Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Shadrach]

Oooh... I think I finally have a good way of putting it!

If left to their own nature chickens will form tribal groups. This is what @Shadrach has achieved with his husbandry techniques. (I might be getting there with my free range group, but I think I need more separate and better nighttime shelters for them to form more exclusive tribes). This doesn’t necessarily remove the description of “flock” for a group of chickens. From the new oxford American dictionary:
View attachment 2488663
especially if you were to replace “kind” with species... but given the opportunity chickens will form into further divided tribes (based on the criteria already discussed, preferring similar breeds/temperaments etc.) on their own. That’s the differentiating point, given the opportunity... but being social animals, if not able to form that grouping with like individuals, they will still do-exist and function in a flock with whatever other chickens are available?

Also note how the original sense was in reference to people, just another kind of animal, when we get down to it?

I'm sticking with tribe. It's got that lovely anthropomorphic touch to it.

 

[Shadrach]

Fungi: a male of the human species known to be popular, and fun loving, as in “He’s a real fun guy!”

Got to do a Bob here; well played.

 

[Ribh]

Bring her over. I'll launch her off the roof of the sheep shed along with Jenny the Muscovy duck. When Dotty untidily crashes to the ground perhaps 20 metres away and Jenny is gracefully circling the sheep field for a few laps, I'll get jenny to explain the difference when she lands.

At this point I will just mention Aoife...50' up amongst the tree tops doing a couple hundred yard circuit...she flies exceptionally well & I suspect Desdemona, being lighter, will do even better...

 

[Scrambles83]

Lilly is Mad at Me

All morning she has been coming to the backdoor yelling.

Here she is letting her displeasure be known. Hattie, of course seems nonplussed.

Hahaha, Bok did exactly the same noise when Belle and Snow arrived. Figured it was her voicing her displeasure at the new arrivals
Was very happy when she gradually stopped (for the neighbours sake!)

 

[Shadrach]

At this point I will just mention Aoife...50' up amongst the tree tops doing a couple hundred yard circuit...she flies exceptionally well & I suspect Desdemona, being lighter, will do even better...

You'll be launching an airline then with the slogan "we fly like chickens."

 

[RoyalChick]

Society for Creative Anachronism i believe. They are here in the US As well.

I need to go look it up - somehow never heard of it until now!

 

[MaryJanet]

Can someone call Johnny Depp and ask him to charter a plane to bring this bird back home!! Arguably as easy to trap this bird as kill it. Are they sure this bird was never legally imported through quarantine?

They certainly have a reason and a right to restrict entry of birds. Avian PMV was not seen in AU prior to 2011 when it is thought to have been introduced by birds from the Middle East.
https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Documents/FactSheets/Avian/Avian Paramyxoviruses and Australian Wild Birds Nov 2016 (2.0).pdf

The numbers of Australian species wiped out by introduced species is uncountable but understood to be very high.

Sadly if Joe is carrying something we don't yet have, he could accidentally wipe out 1000s amd 1000s of other birds. Do we prefer one death or many?

Actually I prefer quarantine, if his owner is willing to cover the costs. As a racing pigeon, his owner would be easy to find and if they can't pay for quarantining Joe they may prefer that he's killed. I can't recall the cost of quarantine but when I looked at it for fertile chicken eggs, it was rather high because of the duration required.

 

[BY Bob]

Yes, we do have very strict quarantine laws here.

Then quarantine the bird until it proves it is healthy and not disease ridden. You do have pigeons don't you? It's not a new invasive bird to your continent, is it?

 

[BY Bob]

Friends, I’m in big trouble. I just realized that I’m out of meally worms. The chickens are gonna hate me. I can’t keep these birds happy without them. (Beethoven-Hen knows how to hold a grudge)
Trip to town today I guess.

You better watch it or you will be driving to town at beak point!

 

[MaryJanet]

Then quarantine the bird until it proves it is healthy and not disease ridden. You do have pigeons don't you? It's not a new invasive bird to your continent, is it?

I'm more worried about his hitchhikers than Joe himself.