Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

I've seen it go that way before but this time around, they got all that out of the way much earlier. Not-so-littles are just coming up to 12 weeks old now and while they still regroup a few times a day, and all sleep together both at night and for daytime naps, they're often splitting off as individuals or pairs/trios and hanging out alongside the older birds now. They aren't really included yet but they're allowed to tag along, and even eat next to them some of the time. A few already have clear preferences, like my chonky white Ixworth who likes the Light Sussex girls.

Still got all the cockerel clobbering business yet to come, mind.

I am jealous.
Nothing too terrible so far but I have had to open a second door into the Chicken Palace because Calypso guards the entrance so the Not-So-Littles can’t get in. And the Not-So-Littles make themselves scarce when Calypso or Sylvie are anywhere nearby.
Tassels of course is not mean to them and she even hangs out with them still now and then, but she is clearly no longer enforcing the ‘be nice to my babies’ rule.

Piglet isn’t mean to them and mainly just ignores them. I wonder if everyone else is bad tempered because they are molting. Piglet is done with her molt.
And in big news, Calypso is finally starting her molt just as the temperature is set to plummet.

 

[RoyalChick]

Okay, so I just can’t bring myself to get any more bantams. So many losses. So I have been considering trying to bridge the size gap. Here are the breeds that I am pondering on:

Shetlands, small but not quite Bantam small. Hens are 2-3 lbs and they do lay blue/green eggs.
View attachment 4248498
Or … double silver laced barnavelders from Alchemist Farms. Their line they describe as slightly larger than bantams and slightly smaller than a standard sized hen.
View attachment 4248500

Any other breed recommendations or thoughts on these 2 possibilities?

How about Legbars? I have found them to be delightful and quirky and just tipping the scale at 4lb or less.
Piglet and Pooh are both Legbars.
They lay blue eggs, though not it seems at the moment!

This is Pooh

And this is Piglet napping in the sun

Here they are both enjoying some wild water.

And Piglet ensuring nobody else can enjoy the foot water.

 

[rural mouse]

Okay, so I just can’t bring myself to get any more bantams. So many losses. So I have been considering trying to bridge the size gap. Here are the breeds that I am pondering on:

Shetlands, small but not quite Bantam small. Hens are 2-3 lbs and they do lay blue/green eggs.
View attachment 4248498
Or … double silver laced barnavelders from Alchemist Farms. Their line they describe as slightly larger than bantams and slightly smaller than a standard sized hen.
View attachment 4248500

Any other breed recommendations or thoughts on these 2 possibilities?

Hamburgs
They're about the smallest standard size bird. Cheetah is a gold penciled one. Lark and Indigo are his daughters and kept the size. He's supposed to top out at 5 pounds with the ladies at 4 pounds. Same stats for the silver spangled versions. I haven't weighed them, but with all the ranging they do, I don't think he's more than 4 soaking wet and the girls are smaller. They're very active, alert, agile and quick. They're also very much "dont touch". Cheetah has accepted assistance without complaint when he's moulting particularly miserably, but otherwise it's hands off...but willing to hang out near by. They're also much more of the type to avoid, dodge and put space between birds rather than thump