Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Sure can! I’ve been keeping them for about a year now, and I’ve kept my population levels fairly steady... mostly through neglect. I forget they are there sometimes and a week or two will go by before I get them a fresh veggie water source. Please as always excuse the mess... I screwed the top of the organizer into some 2x4’s to suspend them below the skirt of the coffee table edge. So the table now weighs whole a lot more, but it was what I had to hand when I was setting it up and suddenly realized I needed to drop the organizers down to be able to open the top drawers.View attachment 2392868View attachment 2392857
I was using a screened bottom in a drawer (missing) but have given up on that and am now just letting the beetles live in the exact same set up as the worms. I need to find one of the regular drawers to replace it. I know it’s somewhere outside, as I have a third organizer I don’t have room for in the trailer and just use the Spare drawers for sifting.
View attachment 2392861View attachment 2392863
I moved the egg carton top over to take the picture of the worms... they are congregating there on a slice of zucchini.

That is very clever Kris.

 

[Shadrach]

I Am Furious

I am having trouble writing this as I don't know what I am going to do.

It was a complete rainout today as the remains of hurricane Zeta came through. It rained so much the pool is overflowing. I left the ladies in the run complex all day. No use in them getting soaked when it's this cold outside. The complex is completely roofed. So while they might get some side rain, mostly they can stay dry.

When I checked the camera to check on roosting tonight, this is what I saw.
View attachment 2392122

Now I took this picture because I had to go out and find out if Phyllis was on the high roost. Somehow I knew she wouldn't be. Aurora was in her spot.

She was not.

View attachment 2392124

That is the same roost Maleficent was on when........

This is how it started with Mal when Lilly kept chasing her out of the coop. I thought the multiple roosts would help but now it's not Lilly, it's Aurora or Sansa. There is so much room. Why won't they share?

Why!?

I just can't. I was so afraid tonight. I just can't.

I'm not surprised. Very sad. One partial solution is to get another to keep her company. I don't think this problem is going to go away. I beleive I said as much when you first got her.
Watching your videos of roosting just left me feeling very sorry for her.
Unpopular though it is here on BYC the view of the old school chicken keepers here is don't mix breeds.
After years and made much worse by Gedit her half sister dying Myth has a very hard life with the mixed breeds. Myth is mostly bantam. The Bantam roosters know it and are constantly pestering her to leave Notch. She could probably swing it with the other bantam hens now that Bluespot is dead but Tribe 3 is her home now, rough, or not.
I've mentioned before, she's not an easy hen to like but I wish I could do something for her. She doesn't get hurt, but she is constantly harrassed by Knock and to a cetain extent by Donk as well. If the tribes here were all confined together her life would be a complete misery.
Family and/or breed, that's how chickens are and so are many other creatures to a greater or lesser extent including humans.

 

[Shadrach]

I wonder if it is at all to do with the drastically different appearance of Phyllis?

This and as I posted above.
Chickens know who is family, who is the same breed and who can be intimidated.

 

[RoyalChick]

I have been holding on to this information but I think knowing this might help you now. Until this happens, Maggie is fine and you should relax and try not to fret too much.

Here is what you need to watch for.

The lash egg is the result of inflammation in her egg track. The inflammation typically leads to scarring which results in a blockage of the track. This means that eggs she tries to produce cannot progress down the track. This then results in a build up of liquid in her abdomen. The first visible symptom of this fluid build up will be difficulty breathing. I noticed it with Daisy, the greatest hen ever, on the roost cam. Usually their breathing is slow and steady while they are at rest. Daisy's was clearly not. It was easy to see. There is a chance that somewhere i have video of her breathing. If I can find it, I will post it but it was obvious.

Until you see that, I would not worry. You will likely not notice anything different until then. Please try to not be anxious and enjoy your time together. You could likely have all winter. That is my most fervent prayer for you.

Thank you. I will bear all that in mind and it is a helpful explanation.
Don't worry I am enjoying my time with her and she is enjoying her time with the worms.
I think I will know if she is suffering or in distress but if you find the video that would help me too.
Thank you.

 

[Shadrach]

Tap, the only hen laying eggs currently.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm not surprised. Very sad. One partial solution is to get another to keep her company. I don't think this problem is going to go away. I beleive I said as much when you first got her.
Watching your videos of roosting just left me feeling very sorry for her.
Unpopular though it is here on BYC the view of the old school chicken keepers here is don't mix breeds.
After years and made much worse by Gedit her half sister dying Myth has a very hard life with the mixed breeds. Myth is mostly bantam. The Bantam roosters know it and are constantly pestering her to leave Notch. She could probably swing it with the other bantam hens now that Bluespot is dead but Tribe 3 is her home now, rough, or not.
I've mentioned before, she's not an easy hen to like but I wish I could do something for her. She doesn't get hurt, but she is constantly harrassed by Knock and to a cetain extent by Donk as well. If the tribes here were all confined together her life would be a complete misery.
Family and/or breed, that's how chickens are and so are many other creatures to a greater or lesser extent including humans.

You were absolutely correct. I wanted to add a pair of whatever. That is always my preference. I cannot argue that Phyllis is different. I have considered that any flock expansion needs to include another polish. I think that is a must do. I got Phyllis fully knowing that she was going to be the odd hen out. It was not what I wanted to do but I agreed to make my wife happy. If I made one big mistake at the time it was in taking Sansa and not leaving myself room to add another polish. But then how could I leave Sansa as a lone hen? Perhaps I need to be more cold hearted.

However, the forcing out of the coop at night is not confined to Phyllis. Sansa was nearly locked out earlier this week. You all saw my posts on the roosting walk of shame. Aurora has tried to do it to Sydney as well. It does not take place every night. For example Wednesday was all quiet in the roosting process. I believe that my issue right now is Aurora.

So how do I create an environment where Aurora is happy to leave everyone else alone? She is a difficult bird. I love her for the crazy nut that she is and because she was Maleficent's partner in crime. Not to mention the pink eggs.

But I can't have this.

So what are the options?

1. I can watch them roost every night and intervene like I did last night
2. I could split the coop. Create 2 sides and 2 entrances. Aurora can't block them both.
3. I can try rearranging or adding more roosting spots to make it harder for Aurora to drive them out or satisfy her that she doesn't need to do so.
4. I could remove Aurora, temporarily or permanently
5. I could add a second coop (Put up the old coop) and close it up each night
6. I can finish armoring the entire complex so it is as safe to roost outside as inside. I have to think hard about what this would require. Evaluate everything for weaknesses.

If anyone else has any idea, please post.

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you. I will bear all that in mind and it is a helpful explanation.
Don't worry I am enjoying my time with her and she is enjoying her time with the worms.
I think I will know if she is suffering or in distress but if you find the video that would help me too.
Thank you.

Please know that I understand all too well what you are going through. I am here if you ever need someone to talk to.

 

[RoyalChick]

You were absolutely correct. I wanted to add a pair of whatever. That is always my preference. I cannot argue that Phyllis is different. I have considered that any flock expansion needs to include another polish. I think that is a must do. I got Phyllis fully knowing that she was going to be the odd hen out. It was not what I wanted to do but I agreed to make my wife happy. If I made one big mistake at the time it was in taking Sansa and not leaving myself room to add another polish. But then how could I leave Sansa as a lone hen? Perhaps I need to be more cold hearted.

However, the forcing out of the coop at night is not confined to Phyllis. Sansa was nearly locked out earlier this week. You all saw my posts on the roosting walk of shame. Aurora has tried to do it to Sydney as well. It does not take place every night. For example Wednesday was all quiet in the roosting process. I believe that my issue right now is Aurora.

So how do I create an environment where Aurora is happy to leave everyone else alone? She is a difficult bird. I love her for the crazy nut that she is and because she was Maleficent's partner in crime. Not to mention the pink eggs.

But I can't have this.

So what are the options?

1. I can watch them roost every night and intervene like I did last night
2. I could split the coop. Create 2 sides and 2 entrances. Aurora can't block them both.
3. I can try rearranging or adding more roosting spots to make it harder for Aurora to drive them out or satisfy her that she doesn't need to do so.
4. I could remove Aurora, temporarily or permanently
5. I could add a second coop (Put up the old coop) and close it up each night
6. I can finish armoring the entire complex so it is as safe to roost outside as inside. I have to think hard about what this would require. Evaluate everything for weaknesses.

If anyone else has any idea, please post.

My vote is for 2 or 3. You might want to do 6 anyway, but then there is the issue of cold, windy rain.

 

[RoyalChick]

Please know that I understand all too well what you are going through. I am here if you ever need someone to talk to.

Thank you.

 

[Shadrach]

Cillin on guard. The rest of the tribe are in the bush behind him.

This is Fat Bird evicting Mel who has been sitting on a pile for a few days.
Fat Bird has done this to every hen in her tribe apart from Ruffles since I've been watching. Fat Bird and Ruffles were the last two of the Marans. All the rest of Tribe 1 are decendents of Cillin and Ruffles. Mel who is now second most senior will leave her nests if Fat Bird says no. She'll go back and I've seen Fat Bird evict the younger hens three or four times in a day. I don't really understand what is going on but I beleive it's something to do with senior rights for breeding.

Mel is no longer sitting. This time when Fat Bird evicted Mel I stole the eggs, bad man that I am. Mel sat in the empty nest for a couple of hours, came out at supper time and voluntarily went to roost in the tribe coop this evening.