also!!!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

When you see something that catches your rare fancy grab it when you see it cuz there's no guarantee it will still be there on the next visit! Good luck!

That is very good advice. I followed it when I got my speckled Sussex girls. I went specifically for 2 barred rocks. I then spotted the Sussex and first time seeing them had to have 2. I also got 2 EE and 2 Wyandotte's. Sadly both Wyandotte's and the silver based EE passed within 3 days.

When I spotted the Chocolate orps it was in the end of December. This was 2 months prior to me getting my Marans chicks. At the time I did not have anything needed to raise chicks indoors. I had never done it before either, I just had my momma hen currently brooding her first sneak attack bunch of chicks. I went there for more chick food and Rural King has chicks year round so of course I had to look.

Yes I regret not getting them, but if I had I would not have gotten my Marans. That, that would have been one of the biggest mistakes in the chicken world.

Now I am set up if I spot something that I just HAVE to have. I have experience brooding myself if I do not have a broody hen so that does not deter me like it did then. I have a secret to myself list. If I spot them, I will get them.

 

[rural mouse]

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

Awww! She's a doll!

 

[RoyalChick]

Sylvie is showing off her fancy feathers.

 

[rural mouse]

Dawn temps this morning: below 0⁰F.

Mid morning

about 10⁰F....it's amazing how warm it feels with no wind compared to grey, cloudy, no wind, same temp...

Someone loves it!

And chickens are ALL out.

mostly hanging on the slope where the snow has cleared off

with short forays up to the garage where it's also cleared off.

(Warmed up to mid teens)

 

[RoyalChick]

Dawn temps this morning: below 0⁰F.

Mid morningView attachment 4036924about 10⁰F....it's amazing how warm it feels with no wind compared to grey, cloudy, no wind, same temp...

View attachment 4036922Someone loves it!View attachment 4036923

And chickens are ALL out.View attachment 4036921mostly hanging on the slope where the snow has cleared off

View attachment 4036920with short forays up to the garage where it's also cleared off.

(Warmed up to mid teens)

Yours are a tougher crowd than mine. Everyone came out and inspected the edge of the snow and then returned to their run. It was quite windy so I had some sympathy with their desire to hunker down. Also I put new straw down and that seems to be a fan favorite!
I have dismantled the warming station (well switched it off, not yet removed it). They didn't use it even when it was down at 0F - it really just made me feel better!
Also interesting is that Tassels who is amazingly fluffy, is much less willing to go out in the wind than Calypso who still has naked patches. Tassels stays out of the snow and in the sun. Calypso is more likely to be following Piglet who goes everywhere without hesitation (after all, there may be food to be found!).

 

[BY Bob]

Our run roof collapsed
View attachment 4035868
Welp...good thing there were no birds out there. I kept forgetting to go beat the snow off of the tarp. Hubby says it's fixable.

Better to test with no one living there. Yikes!

 

[BY Bob]

They look to be English orps which will run a bit more then American style. Very fair price for those chocolate laced. Good price for the blue ones too. While the price may seem steep to some for eggs, it is the cheaper way to go. I shudder to think what a day old chick costs. If I were looking orp hatching eggs I would be very tempted at those prices.

My pet chicken prices for the 2 orpington breeds I have.

Does not take many eggs to hatch to make them more cost effective.