Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

I don’t really know what I am looking for so I am just posting and hope it will be clear at some point!

You know we love watching babies grow, so pics, pics and more pics! Will let you know when I see something to shift that bar. (Still at @75%)

 

[Ponypoor]

It must be so breed specific, because I look at Chippy and just see a regular pullet. Is it the stance too? Are there any of the famous pointy feathers anywhere? When compared to this one below, and I mean this kindly, I wonder what you're getting so worked up about, lol!

Okay I'm hijacking your post and saying stop worrying about Chippy and look at this one here!

Also, I'd like to see how Bucky is getting along. Any pictures? Got a bit of her in a Cookie picture...

I give you Shanai. 16 weeks, I think.
Hackles are not pointy yet, though the upper neck feathers are (but so are all of the pullets', to a lesser degree). Saddle is getting significantly defined with drapey & shiny feathers, but not pointy yet. Tail is very seriously roo. But two other pullets are beginning one or two pointy tail feathers now, nothing quite like this though. Leg length & size, game-bird reminiscent when seen from the side, is startling. DH is now stating/asking if she's a rooster. I have not been ready with the camera when there's been the opportunity to show this, but Shanai is 1/3 bigger/ taller than everybody else.

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The top of the cinder block is not a stretch for Shanai
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Some of the other Buckeye pullets. Demure little ones, they are, compared to Shanai.
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Oh crap

It’s the tail.

Sorry but you have a gorgeous hunk of eye candy there I would say (and what a lovely youngster at that!), are you freaking out if you have boy there?

That tail though - it’s going to be gorgeous

 

[drstratton]

Around here our mosquitos a few yrs ago infected our birds w/ fowl pox. We stayed on top of it w/antibiotic ointment for a couple weeks. The good thing is once a chicken gets over fowl pox they have pox immunity for their lifetime.

Last week a big black wasp fell on me from our pomegranate tree & I screamed in sudden surprise & I scared our 3 youngest Silkies & now I have to gain back their trust
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Shiny black giant wasps are good solitary pollinator insects unlike the threatening hive-building yellow jacket wasps!

Giant Black Wasp ~ a good hunter of grasshoppers... grasshoppers are bad news in a garden.

I'd scream and jump too...lol. Poor babies, they'll come around.

 

[rural mouse]

I didn’t know that. Might be more than two weeks to clarity then.
Maybe I should just stop worrying and accept our fate.
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This one bumps the bar up, but some of the earlier pics bump it down, so it's still sitting at that point.

 

[RoyalChick]

That bush last night is nothing but brambles (I'll try get good pic in daylight).

Best way I've found to "herd": 2 people, 1 in front with treats, slowly leaving a trail here and there (scratch/sunflower seeds work well here) with the other behind slowly pushing the stragglers along. If necessary, a stick to extend arm reach for the person behind them. MOST CRITICAL: MOVE SLOWLY. Moving quickly startles them and startled birds go everywhere EXCEPT where you want them to.

This reminds me of way back when Maggie led a whole load of contractors on a dance around the field.
I kept telling them to leave her be but they felt bad because it was their fault she was out. I wish I had captured it on video - it was like one of those Benny Hill clips. She ran back and forth and they ran back and forth after her. She was never going to be captured!

 

[RoyalChick]

You know we love watching babies grow, so pics, pics and more pics! Will let you know when I see something to shift that bar. (Still at @75%)

75% male right?

 

[kattabelly]

Fluffy Friday butts

FWIW, those famous pointy hackle and saddle feathers don't start growing until 10-12 weeks, so Chippy isn't old enough yet. (Most inexperienced eyes don't notice them until 15+ weeks)

I'm still suspicious of a couple of the Shetlands even though none of them is showing any sign of growing male saddle feathers at coming up on 16 weeks old

 

[rural mouse]

75% male right?

Correct. Still sitting at that point. There's enough comb/wattles growth to make it very possible, but it's not as red as experience says it should be. And knowing camera colors (especially chicken skin colors) can be off, puts Chippy on the fence.

 

[rural mouse]

Fluffy Friday butts
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I'm still suspicious of a couple of the Shetlands even though none of them is showing any sign of growing male saddle feathers at coming up on 16 weeks old

There's always at least 1 that messes with your mind in some way, shape, or form.

 

[Ikslo]

I thought for a minute while reading that she had managed to sneak back into your bedroom or kitchen

What a clever little soul

I’m just waiting for one of them to figure out the doggy door