Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I get it. Had to discuss names with Bijou....and had lists. I swear she wanted to hear them ALL, then decided the first one was acceptable!

View attachment 4229950View attachment 4229951View attachment 4229952the Queen in assorted moods...the tail expresses EVERYTHING

She is darling and Bijou is a great name.

 

[BY Bob]

The little one is missing. Today Nacho is all alone. It’s sad she lost her baby. They were inseparable till last evening

My heart is broken for her.

 

[BY Bob]

I would trim it around her eye so she can see better. As a youngster this is when they learn everything important, having clear vision to help learn is very important I feel.

This weekend the Bobsy Twins become biker babes with new hair doos! They are starting to have issues seeing.

Oh no! What did you do!

 

[BY Bob]

So refined! Just like Mammy telling Scarlett O’Hara that you can always tell a lady by the way she eats in front of folks (like a bird not like a field hand). Mine may live in a Palace but they eat like field hands!
Scarlett O’Hara - now there’s a name for a red chicken.

Indeed. That is a name.

 

[Sylvester017]

I am quite flattered that this Thirsty Thursday Sylvie has chosen to drink water I supplied rather than the abundant wild water outside.
Of course the wild water is likely being consumed by an army of Littles so she came in for some peace and quiet.
View attachment 4229930

That's my smart girl

 

[Sylvester017]

I certainly love this. The chooks hear the front gate open, my car driving into park, and they are all waiting at the inner gate for me to step out of my car. So many feathered friends!

So cute... pets recognize our car noises or garage door noises & start cackling before we're out of the car. I had a cat that knew what time I came home from work & she waited at the entrance to my cul-de-sac, saw my car, & ran home to greet me getting out of my car in the driveway. Yes, I love cats too

 

[Sylvester017]

You know, I sent a letter to the Kremlin in Moscow. I asked kindly if they would add some vowels to the language. No response.

Funny you mentioned that... my Mom vacationed in Europe 1970's. She went to Moscow to look up info on relatives but was told all records were destroyed in the Revolution (1917). Really? ALL records? Hmmm... then again this was in the 1970's era when this occurred. Maybe they thought she was a spy... did she look like one to you?

Mom & me c. 1970's

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Have you tried, instead of actually holding her, per se, letting her stand on your arm?

Just today, after reading your question! Twice, and both times very successful and I didn’t feel any trembling - just her balancing motions. I honestly didn’t think of it before, maybe because I’ve always held all the Bigs, but I’ve done it with the new pullets. Thanks!

& Thank you to all who weighed in on this, very helpful!

I checked my records the first time I caught Hattie and Jabber was at 25 weeks. They were the same age. He did not try Patsy or Lilly until after that.

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-20829146

I am hoping pressure on Hazel will ease but I don’t think anything will happen soon, it’ll be closer to 24 weeks, and Shehnai and the pullets are coming up on only 19 weeks Monday. He is getting more pointed, or rougher, with neck grabs and little jumps but no real moves on them yet.

Sorry, I missed this on my earlier post.

I am not an expert, by any means - but this is what I have from observations:

1) Geese (might be different from pullets - but still at least a frame of reference)
My Gander, Sampson, starts getting 'hissy' and protective about 2 weeks in Feb. before my geese start to lay - so clearly he is aware of their hormones starting to ramp up somewhere around 2 weeks before actual lay.

2) Pullets. Initially when I had chicks and had a bit more time to spend with them, I noticed that they started to squat for me 2-3 weeks before they started to lay. I am guessing that this was indicative of a change in hormones ramping up and that the Rooster would be aware of that, too.

however, just like with human females....girls start to get some physical changes well before they are 'hormonally' ready to mate. (i.e. breast start to develop, start to sweat more, hair starts to grow in places....anywhere from 3-8 months before ovulation starts. While the human timeline is off compared to a chicken's, I think the same general principal applies.
?anyone else want to weigh in?

I did try to go down that rabbit hole, but the only research article I found directly relevant to this question was behind a paywall.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00071669888034

Interesting! Maybe if the pullets here will lay at 24 weeks Shehnai could get interested around 21-22 weeks then. Best case is two more weeks of solely going after Hazel…

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh no! What did you do!

Nothing!

Yet …..

But they really need to see, they get freaked out when I go to pick them up. Once they see it’s me they relax - the ride on the shoulder is a fun treat I think - I am not doing that when they are full grown hahaha

 

[micstrachan]

The bigs are Tassels, Calypso, Sylvie, Pooh, and Piglet. It is Calypso and Pooh who are disciplining the Littles and getting thumped for it.
The Littles are Mr. Chips (the unexpected boy), Geronimo, Cookie, and Bucky. Bucky needs a name, she is definite not a Bucky but she hasn’t told me her real name yet. Geronimo is definitely staying Geronimo and lives into her name every day!
Here they are with mother Tassels making sure I am not planning to attack her Littles with my camera.
Bucky back left.
Mr. Chips back right.
Cookie black and white.
Geronimo at the front and furthest to the right.
View attachment 4229791

Oh my gosh, they’re adorable! Is Mr. Chips a Little Mill? Meaning, a speckled Sussex?