Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Sorry, Bob. I think you did right not intervening. I’ve seen small boughts of this here or there, but only in full force twice:
1. Margo attacked Rusty after she had been indoors for an extended period of time for illness.
2. Buttercup pecked a chick and Cashew best the crap out of her.

My inclination is to not stress too much and let it be. It might not continue or escalate. I felt bad for Aurora being odd hen out, however. I’d be keeping an eye on her for signs of illness. Do you know who started it?

I just had this discussion with Mrs BY Bob as well. The first two times I was standing at the backdoor watching them over by the magnolia tree. They were kind of obscured initially by my chair when I saw the fight break out. I have no idea who started it. Lilly broke that up and a minute later they were at it again. Again I was surprised and not really watching when it happened. The third time I was outside getting some screws to fix a drawer in the kitchen. I stopped to say hello and they went at it again. I should have seen who started it but I just did not. I was not watching for it. I had my phone in my hand so I was able to film it all but I just don't know who started it. Based upon their behavior of late I can assume Aurora but i have no evidence to back that up.

 

[BY Bob]

A near miss
Bob, to take your mind off the stress at Fluffy Butt Acres I am sharing a near miss at the Chicken Palace today.
I was doing some digging to bury the ground wire for the electric fence before the ground freezes hard. In passing I dropped off some cabbage as a treat, but the three older Princesses rushed me at the door and were out in a second frantically digging up the lawn and the pachysandra and as usual generally trying to interfere.
Here is Maggie destroying the pachysandra and showing off her newly re-fluffed butt.
View attachment 2420336

I was feeling old and tired and after the digging really wanted to go inside and have a cup of tea so I went to gather in the Princesses to pop them safely back into the Palace. What I had not remembered is that since Maggie laid a lash egg she no longer squats for me, and she had no interest in coming in however much I begged.
So, instead of going in for tea I sat just inside the door of the servant's quarters on my little stool. I could see Maggie and Maggie could see me, but I was invisible to anyone or anything else in the backyard or the field.
I was so engrossed in the Hattie-Aurora fight video that I almost didn't notice Maggie making the 'alarm trill'. Fortunately I just caught it and rushed out to see a fox only about 20 feet away with its eyes glued to Maggie in the Pachysandra. The fox and Maggie were just staring at each other.
I ran at the fox yelling and it rather reluctantly moved off about 10 feet but then turned again to stare at Maggie. I didn't want to run too far from Maggie (maybe the fox had a friend nearby) and I didn't want to turn my back on the fox. It was all quite stressful.
Eventually I managed to back up to Maggie and scoop her up and take her into the Palace.
What with Hattie and Aurora and Maggie and the fox I am emotionally drained.

O my gosh! That is way more stressful than a hen brawl. That is serious threat to life. I would be even more a wreck right now. I am so glad you noticed. I would have felt horrible if my little brawl had resulted in her death.

My gosh! You are my hero! well done.

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you yes. I just saw the fox walk by the Chicken Palace on the cameras so he is clearly very interested. I have to go out and turn on the electric fence. I forgot in all the drama.

Dear lord take care of yours before reading about mine. Go turn that fence on!

 

[BY Bob]

Maybe because of her recent molt?

Who knows

 

[BY Bob]

Oh, yes, definitely! And I hate to say it, as I don’t like killing critters, I killed eight this year. I think that makes me one, too. Who came ip with that awesome title again?

@ChicoryBlue did. You are definitely in the club for sure!

 

[BY Bob]

Don't go there Bob. They may just sort it out. Maybe when Aurora is done molting things will calm down.
One step at a time. Don't just to worst outcomes.

Thanks. My rational mind knows that. My heart worries though.

 

[BY Bob]

Sorry to see such folly, at Fluffy Butt Acres. Patience Bob.

Thanks Alex. I'm trying.

 

[BY Bob]

Back safe and sound! And a fun day, it was!

I'm glad for you. I bet it refreshes you like a ride in the convertible does for me.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

3 Rounds of Out and Out Brawling

I am beside myself right now and I definitely need some advice. I have no idea what is going on but all out warfare broke out today between Hattie and Aurora. That's right Hattie. I can't believe it.

They went 3 rounds that I have seen. Lilly broke up the first two by wading into the fight. I filmed the 3rd one in which Lilly was actually involved as it broke out. No joke, they looked like roosters going at it. I have never seen anything like this.

Here is the video of the 3rd bout. I'm putting most of this behind a spoiler. I did not intervene. I need to know if everyone thinks that is the right policy moving forward. They are each wounded. The wounds are not serious, they are their combs up by their beaks. I will also put photos of the wounds behind spoilers.

Patsy and Jabber never fought like this. It is quite vicious.

Spoiler: Hattie and Aurora fight

Spoiler: Wounded

View attachment 2420042View attachment 2420043

About 30 minutes after the fight, this is how the flock is grouped.
View attachment 2420045
View attachment 2420047

I'm looking for anyone with experience with something like this or even just common sense. @Shadrach I am guessing that roosters don't let this happen but maybe not. Any thoughts?

It looks to me like Lily (the dark chicken) actually is trying to break it up, and does so by beating back one and pecking over her at the other

3 Rounds of Out and Out Brawling

I am beside myself right now and I definitely need some advice. I have no idea what is going on but all out warfare broke out today between Hattie and Aurora. That's right Hattie. I can't believe it.

They went 3 rounds that I have seen. Lilly broke up the first two by wading into the fight. I filmed the 3rd one in which Lilly was actually involved as it broke out. No joke, they looked like roosters going at it. I have never seen anything like this.

Here is the video of the 3rd bout. I'm putting most of this behind a spoiler. I did not intervene. I need to know if everyone thinks that is the right policy moving forward. They are each wounded. The wounds are not serious, they are their combs up by their beaks. I will also put photos of the wounds behind spoilers.

Patsy and Jabber never fought like this. It is quite vicious.

Spoiler: Hattie and Aurora fight

Spoiler: Wounded

View attachment 2420042View attachment 2420043

About 30 minutes after the fight, this is how the flock is grouped.
View attachment 2420045
View attachment 2420047

I'm looking for anyone with experience with something like this or even just common sense. @Shadrach I am guessing that roosters don't let this happen but maybe not. Any thoughts?

How distressing to watch! I haven't read ahead, but it looks to me like Lily (the dark chicken) actually is trying to find a way in to break it up, and does so at about :34 by beating back the white chicken (Hattie?) and pecking over her back at the Lavender chicken (Aurora? I'm so sorry but I mix them up). She succeeds there.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

A bit about rooster peacekeeping.
What the roosters here do is not let it get to the point where the hens fight. Somehow, they know when a fight is brewing. They drive the aggressive hen away usually. Also, given the tribal nature of chickens, when allowed to be tribal, the opportunities for hens from different tribes to fight are reduced because the roosters herd their hens together and drive off the intruder.
Strangely here at least they are great comforters to the hens when that hen loses a fight. You probably don't get this in an all hen flock. This is important because it stops a hen that has lost a fight from getting isolated. The other hens in the tribe tend not to be so empathetic.

@Shadrach can you please explain to a newbie what a hen getting isolated would mean? It would be a terrible state emotionally for that hen no doubt. Do they then decline physically just as badly? You mentioned it twice now, to watch out for that. I want to learn. And if you see it happening, what can you do about it?