Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Having her brother Link seems to have helped quite a bit. When she goes off to lay an egg, it's usually Link that goes with her. I hope he stays steady when the Spring arrives. I'm glad I didn't kill him. It was on my mind for quite a while.

I'm glad you didn't as well. I'm sure Tack is well. I'm also very glad you had enough feed that you did not have to take further drastic measures. It sure was a heck of a year 2020!

 

[LozzyR]

Smart girl. I find the hen last in the pecking order to be very creative about obtaining food and roosting.

That’s an interesting observation. Nyssa, my current girl bottom of the roster, has given me the impression that she’s one smart cookie. When I bring home the scraps bin from work, I sit it on top of a wall whilst I pick out scraps and break them up to distribute on the ground. Nyssa has worked out that if she gets up on the wall, I will hand-feed her before everyone else gets anything, plus if it’s really full she can reach into it herself! She’s also my only roost-er, River has decided she can’t be bothered.

 

[RoyalChick]

I'm surprised how well they are coping being half the size of everyone else.

I think they have double the attitude to make up for it. I love the way they park themselves in the middle of the food or muscle their way in to get to the bowl. I don't think they understand they are tiny.
I have a cat like that - she must have been the runt of the litter and the vet didn't think she would survive when I rescued them. She is half the weight of the other cats (just tops the scale at 5lb) but they are all terrified of her. One of the vets is terrified of her too!

 

[BY Bob]

That’s an interesting observation. Nyssa, my current girl bottom of the roster, has given me the impression that she’s one smart cookie. When I bring home the scraps bin from work, I sit it on top of a wall whilst I pick out scraps and break them up to distribute on the ground. Nyssa has worked out that if she gets up on the wall, I will hand-feed her before everyone else gets anything, plus if it’s really full she can reach into it herself! She’s also my only roost-er, River has decided she can’t be bothered.

Phyllis comes in the house because everyone else is cautious about indoors so she can eat in peace while the others fight for food outside.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

She's smart. I actually don't expect her to stay on the bottom for long. I think she will find a place quite a bit higher up the ranks once she's accepted.

I agree! My buff is lead hen.

 

[Ribh]

I agree! My buff is lead hen.

This would not surprise me with Queenie. She is acting really smart. She has this sussed, knows how it works & is working it to her advantage. I really can see her being top hen ~ especially if she lays first.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Extra, extra! Queenie went in the coop tonight with just a little modeling! Sub-headline: A close call due to chicken-keeper stupidity, but all is well.

Overall, much more peace with Queenie today in the flock. This morning only Peanut and Popcorn pecked at her (that I saw). I also noted with interest this afternoon that Hazel seemed to only need to give Queenie a look when they both were going for a bowl of mash, and Queenie quickly changed course. It is only Peanut who pursuit pecks her as she is lowering her head and stepping away, with Peanut driving her head practically to the ground. No blood has been drawn yet. There might be a tiny speck on her comb or it could be dirt. Her previous scabs on comb and beak, there since she arrived, are gone.

And I noticed with pleasure that Queenie briefly considered slipping into the row of sewing machine heads when a spot opened up between them while feeding at a bowl of mash I was holding. I also spotted her halfway up the coop ladder this morning looking into the pop door. She is feeling much more confident!

I worked on the run some, took away that black pipe to remove it as a perch option. I tried to figure out a way to make a door awning and cleaned out the roosting poop tray, and then stood outside a bit and watched. It was nearing roosting time. Peanut was starting the roosting wail even while I did the poop tray and she was walking back toward the coop when I came back around to the door. I think she is usually the one who goes back there first. The rest of the Buckeyes went back there soon after and gathered at the ladder base and started jumping up. Through the plastic I couldn't see who went up first.

Queenie hung back though and didn't follow them at all into the low run, she was back in the tall run, doing a moaning call similar to Peanut's. She was looking at me and looking up and around.

I don't know if this was a good idea but it worked: it occurred to me that since she has had a big connection with me, evident with her desire to get up on me and to roost since the partial-quarantine brooder time, maybe I could indicate to Queenie that the coop is where everybody belongs at night. So I silently took my little chicken sitting stool and parked myself down in the low run, next to but about an arm's length away from the coop and perch. The base of the ladder was to my left. The Buckeyes just finished getting all in the coop and were doing the Roosting Shuffle.

Queenie followed me into the run and stopped at the base of the ladder, looking up into the pop door. It's dark in there, as there are only vents. Peanut came out on to the perch to see what was going on, then went back in. I didn't speak this whole time, just sat there quietly. Queenie tentatively put a foot on the ladder, then the other foot, and climbed up about halfway!

A couple of Buckeyes looked out from inside the pop doorway, then their heads disappeared again. Queenie went up a little more. Peanut came out and jumped down, and walked around under the coop and ladder. Queenie moved onto the perch in front of me. She faced me and made sounds and motions like she was thinking about jumping on to me. My hat was touching the run's ceiling, and I sat up a little taller to make that clearly unavailable, and raised my gloved hands in front of my face, which helped when it seemed she was thinking about my shoulders. I did pet her neck once. But I blocked my face each time I saw that look in her eyes. She moved back over and faced the pop door. I heard a little bit of the low growly/purring sound as she looked into the coop. Then Peanut jumped up.

Now Queenie was peering into the doorway from the end of the perch, and Peanut was to her right. Peanut turned this way and that a couple of times to try to get by Queenie. She very lightly pecked her side and butt feathers, and Queenie didn't move. Just stayed looking into the coop. Peanut appeared to get a little upset and earnestly started trying to get by her. She couldn't go over her, couldn't go around or under, but then desperately found a little hole under her neck and pushed pretty hard and wriggled through. Queenie didn't move much for her at all!

The auto-door light came on. Uh-oh, five minutes to close. I had just been wondering what time it was, and for how long the chicken maneuvers might go on, and whether it would have been better to use the manual door, disabling the auto-door before I made this move. Of course it would have been better! Well, I didn't want to disturb things by getting up to disable it now. There's time still for Queenie to get in there. I decided to use the safety sensor if it began to close her out, and then put her in the coop after total darkness.

I got nervous that this would be the time for bloodshed, now that everybody could see everybody else. But nobody pecked her. And Queenie really brightened up now that she had a well-lit view in there, moving her head a lot more. The light seemed to attract her, she was now on the top ladder step, leaning in, and her head was almost in the coop. I could see there was a nice space for her in that doorway quadrant. I knew the prime spots seem to be at the back and back side, furthest from the door (when I've been able to see in there), but I wasn't sure how much room there'd be left. Then Popcorn - I could see her blue ziptie - came over from the right to see what was going on, or maybe she wanted to make some point to Queenie, and she actually stood half-blocking the doorway. But no pecks, and after about ten seconds she moved away.

Queenie decided to step on to the threshold. Yay! Great! Go on in! Then she decided to settle down and perch on the threshold. Uh-oh. Is she roosting half in and half out? I could understand this, the respectful distance from everyone while still being part of the flock. But she had to go in or go out. Even if I was going to use the manual door. Which again would have been the better idea if I had thought far enough ahead.

So I silently and gently pushed a little on the back of her feet. It made her shift a step or two inward. She settled down again, but now her butt and tail feathers were sticking out. I did it a little again, but some tail feathers were still sticking out. She didn't want to go in much further.

I pushed the end of her feathers to the left side, up into the corner of the coop. They fit nicely there, but she tried to settle them and she was too close, they were too angled up, feathers don't bend, it wasn't good, so she fixed it by getting her tail feathers sticking comfortably out the door again. Then the light went out and the auto-door began to close!

I threw caution away and pushed those feathers up and in and held my hand there, keeping them away. Probably startled by the door sounds and the sudden feather push, she moved in and rotated enough that no feathers were caught. I heard feet moving around for about 15 seconds, some low bokking, then it got quiet. I took my stool and went out and around to the back vents and said goodnight like I usually do. A few boks, and then a high whistle. All is well so far. What a great step forward Queenie took today!

I'm going to open the door early tomorrow before it's scheduled to (I've been doing that this week) as the same thing happens before opening - the light comes on for a full five minutes first, not good. Tomorrow night I probably should do the same routine and see how it goes? But of course disable the auto-door and use the outer manual door!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Yes, I prefer that size too.

Yep, it's the size I've got too.

That is the size syringe I was using to give Princess Chicken her medications a few months back. It worked like a charm.

 

[Ribh]

Extra, extra! Queenie went in the coop tonight with just a little modeling! Sub-headline: A close call due to chicken-keeper stupidity, but all is well.

Overall, much more peace with Queenie today in the flock. This morning only Peanut and Popcorn pecked at her (that I saw). I also noted with interest this afternoon that Hazel seemed to only need to give Queenie a look when they both were going for a bowl of mash, and Queenie quickly changed course. It is only Peanut who pursuit pecks her as she is lowering her head and stepping away, with Peanut driving her head practically to the ground. No blood has been drawn yet. There might be a tiny speck on her comb or it could be dirt. Her previous scabs on comb and beak, there since she arrived, are gone.

And I noticed with pleasure that Queenie briefly considered slipping into the row of sewing machine heads when a spot opened up between them while feeding at a bowl of mash I was holding. I also spotted her halfway up the coop ladder this morning looking into the pop door. She is feeling much more confident!

I worked on the run some, took away that black pipe to remove it as a perch option. I tried to figure out a way to make a door awning and cleaned out the roosting poop tray, and then stood outside a bit and watched. It was nearing roosting time. Peanut was starting the roosting wail even while I did the poop tray and she was walking back toward the coop when I came back around to the door. I think she is usually the one who goes back there first. The rest of the Buckeyes went back there soon after and gathered at the ladder base and started jumping up. Through the plastic I couldn't see who went up first.

Queenie hung back though and didn't follow them at all into the low run, she was back in the tall run, doing a moaning call similar to Peanut's. She was looking at me and looking up and around.

I don't know if this was a good idea but it worked: it occurred to me that since she has had a big connection with me, evident with her desire to get up on me and to roost since the partial-quarantine brooder time, maybe I could indicate to Queenie that the coop is where everybody belongs at night. So I silently took my little chicken sitting stool and parked myself down in the low run, next to but about an arm's length away from the coop and perch. The base of the ladder was to my left. The Buckeyes just finished getting all in the coop and were doing the Roosting Shuffle.

Queenie followed me into the run and stopped at the base of the ladder, looking up into the pop door. It's dark in there, as there are only vents. Peanut came out on to the perch to see what was going on, then went back in. I didn't speak this whole time, just sat there quietly. Queenie tentatively put a foot on the ladder, then the other foot, and climbed up about halfway!

A couple of Buckeyes looked out from inside the pop doorway, then their heads disappeared again. Queenie went up a little more. Peanut came out and jumped down, and walked around under the coop and ladder. Queenie moved onto the perch in front of me. She faced me and made sounds and motions like she was thinking about jumping on to me. My hat was touching the run's ceiling, and I sat up a little taller to make that clearly unavailable, and raised my gloved hands in front of my face, which helped when it seemed she was thinking about my shoulders. I did pet her neck once. But I blocked my face each time I saw that look in her eyes. She moved back over and faced the pop door. I heard a little bit of the low growly/purring sound as she looked into the coop. Then Peanut jumped up.

Now Queenie was peering into the doorway from the end of the perch, and Peanut was to her right. Peanut turned this way and that a couple of times to try to get by Queenie. She very lightly pecked her side and butt feathers, and Queenie didn't move. Just stayed looking into the coop. Peanut appeared to get a little upset and earnestly started trying to get by her. She couldn't go over her, couldn't go around or under, but then desperately found a little hole under her neck and pushed pretty hard and wriggled through. Queenie didn't move much for her at all!

The auto-door light came on. Uh-oh, five minutes to close. I had just been wondering what time it was, and for how long the chicken maneuvers might go on, and whether it would have been better to use the manual door, disabling the auto-door before I made this move. Of course it would have been better! Well, I didn't want to disturb things by getting up to disable it now. There's time still for Queenie to get in there. I decided to use the safety sensor if it began to close her out, and then put her in the coop after total darkness.

I got nervous that this would be the time for bloodshed, now that everybody could see everybody else. But nobody pecked her. And Queenie really brightened up now that she had a well-lit view in there, moving her head a lot more. The light seemed to attract her, she was now on the top ladder step, leaning in, and her head was almost in the coop. I could see there was a nice space for her in that doorway quadrant. I knew the prime spots seem to be at the back and back side, furthest from the door (when I've been able to see in there), but I wasn't sure how much room there'd be left. Then Popcorn - I could see her blue ziptie - came over from the right to see what was going on, or maybe she wanted to make some point to Queenie, and she actually stood half-blocking the doorway. But no pecks, and after about ten seconds she moved away.

Queenie decided to step on to the threshold. Yay! Great! Go on in! Then she decided to settle down and perch on the threshold. Uh-oh. Is she roosting half in and half out? I could understand this, the respectful distance from everyone while still being part of the flock. But she had to go in or go out. Even if I was going to use the manual door. Which again would have been the better idea if I had thought far enough ahead.

So I silently and gently pushed a little on the back of her feet. It made her shift a step or two inward. She settled down again, but now her butt and tail feathers were sticking out. I did it a little again, but some tail feathers were still sticking out. She didn't want to go in much further.

I pushed the end of her feathers to the left side, up into the corner of the coop. They fit nicely there, but she tried to settle them and she was too close, they were too angled up, feathers don't bend, it wasn't good, so she fixed it by getting her tail feathers sticking comfortably out the door again. Then the light went out and the auto-door began to close!

I threw caution away and pushed those feathers up and in and held my hand there, keeping them away. Probably startled by the door sounds and the sudden feather push, she moved in and rotated enough that no feathers were caught. I heard feet moving around for about 15 seconds, some low bokking, then it got quiet. I took my stool and went out and around to the back vents and said goodnight like I usually do. A few boks, and then a high whistle. All is well so far. What a great step forward Queenie took today!

I'm going to open the door early tomorrow before it's scheduled to (I've been doing that this week) as the same thing happens before opening - the light comes on for a full five minutes first, not good. Tomorrow night I probably should do the same routine and see how it goes? But of course disable the auto-door and use the outer manual door!

Well done, Queenie! This is going really, really well.

 

[BY Bob]

Extra, extra! Queenie went in the coop tonight with just a little modeling! Sub-headline: A close call due to chicken-keeper stupidity, but all is well.

Overall, much more peace with Queenie today in the flock. This morning only Peanut and Popcorn pecked at her (that I saw). I also noted with interest this afternoon that Hazel seemed to only need to give Queenie a look when they both were going for a bowl of mash, and Queenie quickly changed course. It is only Peanut who pursuit pecks her as she is lowering her head and stepping away, with Peanut driving her head practically to the ground. No blood has been drawn yet. There might be a tiny speck on her comb or it could be dirt. Her previous scabs on comb and beak, there since she arrived, are gone.

And I noticed with pleasure that Queenie briefly considered slipping into the row of sewing machine heads when a spot opened up between them while feeding at a bowl of mash I was holding. I also spotted her halfway up the coop ladder this morning looking into the pop door. She is feeling much more confident!

I worked on the run some, took away that black pipe to remove it as a perch option. I tried to figure out a way to make a door awning and cleaned out the roosting poop tray, and then stood outside a bit and watched. It was nearing roosting time. Peanut was starting the roosting wail even while I did the poop tray and she was walking back toward the coop when I came back around to the door. I think she is usually the one who goes back there first. The rest of the Buckeyes went back there soon after and gathered at the ladder base and started jumping up. Through the plastic I couldn't see who went up first.

Queenie hung back though and didn't follow them at all into the low run, she was back in the tall run, doing a moaning call similar to Peanut's. She was looking at me and looking up and around.

I don't know if this was a good idea but it worked: it occurred to me that since she has had a big connection with me, evident with her desire to get up on me and to roost since the partial-quarantine brooder time, maybe I could indicate to Queenie that the coop is where everybody belongs at night. So I silently took my little chicken sitting stool and parked myself down in the low run, next to but about an arm's length away from the coop and perch. The base of the ladder was to my left. The Buckeyes just finished getting all in the coop and were doing the Roosting Shuffle.

Queenie followed me into the run and stopped at the base of the ladder, looking up into the pop door. It's dark in there, as there are only vents. Peanut came out on to the perch to see what was going on, then went back in. I didn't speak this whole time, just sat there quietly. Queenie tentatively put a foot on the ladder, then the other foot, and climbed up about halfway!

A couple of Buckeyes looked out from inside the pop doorway, then their heads disappeared again. Queenie went up a little more. Peanut came out and jumped down, and walked around under the coop and ladder. Queenie moved onto the perch in front of me. She faced me and made sounds and motions like she was thinking about jumping on to me. My hat was touching the run's ceiling, and I sat up a little taller to make that clearly unavailable, and raised my gloved hands in front of my face, which helped when it seemed she was thinking about my shoulders. I did pet her neck once. But I blocked my face each time I saw that look in her eyes. She moved back over and faced the pop door. I heard a little bit of the low growly/purring sound as she looked into the coop. Then Peanut jumped up.

Now Queenie was peering into the doorway from the end of the perch, and Peanut was to her right. Peanut turned this way and that a couple of times to try to get by Queenie. She very lightly pecked her side and butt feathers, and Queenie didn't move. Just stayed looking into the coop. Peanut appeared to get a little upset and earnestly started trying to get by her. She couldn't go over her, couldn't go around or under, but then desperately found a little hole under her neck and pushed pretty hard and wriggled through. Queenie didn't move much for her at all!

The auto-door light came on. Uh-oh, five minutes to close. I had just been wondering what time it was, and for how long the chicken maneuvers might go on, and whether it would have been better to use the manual door, disabling the auto-door before I made this move. Of course it would have been better! Well, I didn't want to disturb things by getting up to disable it now. There's time still for Queenie to get in there. I decided to use the safety sensor if it began to close her out, and then put her in the coop after total darkness.

I got nervous that this would be the time for bloodshed, now that everybody could see everybody else. But nobody pecked her. And Queenie really brightened up now that she had a well-lit view in there, moving her head a lot more. The light seemed to attract her, she was now on the top ladder step, leaning in, and her head was almost in the coop. I could see there was a nice space for her in that doorway quadrant. I knew the prime spots seem to be at the back and back side, furthest from the door (when I've been able to see in there), but I wasn't sure how much room there'd be left. Then Popcorn - I could see her blue ziptie - came over from the right to see what was going on, or maybe she wanted to make some point to Queenie, and she actually stood half-blocking the doorway. But no pecks, and after about ten seconds she moved away.

Queenie decided to step on to the threshold. Yay! Great! Go on in! Then she decided to settle down and perch on the threshold. Uh-oh. Is she roosting half in and half out? I could understand this, the respectful distance from everyone while still being part of the flock. But she had to go in or go out. Even if I was going to use the manual door. Which again would have been the better idea if I had thought far enough ahead.

So I silently and gently pushed a little on the back of her feet. It made her shift a step or two inward. She settled down again, but now her butt and tail feathers were sticking out. I did it a little again, but some tail feathers were still sticking out. She didn't want to go in much further.

I pushed the end of her feathers to the left side, up into the corner of the coop. They fit nicely there, but she tried to settle them and she was too close, they were too angled up, feathers don't bend, it wasn't good, so she fixed it by getting her tail feathers sticking comfortably out the door again. Then the light went out and the auto-door began to close!

I threw caution away and pushed those feathers up and in and held my hand there, keeping them away. Probably startled by the door sounds and the sudden feather push, she moved in and rotated enough that no feathers were caught. I heard feet moving around for about 15 seconds, some low bokking, then it got quiet. I took my stool and went out and around to the back vents and said goodnight like I usually do. A few boks, and then a high whistle. All is well so far. What a great step forward Queenie took today!

I'm going to open the door early tomorrow before it's scheduled to (I've been doing that this week) as the same thing happens before opening - the light comes on for a full five minutes first, not good. Tomorrow night I probably should do the same routine and see how it goes? But of course disable the auto-door and use the outer manual door!

You are a natural. Your instincts were perfect. A gold star for you.

My heart stopped when she roosted in the doorway. That is not something you want her doing. Switch the door to manual and continue observing at bedtime. You are days away from this being done! Just amazing! You are a born chickeneer!