Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

I'm tickled you noticed the softness of the BR crosses' feathers. Pilgrim Dominique feathers were used for bedding not just for their softness but also the feathers had less odor. Our Silkies also have less odorous & naturally softer plumage.

BR's have Dominique-cross history during very early 1900's so they have mostly the same characteristics of the basic Dominique stock ~ good temperament, softer feathers, calm demeanor, & people~friendly.

Now, we had a mean bully Cuckoo Marans so I can't speak of what a BR/Marans cross would be... kind of a wait-n-see outcome?

Glad you mentioned BR’s my five are friendly and affectionate. They are beautiful

 

[featherhead007]

Glad you mentioned BR’s my five are friendly and affectionate. They are beautiful

And they all like to play scrabble!!

 

[Ponypoor]

This is wrong on so many levels

How about a chicken in a bag?

 

[rural mouse]

How about a chicken in a bag?

View attachment 4245103

She looks like she's plotting how she's going to get you over this indignity.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thank you everyone and especially @ChicoryBlue and @rural mouse for throwing ideas at me for more vertical space for pullets to escape from any unwanted attention.
I am moving away from the cat tree idea (though there may be a place for a cat tree elsewhere) and more towards a ladder.
I already have a ladder that I repurposed (it was ancient and very unsafe). I tightened it up and added rungs. It goes up to a big perch in the run. The perch is a popular preening spot at about 4’ up. Many fly up and down. Some use the ladder. And some sit on the ladder itself.

With the ladder idea in mind I headed off to the barn to see what I had on hand.
The barn is a big scary place (I think a bear lives in the attic) and it is full of the junk of many prior generations of owners. Of course I love it!
Well, I was looking for scrap lumber, but I found ladders!

The first is one that I don’t think would ever be used in real life. It is 12’ long, possibly more which is way too big, but I could cut it up and game two! The top is up in bear territory and I didn’t venture so for all I know it is 15’. It is the wood one under the more modern metal one.

The second I could imagine using in real life. It is a small extendable wooden painters ladder. Goes from 7-14’.

The third is a beautifully made step ladder. It is very, very heavy which makes it less useful in real life. Call me crazy, but I could prevent it from tipping by securing it to the chains I have hanging from the rafters. Those are for hanging feeders that I no longer use because of the rat proof feeders. It might sway if a big chicken launched off the top, but it wouldn’t fall and crush anyone. And I would have it firmly on the ground, not swinging in the breeze. Do you think chickens would use the steps? They are only 11.5” apart - so to fly up to a higher one would require good aim. It is about 6’ tall. I can see them using the first 2-3 steps maybe? Geronimo and Cookie might go higher.

I am leaning towards the step ladder in the open space (secured to rafters just in case) and maybe also cutting up the first one and leaning half of it against the wall by the servant’s quarters.

All thoughts welcome.

 

[featherhead007]

How about a chicken in a bag?

View attachment 4245103

You need professional help. I do believe that is a part of Canadian socialist government.? Haha
Here’s my tax little rooster Wyandotteys kid

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Me too... I would like pics ...we have 3 pallets & they are heavy. Nice if we can make shelters w/them. I wanted them in the run but they are a bear to move so shelters sound like an idea.

Will post pics, but it’s not cut yet, DH hasn’t done it and I have to get my courage up to use the circular saw, or use my trusty but dull manual saw. But I’ve been working madly on the run roof construction in between the bad weather, that has priority!

This is wrong on so many levels

Clothes on a chicken
Chickens used for manual labor
The gift card slot is empty, thus it is slave labor to boot!

 

[bgmathteach]

Cos then the branches will be too tight against the wall.

I actually agree with the others, the upright should be 10"-12" away from the wall/support post. It will serve 2 purposes then - a 'dodge around' post, but the supports for the upright will also be a 'hop up on to get away from the roo' spot as well. Since you will probably want both a low and a high support, one support being maybe 10" off the ground/top of litter would work....a hen can easily duck under that while running...but the roo would have to duck proportionally more and it would slow him down more. 10" off the ground wouldn't make her completely safe if he was to try to pull her off, but it would prevent mating...and serve as a quick 'step up' to whatever the next 'branch' height is - which would presumable be perpendicular to it.

Then the top support would act would also act as a roost - a solo roost for a hen that wanted to get a way from the others (i.e. molting and wanting space, or just being bullied, etc.)


Food for thought. I know ultimately you will do what you feel is right for your situation.


P.S. one 10" off the ground, and 10" long would serve as a great mini-roost for chicks that want to be 'up' but aren't flying high yet. And at 10" long, easily 3-5 young chicks could fit at once (initially...obviously that would drop to just 2 at the pre-teen stage through teen years. Stay at 2 for slight hens a bit squished, but still big enough for one very large hen. Just, again, food for thought!

 

[featherhead007]

I actually agree with the others, the upright should be 10"-12" away from the wall/support post. It will serve 2 purposes then - a 'dodge around' post, but the supports for the upright will also be a 'hop up on to get away from the roo' spot as well. Since you will probably want both a low and a high support, one support being maybe 10" off the ground/top of litter would work....a hen can easily duck under that while running...but the roo would have to duck proportionally more and it would slow him down more. 10" off the ground wouldn't make her completely safe if he was to try to pull her off, but it would prevent mating...and serve as a quick 'step up' to whatever the next 'branch' height is - which would presumable be perpendicular to it.

Then the top support would act would also act as a roost - a solo roost for a hen that wanted to get a way from the others (i.e. molting and wanting space, or just being bullied, etc.)


Food for thought. I know ultimately you will do what you feel is right for your situation.


P.S. one 10" off the ground, and 10" long would serve as a great mini-roost for chicks that want to be 'up' but aren't flying high yet. And at 10" long, easily 3-5 young chicks could fit at once (initially...obviously that would drop to just 2 at the pre-teen stage through teen years. Stay at 2 for slight hens a bit squished, but still big enough for one very large hen. Just, again, food for thought!

Sorry wrong button pressed on my iPhone

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Thank you everyone and especially @ChicoryBlue and @rural mouse for throwing ideas at me for more vertical space for pullets to escape from any unwanted attention.
I am moving away from the cat tree idea (though there may be a place for a cat tree elsewhere) and more towards a ladder.
I already have a ladder that I repurposed (it was ancient and very unsafe). I tightened it up and added rungs. It goes up to a big perch in the run. The perch is a popular preening spot at about 4’ up. Many fly up and down. Some use the ladder. And some sit on the ladder itself.
View attachment 4245141

With the ladder idea in mind I headed off to the barn to see what I had on hand.
The barn is a big scary place (I think a bear lives in the attic) and it is full of the junk of many prior generations of owners. Of course I love it!
Well, I was looking for scrap lumber, but I found ladders!

The first is one that I don’t think would ever be used in real life. It is 12’ long, possibly more which is way too big, but I could cut it up and game two! The top is up in bear territory and I didn’t venture so for all I know it is 15’. It is the wood one under the more modern metal one.
View attachment 4245145

The second I could imagine using in real life. It is a small extendable wooden painters ladder. Goes from 7-14’.
View attachment 4245146

The third is a beautifully made step ladder. It is very, very heavy which makes it less useful in real life. Call me crazy, but I could prevent it from tipping by securing it to the chains I have hanging from the rafters. Those are for hanging feeders that I no longer use because of the rat proof feeders. It might sway if a big chicken launched off the top, but it wouldn’t fall and crush anyone. And I would have it firmly on the ground, not swinging in the breeze. Do you think chickens would use the steps? They are only 11.5” apart - so to fly up to a higher one would require good aim. It is about 6’ tall. I can see them using the first 2-3 steps maybe? Geronimo and Cookie might go higher.
View attachment 4245147

I am leaning towards the step ladder in the open space (secured to rafters just in case) and maybe also cutting up the first one and leaning half of it against the wall by the servant’s quarters.

All thoughts welcome.

Not sure about cutting up a beautiful wood straight ladder in good shape, thats a valuable item! Have you seen the price of ladders lately?

I favor the step ladder - we have a wooden one and an aluminum one. Guess which one gets used? The wooden one is insanely heavy. Note, wood ladders are safer in any electrical situation, lightning, wiring.

Anyhow, you can also place 2x4’s on their flat side across a side of a step on to the round rail, both sides sticking out! They are even with each other?

I can attest that chickens like ladders. This was yesterday. They were elsewhere and then moved to this spot, plus one on the steps below me! I had to move the gang because I was using small screws, plus I didn’t want anything falling on them!