Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Now that winter is coming up to its end (even if it doesnt feel like it ) dad and I are starting to think more seriously about plans for our flock going forward.

The other day chicks were mentioned. Dad said another 5 to make an nice round 10 would be perfect. So I've been researching breeds to look out for (CCL would be amazing but those huge single combs would be a frostbite nightmare).

Most important though, we've been throwing ideas back and forth regarding the coop/run situation. I mentioned the safety concern about the gas meter (plus other things). Since I'm the one caring for them, he wants everything to be as easy as possible, which I appreciate but safety is more important than how far I have to walk.

So I thought, why not just convert this old playhouse (something we've discussed before but then shelved it) into a coop and attached run?

View attachment 4052168
View attachment 4052169

It's old, but very sturdy, and with some alterations it would be perfect. And I think it would be relatively easy to convert compared to other ideas we've had, like digging up the run's foundation posts, somehow getting it up and on wheels, and moving it...

@micstrachan has one as the beginnings of her coop. They expanded over the years.

 

[BY Bob]

We Have a Second Layer!

Someone laid these beauties in Hattie House.

Who is it? Guess before checking!

Spoiler: Who is Laying Now?

It's Miss Sydney!

I was making my lunch and I saw her pacing around Hattie House trying to find a way in. The door was closed because of the awful weather over the weekend. Well I have seen that passing before. Out the door I went. As soon as I opened the door she was up and in. I knew that meant she was either close or ready to go.

Look how much bigger her eggs are than Aster's.

 

[Sylvester017]

He’s a sweet guy, not aggressive at all, but I still miss Sir Jaffar and Rudy the rougarou

We feel you ~ we all miss our "gone" birds. DH says he even misses the ones we re-homed. We aren't zoned for cockerels so when we had to find them homes he refused to advertise them for someone's table meal. He only gave our two cockerels to our vegetarian rescue farm friend.

 

[Sylvester017]

A missing toe or two, never stopped this little man from doing his rooster duties:
Sir Jaffar, the brave, the magnificent!View attachment 4052135

He was a Naked Neck Cochin? How unique

 

[featherhead007]

Friends, you need to know: my chooks are so funny, I look on YouTube once in a while to see if any of them have posted videos of themselves!

 

[featherhead007]

He was a Naked Neck Cochin? How unique

His neck wasn’t like that when I got him. The ladies groomed him clean

 

[featherhead007]

I could use another buff Orpington roo!

 

[Sylvester017]

I had a look again at her toe and I will just snip the piece of skin holding it on, it will just dry up and hang there if I left it. Better to deal with it now and get it done with.

Thankfully being an Orp she has clean feet and legs - no feathers. But still I expect her to not be to thrilled with having a bandage on the foot. Might need to put one of those cone-collars on her that dogs wear hahaha. Just kidding.

OK well just popped in the house for some lunch, have been clearing snow - again, waiting for my niece to arrive to do the big stuff. I am so spent... just pooped. Too much snow.

BFTP

December 2022
Snow birds
View attachment 4052148View attachment 4052150

The original gang

DH & I just remembered our Silkie Mini's rear toe had the dangling toenail that eventually fell off during our daily treatments. What was scary to me is that a whole toe she ripped off plus half of another toe ~ vet didn't really snip anything or suture anywhere but we had to keep her wounds sterilized & treated each day. He suggested the bootie or infant socks over her vet-wrapped feet & keep her indoors rather than in dirt. He had no idea how difficult it was to keep socks attached to feathered legs After a couple days we kept the socks off & just vet-wrapped w/ antibiotic ointment.

Mini had the fluffiest vulture hocks of any Silkie we ever had. All our black Silkies have been pretty. Our brutal summer sun faded her black feathers to a reddish tint until her next moults brought back the black sheen.

 

[Sylvester017]

His neck wasn’t like that when I got him. The ladies groomed him clean

Oh, he sounds like another Ponypoor's Mr. P

 

[Sylvester017]

Now that winter is coming up to its end (even if it doesnt feel like it ) dad and I are starting to think more seriously about plans for our flock going forward.

The other day chicks were mentioned. Dad said another 5 to make an nice round 10 would be perfect. So I've been researching breeds to look out for (CCL would be amazing but those huge single combs would be a frostbite nightmare).

Most important though, we've been throwing ideas back and forth regarding the coop/run situation. I mentioned the safety concern about the gas meter (plus other things). Since I'm the one caring for them, he wants everything to be as easy as possible, which I appreciate but safety is more important than how far I have to walk.

So I thought, why not just convert this old playhouse (something we've discussed before but then shelved it) into a coop and attached run?

View attachment 4052168
View attachment 4052169

It's old, but very sturdy, and with some alterations it would be perfect. And I think it would be relatively easy to convert compared to other ideas we've had, like digging up the run's foundation posts, somehow getting it up and on wheels, and moving it...

That playhouse is great to repurpose if it has the space to roost 10 hens when they get feisty. I love seeing repurposed playhouses