Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Looks like Rocks-Anne (A little)

Sydney does. They could be related.

 

[BY Bob]

Shall I add my Chicken Drama to the growing pool? I was one short, one of a pair that are besties and molting, DH and I spent 1 1/2hrs scouring the field, all the books and crannies. We checked under the trailer multiple times. The last time, just as we were giving up and heading down to bring my mother up for dinner, I caught a flash of not quite the right colour for rust. Perched on the axel snuggled against the tire there she was. I have to do laundry now... as extricating her involved squirming through the “mud” (cow poo) under the trailer. Everyone is safe, but my heart was quite heavy for a time thinking I had lost her.

I am so glad that you found her. That world be terrifying.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

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?

I am late looking at threads so I just saw this.
I watched it a few times!
This was more than a normal chicken-scuffle, this was a full-on brawl!!
I have no real experience so I have no advice, I just had to drop in to express my surprise!
I can imagine how stressed out this made you.
Keep us updated on this drama.
These chickens were ANGRY! Wow.

 

[drstratton]

Aaargh! Maybe I need to put out more traps at the same time. I usually have the zapper inside the coop and a snap trap in the run. But I could litter the run with snap traps at night and try and get more than one at a time.
Go RC! Double down. YOU CAN DO THIS!

If I lived closer, I would gift you a bucket trap and dispose of them for you! The bucket really works great, you would eliminate them much quicker! You could always dump them out one at a time and let the girls catch them...they would love that...just get it on video if you do! Next time I catch one I'm going to give it to my flock!

 

[drstratton]

Scooby is all healed up from his gum injury. He was a trooper and took all of his meds without issue. His ear is docked from when he was neutered. His belly is also tattooed for the same reason.

He gets plenty of rest!!
View attachment 2419637

Glad he's all healed up...he is a pretty boy! ❤

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

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.

Oh my, I would have had a heart attack! That was too close a call!

 

[drstratton]

The article is done except for the plans. I am awaiting my daughter updating them to match the final coop. She gave me a delivery date of today.

I was working on an article today also, no fancy drawings with it, just lots of pictures. It's for the heated watering system we are putting in! I'm looking forward to reading yours!

 

[featherhead007]

Looks like Rocks-Anne (A little)

 

[LozzyR]

They are fur chickens, Shad. If Kris can have Giant Land Chickens MJ & I can have fur chickens.

True! Here are my fur chickens!

 

[drstratton]

Mel got through four and a half ounces of mashed cod, shrimp and commercial feed today.
That's excellent for a hen of her size.
The mix is roughly 30% protein and less than 1% fat.
She didn't show any sign of wanting to leave until Tribe 1 came round for supper and even then it was a bit half hearted.
She's in with me again tonight.
If she'll stay one more day and night eating like this and resting, I'll feel a lot happier.
She looks a lot happier this evening. If she wasn't moulting I would have taken her home this evening.

Today. As you can see, the door is open and Cillin was here much of the afternoon.
View attachment 2419892

Supper in bed.View attachment 2419893View attachment 2419894

So glad she's doing better Shad!