Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[drstratton]

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

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About 30 minutes after the fight, this is how the flock is grouped.
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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 haven't seen my hens do this! I did however find two very, very bloody Silky roosters today...they must have really gone after each other! I didn't have time to get any pictures...if I did they would have to be in a spoiler post! Sadly these two are soon going to be culled...they are extremely rough with my girls and they just do not mix well with my flock!

 

[LozzyR]

Shad is right. This is an excellent article. I highly reccomend it. I have bookmarked it.

Me too!

 

[LozzyR]

Please people if you read it, rate it! Otherwise it just sinks into the morass. It's well worth the couple of seconds it takes to click the rate it button. It's at the top of the article page.

Done!

 

[LozzyR]

Yeah, I may end up having to miss a few things, which I really don't want to do. I guess I just need to be more steady in keeping up. ☺

I’m in good company then! I’m averaging about 60 pages behind on Bob’s thread, I haven’t looked at MJ’s thread since Peggy come home from surgery (I hope Peggy is doing ok!) and as for Ribh’s thread... (sorry Ribh!). I will keep soldiering on, it will just be that my comments will be a bit behind.

I will get some fluffy butt chicken tax pictures even though it isn’t Friday, seeing as butts baths were the order of this morning.

 

[drstratton]

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.
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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 goodness, that's so scary...I would be drained too! Glad that you were vigilant & saved her!

 

[MaryJanet]

I’m in good company then! I’m averaging about 60 pages behind on Bob’s thread, I haven’t looked at MJ’s thread since Peggy come home from surgery (I hope Peggy is doing ok!) and as for Ribh’s thread... (sorry Ribh!). I will keep soldiering on, it will just be that my comments will be a bit behind.

I will get some fluffy butt chicken tax pictures even though it isn’t Friday, seeing as butts baths were the order of this morning.

Peggy's quite fiesty and she gradually getting used to the new pellets. Clavulox on cheese has been a winner.

 

[drstratton]

So you guys have been busy and I think I still have 20 pages to catch up, but I hope it’s ok if I share anyway. I am sooooo happy to be on break. Went for a jog/walk with hubs and doggo this morning, and look at the leaves in the sun!
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I had LOTS of outside chicken time today. Here are some pics:

Checking Out the Human Coop
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Flo’s Sheen
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Dorothy Trying to Sample DH’s Drink
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Minnie Love
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They are so beautiful...I really wanted a lap chicken!

 

[Ribh]

I’m in good company then! I’m averaging about 60 pages behind on Bob’s thread, I haven’t looked at MJ’s thread since Peggy come home from surgery (I hope Peggy is doing ok!) and as for Ribh’s thread... (sorry Ribh!). I will keep soldiering on, it will just be that my comments will be a bit behind.

I will get some fluffy butt chicken tax pictures even though it isn’t Friday, seeing as butts baths were the order of this morning.

I'm lagging everywhere too due to babysitting duties. I can read on my phone but if I go to reply weird things happen.

 

[Kris5902]

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!

Better than Cats for sure... Charlie is losing his touch, or his bite! He needs some reminders that he is supposed to actually kill the rodents. Worse yet, the mouse bit me while I was rescuing it from him Ungrateful wretch! No blood was drawn, but that’s the first time this has happened. I have had them run up my arm and neck and onto my head before, but I’ve never had one actually try to bite me. I’m sure it’s back inside already, but sheesh, I though I had him better trained. Earlier this year he was making fast efficient kills, dropping them in the designated place in exchange for treats... now we are back to square 1?

 

[drstratton]

Peggy's quite fiesty and she gradually getting used to the new pellets. Clavulox on cheese has been a winner.

I'm glad to hear that she is doing well MJ...I need to get over to your thread and get the low down!