Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

“Hey Hazel, oh Hazel, I have some meally worms (And I’ll share with you)”

 

[BY Bob]

Dazzling

We had some patchy sun today and while windy it was not overselling cold today. I let the tribe out and they seemed to enjoy the day. I do have to say that after all the molting and dreariness we have had, the tribe just seemed to Dazzle in the sunlight. They seemed the very picture of health. These pictures comes close to capturing that.

They were nice to each other and just seemed happy today.

Maybe I have rose colored glasses on because I haven't seen them in 2 days but that is what I perceived today.

 

[Ribh]

Dazzling

We had some patchy sun today and while windy it was not overselling cold today. I let the tribe out and they seemed to enjoy the day. I do have to say that after all the molting and dreariness we have had, the tribe just seemed to Dazzle in the sunlight. They seemed the very picture of health. These pictures comes close to capturing that.

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They were nice to each other and just seemed happy today.

Maybe I have rose colored glasses on because I haven't seen them in 2 days but that is what I perceived today.

Sydney is just glorious!

 

[BY Bob]

Sydney is just glorious!

She is almost vibrating right now those new feathers are so stunning.

 

[featherhead007]

“Hey Hazel, oh Hazel, I have some meally worms (And I’ll share with you)” View attachment 2494736

Hazel,
“Daddy just bought a whole bag yesterday. Just let me know, and I will save some for you, (They are the good ones)”

 

[Scrambles83]

Lilly is a complex lady and as such is interested in how to best run her flock. Any enjoyable treatises on how to best organize a society and most importantly, maintain order, are of interest to her.

Knowing that, Mr. Bunny suggested the book.

My guess was The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

 

[BY Bob]

My guess was The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

Good guess! She already had that on her bookshelf.

 

[RoyalChick]

To quote my reply to my cousin this morning, rather than my profanity laden ranting while trying to make coffee, breakfast, get the cats away from the breakfast, warm a bottle:

Well, Our sheets are getting cleaned more often than usual... (she had another accident this morning in the bed) and it’s like dealing with a terrible twos toddler that can leap from the floor to the top of the stove with ease. When she isn’t sleeping she’s either bouncing, chewing, or urinating on something she shouldn’t be it seems! And I thought the trailer was a mess before. What little did I know.

I don’t recommend house goats, and wish she had some other goat like or herbivore friend I could set her up outside with.

Well that is your answer. Another goat! You do need to get her out of the house!

 

[RoyalChick]

Mugs for Monday
Peg and Maxine
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Verna
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Phyllis
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Judy
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Apologies if I am being forgetful but I don’t remember meeting these ladies before. They are quite lovely!

 

[RoyalChick]

Mel arrived on her own again this morning as I was cleaning Cillins foot. I had the pad ready made and it didn’t take long before Cillin was fit for action. Here he is guarding Mel as she decides whether or not she’s ready to lay an egg.
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For the past couple of days I’ve carried Cillin out of the house when I’ve know Treacle isn’t near the bamboo clump and set Cillin down there. The rest of the day has been up to him.

Today when Mel decided she wasn’t quite ready to lay an egg she headed out the door, but stopped outside and waited for Cillin. Cillin was a bit reluctant but Mel called him a couple of times and eventually I watched them walk down the path away from the house together.

Treacle arrived at the house shortly after, on his own. Cillin had set up near Notch again and most of Tribe 1’s hens came down from the sheep field and joined him.

A while later Treacle came out to the bamboo; I was working in the car port, but wouldn’t go near Cillin and Notch.

The whole tribe except Treacle who was keeping his distance from Notch moved into the car port led by Fudge and Fat Bird on a mission to check if Bucket Boy had any treats. Treacle attacked Cillin then and drove him away.

Then Tap started demanding that Treacle goes nest site checking with her. This means either Treacle has to go alone with her which means Cillin will rejoin the hens or he has to move all the hens somewhere where Cillin wont risk going while Treacle is within strike range. Treacle tried to move all the hens. Fat Bird and Fudge in particular went having any of it and when Treacle got a bit too bossy they went off to my house.

Before Treacle and Tap can head off nest site hunting Moon did something I’ve seen her do a few times now and that is move out of Treacle’s sight and give an escort call. She does this it seems to pull him away from the rest of the hens. Treacle is stuck now. Does he go with Tap, go and collect Moon, or try and move them all to my house. Treacle went with the Tap option. Moon came to join Fat Bird and Fudge at my house in disgust and the rest sort of half heartedly followed Treacle and Tap up the track to the sheep field. Needless to say as soon as Cillin sees Treacle move off he folllows Fat Bird, Fudge and Moon into my house. Of course there is food there and Cillin gets them to eat. Treacle still does a major “this is my food and you can have some when I say” performance which just pisses everyone off and he ends up eating while the others wander off.

Of course the hens in the house are pleased to be left alone to eat and Cillin joins in.

I go up to the sheep field to make sure the straggling hens get to safety and on their way to roost. Treacle has already gone into the coop with Tap. This is a terrible mistake. He has three hens outside close to the coop but exposed and three more unaccounted for.
Mel realises the danger up in the sheep field and makes a dash for the coop, but Hurry and Tackle don’t. I have to herd Hurry and Tackle in.

When I get back to my house Cillin, Fat Bird, Fudge and Moon are together outside under the blackthorn bush.

At late dusk Fat Bird starts to head towards the side bank that leads up to the coop and Fudge follows and much to my surprise, Cillin herds Moon out and they all go up together. Cillin took them all the way to the coop ramp, watched them go in and headed back to my house and got in the nest box.

Well done Cillin. Cillin can move all the hens from place to place and I don’t think Treacle is going to be able to do this. Moving seven hens is not a trivial matter. It’s just one of the reasons three hens per rooster is a good number; it’s manageable. If one hen wants to go to lay then getting two hens to a safe place is a lot quicker and easier than moving six.

Sounds like Cillin is a very competent rooster. Love it!