Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Jaffar uses dust baths to his stubby advantage. He tries to mate, when the hens are laying down. Just saying!

Well, it’s true !

 

[Kris5902]

Roostie update:

Well, I feel like a complete failure. It has now been a month, and no pigeon medications have been received in the mail. I just finished my tele-health appointment and I couldn’t get a prescription to save my life. I probably got bad luck of the draw, and I could understand if I was angling for narcotics, ADHD meds, or sleep aids. The Dr wanted me to attach a photo of my abscess, which would be fine if it was flaring up or actually there. My friend is going to give it a go for me maybe tomorrow.

At this rate I can honestly say I’ve spent more than I would have at a Vet, if only I could get one. Roostie has been more active lately, and even got some mating in yesterday, but getting the Baytril into him is a real struggle. I have never hoped for getting a bacterial infection myself before, or for that annoying abscess to flare up. I’m afraid I may need to cull him if his quality of life goes down or the infection continues to worsen.

 

[featherhead007]

Roostie update:

Well, I feel like a complete failure. It has now been a month, and no pigeon medications have been received in the mail. I just finished my tele-health appointment and I couldn’t get a prescription to save my life. I probably got bad luck of the draw, and I could understand if I was angling for narcotics, ADHD meds, or sleep aids. The Dr wanted me to attach a photo of my abscess, which would be fine if it was flaring up or actually there. My friend is going to give it a go for me maybe tomorrow.

At this rate I can honestly say I’ve spent more than I would have at a Vet, if only I could get one. Roostie has been more active lately, and even got some mating in yesterday, but getting the Baytril into him is a real struggle. I have never hoped for getting a bacterial infection myself before, or for that annoying abscess to flare up. I’m afraid I may need to cull him if his quality of life goes down or the infection continues to worsen.

I’m praying for him

 

[RoyalChick]

Enjoying some dirt

It just doesn't get much better than communal dust-bathing chickens!

 

[Kris5902]

I’m praying for him

Thanks Alex, he’s such a sweet boy, I’m honestly not even worried so much about him from a genetics and breeding standpoint, he’s such a gentle and nice Rooster he’s turned into more of a pet.

 

[featherhead007]

Thanks Alex, he’s such a sweet boy, I’m honestly not even worried so much about him from a genetics and breeding standpoint, he’s such a gentle and nice Rooster he’s turned into more of a pet.

That’s the same feeling I have for my newest rooster Jaffar. He’s such a good rooster. BEN was great too, but I’m sure glad I found Jaffar.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Walk between the Rain Drops

When Mrs BY Bob was little she was so skinny her Mum used to tell her she could walk between raindrops and stay dry when it was raining. Well I guess Phyllis is not that skinny.

Dry Phyllis
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Wet Phyllis
View attachment 2475651

OMG!!! You can just see the disgust in her face!!!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

You are very kind and I am very glad that you are enjoying the stories and learning along the way. This is exactly why I started the thread 2 years ago tomorrow. It is so nice of you to let us know. What a nice gift. Thanks.

I love this thread.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Coop entry order last night: Butters, Hazel, Queenie! Peanut, Popcorn

I got some nice video and did create a channel on YouTube but that's as far as I've gotten.

Yesterday morning Queenie got right in next to three Buckeyes at one food dish with a few bites before being driven off by somebody.

After eating their Wheaties breakfast they started bullying Queenie, but the intensity was way lower. No driving her head to the ground. It was more body blocking and general pecking. They went after Queenie in tag teams, in pairs generally: Peanut and Hazel, Peanut and Popcorn, Hazel and Popcorn. Notice Butters is not named. Peanut and Popcorn seemed to have the biggest axe to grind. I saw Hazel give Queenie a look once - and I could hear a short low raspy Bok - and Queenie immediately tipped her head down and stepped away.

Very interestingly, Butters did not peck Queenie at all that I saw yesterday. She was never in a pestering pair. She sometimes joined a run in a group chasing Queenie, but didn't participate beyond that. Keeping track of where each was, I noticed that in getting away from a bullying pair Queenie ran down to under the coop where Butters had been hanging out and stood by her on her far side. The bullying hadn't pursued her down there. Butters made no move toward her, and they both stood still with heads up.

It was damp and cold here yesterday, low 20's. Queenie seemed cold after breakfast. She got halfway up the coop ladder as if she wanted to go back in. She stood there and fluffed her feathers and tucked her neck in some. That lasted a couple of minutes, then she got down and acted normally. A possible problem?

She may have gone in at some point, because I left to get myself breakfast, and when I turned around to look out the window I saw Queenie come flying down the coop ladder with a Buckeye after her.

Queenie sorted through the oyster shell bowl for a little while yesterday too. The Buckeyes investigate it now and then, but hardly do that. I couldn't tell if she was eating any, but she was certainly testing them - chomping them in her beak. She might have eaten the little pieces. She also definitely ate some granite grit of all sizes from the bowl next to it.

Today they got some treats about an hour before roosting time, and Queenie had absolutely no interest. Another potential problem? She hung out preening under the coop while there was a feeding frenzy in the tall run, Popcorn jumping onto my lap as I doled out peanut pieces one by one. Queenie also sat down for a couple of minutes too, pecking a bit around her and fixing her neck and chest feathers. I was concerned a bit. Then I wondered if she was nesting there. It was so late in the day though. Then she stood up and whatever it was passed.

I saw Hazel and Queenie standing next to each other very peacefully prior to roosting, and then a bit later Queenie was standing next to Peanut on the log. Or given how they roosted, Peanut standing next to Queenie? All peace on the pecking front at that time. Generally preening.

I set up my stool at the entrance to the low run, then later moved to the halfway point so I could see who was who (due to Queenie's human face rock climbing incident I am now using my old single-vision and now computer glasses which don't work too well for distance or very close).

Butters went to roost first, and she was first to make the roosting wail. Hazel followed her. I think they both went to the back right side (the pop door is on the left front) as they were not visible in there. Butters came out once or twice, then went back in. I never saw Hazel after she went in, she stayed.

Peanut left the log to go roost, and Butters followed her as soon as she got to the area below the coop. Peanut jumped up on the perch near the pop door. Popcorn drummed on the bucket, then stood at the bottom of the ladder but kind of dithered there, standing sideways to it.

Queenie went over next to the ladder and "yawned" three times (or adjusted her crop? A potential problem? I am going to check her crop this morning). She tried to step up on the ladder but she was facing the side tube at chest height; she wasn't close enough to the bottom. It looked like she was trying not to disturb Popcorn who was facing away but not budging from her spot at the foot.

Queenie lifted one leg and then the other, but she couldn't lift them high enough and was just getting her feet on the slippery side tube. I could hear a toe scraping off the textured step cover. Then she abruptly stepped in and rotated enough to jump and beat her wings once to get up midway. Popcorn took a few steps away, and walked over to the bucket to drum on it a little.

Queenie ended up a little below and next to Peanut who was still on the perch left side, looking in the pop door. She paused a bit; Peanut didn't bother her, she even moved her left foot in some like making room. Queenie then flew/jumped right to the top step! Paused again bobbing her head looking, then stepped onto the threshold, and kept going. She went to the back left corner. Peanut immediately went right in after her, and then Popcorn jumped up and went in. They were waiting on Queenie. Wowee.

Yesterday morning I saw Queenie's head right near the door opening as it opened, but then somebody else pushed by her, then another, and another, then Queenie came out, then the last Buckeye. I couldn't tell who came out in what order except Queenie. This morning it was again Queenie third but I got the order: Peanut, Hazel, Popcorn, Queenie, and Butters last.

You have a soap opera going on!
“As The Coop Turns“.

 

[RoyalChick]

I have to laugh, on square footage alone you could supposedly house 40!!! (Using 10 square feet per bird as the standard).

I talk of adding more but frankly I'm probably done. I expect my flock will range from 3 to 6 the rest of the time I have them but I can't see going over 6 ever. Now maybe if I can match the breeds up things will be a little more stabile and easier but 6 is a lot for the relationship which I wish to have with my ladies.

There. I knew I should have let you post about this. Much more tactfull.

I dont want or need lap chickens. The irony is I have chickens who have chosen to be just that & all my girls have chosen how they will bond with me. My flock no longer has any super dominant birds in it. What I have found is when I sit with the flock every single hen will find her own way to spend time with me. Some are happy to sit or forage nearby. Others ask for attention.
For me, watching & enjoying the relatjonship my girls have with each other is more important than any relationship with me. That they choose to engage so closely is just a little bonus.

Thank you all. No tact needed on this one, I just appreciate the thought-partnership as I try to figure out what to do.
I think I am closer to @Ribh than to @BY Bob in terms of my relationships with my Princesses. I love that I can observe them going about their chicken-ey business, and feel flattered that they choose to come and share their gossip with me. I love that they rush to say hello to me and follow me around, but I don't need them to be lap chickens (though I admit having Minnie perch on my head was quite a special experience!).
I just don't buy the 10 square foot per bird standard. That feels like no space at all - the road runners like to fly, and Maggie likes to stretch her wings out full and pretend to fly while standing on her tippy toes (she has a big wing span). I could see if they got lots of free-range time that sort of space could be OK, but my free range time is limited to when I can directly supervise.
So bottom line I have to feel confident that they will be happy in the space provided by the Palace. I am confident they are fine now, and they definitely don't use all the space they have, which is why I feel I could take on more.
Maybe.