Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Rodents vs RC - the saga continues
No traps were sprung overnight but the cameras showed at least 2 and possibly 3 mice in the Palace having a ball gorging on scraps of chicken food. I can't believe that I had sealed in that many mice so I still think they are getting in somehow even though my cameras on the foundation show them trying but failing to get past my Saturday patches and fortifications. There must be somewhere I missed.
Rodents 3: RC 0
Maggie had a rough start to the morning because Diana shoved her off the roost because she was in the way (Diana gets up at least 40 minutes before dawn to lay an egg). I can't believe I wasn't aware of the pecking order before. Diana is a bully! Is it possible that it wasn't my observation skills but that it is getting more extreme (adding new Princesses, shorter days etc.)?
And talking of adding new Princesses this fluffy butt is Minnie exploring the nest box. There are 6 boxes but they all use one. Both Dotty and Minnnie had a look around but I only got the shot of Minnie. Both their combs are bright red but I assumed with the shorter days they wouldn't start laying until the spring.

View attachment 2415475

You'll likely get a few small eggs before spring.

While daylight plans a large part in egg production it's not the only factor. A local farm here gets chicks in the late summer/fall so they start laying during the short days.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Abject Terror or How did chickens get their name?

Monday afternoon was a complete terror for my flock. You can see the fear in their eyes.
View attachment 2415512View attachment 2415513

I heard them squawking and came outside and found them clumped under the apple trees and then pacing back and forth along the fence. What was frightening them so?

A tree trimmer.

My neighbor was having her birch tree trimmed back.
View attachment 2415515

These are hens who are all in my business when I run power tools. That chain saw was too loud for them.

Check out the fear as the flock runs from the apple trees to the corner behind the magnolia tree.

I felt so bad for them. It was almost 2 hours of this kind of terror. Poor babies.

Poor dears! I bet the bucket in the sky freaked them out too.

My guys chase Rich on the lawn tractor. They love the bugs and grass clippings he makes.

 

[micstrachan]

I feel like I get the same video every year of the first snow. Off to the coop they go. Lilly is old hat at it now. She stood on the porch for a while watching it snow.

Did you see Phyllis get blown over in the one video? She is partially obscured by the pinwheel. You can see her wing flap out as the wind tries to knock her over.

YES! I saw her flap, but did not realize she got blown over. It looked like she got spooked.

 

[RoyalChick]

Abject Terror or How did chickens get their name?

Monday afternoon was a complete terror for my flock. You can see the fear in their eyes.
View attachment 2415512View attachment 2415513

I heard them squawking and came outside and found them clumped under the apple trees and then pacing back and forth along the fence. What was frightening them so?

A tree trimmer.

My neighbor was having her birch tree trimmed back.
View attachment 2415515

These are hens who are all in my business when I run power tools. That chain saw was too loud for them.

Check out the fear as the flock runs from the apple trees to the corner behind the magnolia tree.

I felt so bad for them. It was almost 2 hours of this kind of terror. Poor babies.

Oh poor ladies - they really are in a panic.

 

[RoyalChick]

It's called animal cruelty Bob. There is no way that rooster put himself in the water, or got on to his back.
It's disgusting.
Take one of your cats and dump them in your pond!

I am with you Shad. It is like those pictures of chickens that get paralyzed by putting them on their backs - it looks cute but I think is because their anatomy means they become oxygen deprived. Not loving that one.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Floating Rooster

@Shadrach check out this crazy roster floating on his back in a pool!

He looks dead!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Now I see the photos! And do you want to know something fun about MY two Buckeyes? They are different ages, and while they are both relatively low in the pecking order and kind of “loners,” they are my only two chickens who clearly outrank the dog and sometimes run her off.

That's very interesting - your other breeds just hang with the dog, or run away from him/her? I don't have any experience except with these Buckeyes.

I wish I could really tell the four pullets apart now as I used to. Maybe I will band them? Butters, with the lightest coloring, used to be a lead chick, and I think it is she who has the courage to face off with the Fur Chicken (cat) Big Boy on a regular basis. Big Boy is a drop-off stray who was/is basically an indoors cat, really has no clue how to hunt, and knew the chicks since Day One. He would sit and watch them. As they grew I let them come close while holding him, and let him move away as he wanted. Now they are taller than him and fiercer than him. So he backs away, poor thing, all he wants to do is hang with me while I'm with them. Sometimes when I go over to pet and reassure him, that just emboldens Butters to face off again and drive him further off unless I can pick him up first. Even then he asks to be put down so he can run away! Big Boy gets his cuddles and lap time in the Big Coop.

When Butters sees whom I think is Popcorn - she was a chick with indominable spunk - or it could be Peanut, who used to hang with Butters - coming over to join her (they used to hang together, maybe still do? There are two foraging pairs) they both setout at a full run to ambush poor Big Boy. He is relegated to about 30 feet away. Then they leave him alone. But he still wants to sit and watch them. Sometimes they run at him from behind too - and he hears their feet approaching only when very close. He crouches for some kind of unknown assault while turning to look, and usually makes a quick bounding getaway at the last minute.

It does sometimes look like play, does your dog consider it play? The Buckeyes have a great curiosity about this cat too. There have been a few times Big Boy appears to feel safe enough among them as long as he is sitting on something just above their height. They tend to tolerate him like that. However, that can leave his gently moving tail quite vulnerable. Man, that thing hanging down with the end curling a bit, moving this way and that....what a tempting thing for a chicken to investigate! Twice now, I've seen two or three of them approach it slowly and warily, quietly stepping left and right, but ever closer. They can't help themselves it seems, it is so very interesting. Each time I observed this, Big Boy would suddenly notice these Ninja Chickens right behind him and leap away to safety. Good thing, all Fur Chickens must protect their tails!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Good morning, Bob!

 

[BY Bob]

Oh poor ladies - they really are in a panic.

They really were. I have never seen them behave like that and it was frustrating that I could solve it for them. ☹

 

[BY Bob]

He looks dead!

I thought he was when it first came up. I did not mean to upset everyone here by posting. Perhaps I should take it down as we are endorsing by watching.