Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Labsandchickens8]

Thanks. I didn’t. I got home around 12:30am and she was long gone. RIP, sweet, curious Minnie. My dear friend just came by and buried her for me because I’m still recovering.
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I'm so so sorry! What a tough thing.

 

[rural mouse]

Hope you don't mind me jumping in. I would hold him on your lap close to the coop and talk to him gently patting his back. I did this when my rooster started to attack me. It took a couple weeks and now he knows not to bother me. I would also tell him "No" every time he tried to force the hen or when he was pecking them to show me he was "in charge".

Not while mama is still mothering the chicks. That's a recipe for mama attacking the "hooman servant"

 

[RoyalChick]

Hope you don't mind me jumping in. I would hold him on your lap close to the coop and talk to him gently patting his back. I did this when my rooster started to attack me. It took a couple weeks and now he knows not to bother me. I would also tell him "No" every time he tried to force the hen or when he was pecking them to show me he was "in charge".

Yes - it is the hold him question I am asking given Tassels will not be at all happy about that.

 

[RoyalChick]

If she's still mothering them, my advice is wait until she's done. If the others are starting to discipline, the time is coming. She may wean them off, or she may go cold turkey. Currently. Sounds as if she's the helicopter mom, "my precious baby would NEVER do something so heinous as steal! How DARE you suggest such a thing!" This will change. Is she full on moulting, yet?

She is definitely still mothering them. They are not roosting because she summons them back into her cardboard box each night.
She seems to be doing a slow molt - she lost her tail and is regrowing it. The cardboard box is full of her feathers and she looks a bit thin around the neck - but she is still quite resplendent with fluff, and her main body feathers are glowing.
The only relaxation of control I see is that she doesn't share 100% of the food she finds or the treats I bring. She still calls them over, and she still gives most of it to the Littles, but if they are slow to show up she eats it herself. Apart from that she is still very much large and in charge!

 

[RoyalChick]

Not while mama is still mothering the chicks. That's a recipe for mama attacking the "hooman servant"

Yup. That is the issue. And I don't mind being attacked, but I can't imagine it is good for long term outcome for me to be associated with stress in Tassels mind.

 

[Ponypoor]

if ya need something to take care of that rat I hear rat poison works great, almost like its made for rats. wild huh

Yup got lots of that stuff also - the good stuff you need a license to use.

But with the chooks about I need to be careful they don’t eat any mice that will eat it. And the velociraptors they actively hunt the mice. Rats are smarter than mice and don’t come out in the day. But I am sure they would have a go at the rats.

I have watched my girls climb up into the spruce trees to try and get squirrels and birds - brats!

The trap I have is a zap trap. Hopefully I get that big sucker soon.

 

[CCsGarden]

Here is Joan after 4th day of crop treatment. She has some major pieces of ?? plastic?? idk what it is. I got almost 10 pieces out and still feel one more in her. I didn't feel more then 3 inside but once she threw it up, there was a lot more. Poor baby, I didn't know you had gotten into something that bad?!

She will rest her foot on my hand after each treatment.

 

[rural mouse]

Yup. That is the issue. And I don't mind being attacked, but I can't imagine it is good for long term outcome for me to be associated with stress in Tassels mind.

She's headed towards letting go. Knowing she'll attack, act like she's Momma Hen, Evil Ol' Bat. Tame babies when she's done. Otherwise hands off.

 

[rural mouse]

Matilda tried tree roosting again...same spot...