Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Aussie-Chookmum]

A warm day here so the crew are tucking into some homemade frozen corn treats, a natural yoghurt pop and some frozen mango pieces ☺
View attachment 2500724Also put out a handheld mirror which amused them. Belle seemed like she just wanted to fight the chicken in the mirror
View attachment 2500723

Treat recipes/ methods please @Scrambles83. It's pretty hot here too!

 

[BY Bob]

Well, thankfully they are host specific. I haven’t managed a raid on the drug cabinet in the barn yet, so it has been manually combing them out (the nice metal human lice comb works, but the plastic ones that came in with the lice killing shampoo don’t) and dipping the comb in boiling water. She’s still scratching, but I’m getting a lot off of her.

That is good news that they are host specific. So she will lay still and let you comb her. That is very cute.

 

[BY Bob]

I agree, Bob. They have no clue. I haven’t figured out how to educate people withput turning them off.

Its the age old, if we acknowledge they are not disposable and are living creatures with value, then we could never condone treating them like that. Most people don't want to know.

I find that telling stories about mine are extremely helpful in changing their minds on the first part. Then most people can no longer condone the second part when you educate them on what occurs.

 

[BY Bob]

This is aNaked Neck/Turken with a what I call a bow tie...not one that is completely naked on the neck, but has feathers on the front if the neck. Not sure of the mix.

It's a very interesting looking bird. I've never seen quite like that. Thank you for posting it.

 

[BY Bob]

Hehehe, me too, with all of them.
Everytime I leave the house I tell Scrambles (our dog) “Ok Bumpy (nickname), Mummy will be back soon. You be a good boy, protect the house and the girls (chickens) and I’ll see you when I get home.”
Depending who I am leaving at home I can add to the protect list; Daddy (husband) and Violet (daughter).
He is a knee high terrier mutt so not sure how much protecting he could do but course he just wags his tail and looks at me but hey, it’s not hurting anyone

Below is Scrambles after a summer haircut today, he will always be scruffy, haircut or no
View attachment 2500859

He is adorable.

 

[BY Bob]

You probably aren’t up to me having a rant about a particular animal charity, if you’re reading all the way through Bob’s thread, but saving battery hens just isn’t worth their time. I stopped eating commercial eggs because of the practice of shredding and that’s why I got chickens. Most people have no idea, or don’t want to know.

It's one of those stick your head in the sand things. People need to be awoke.

 

[BY Bob]

Or just swim tranquilly in circles. Like a swan.

There's an image.

 

[BY Bob]

I’m not there yet and I’m steeling myself for what it will be
I love that I’m learning so much on here though. I stupidly got ISA’s as our first, easy to find to buy, great egg production and I absolutely don’t regret having my big ol girls, don’t regret a minute I’ve spent with them but if I had have known better I would have chosen differently. I find comfort that at least with me they are living a better life than a battery hen, they were lucky to never have to experience that.

Yes. Every chicken we save from that fate is a lucky one.

 

[BY Bob]

I don’t think the electric wire is hard to do. I can just run it round the perimeter.
The area is just on the edge of the shade cast by a massive - probably 70’ - Tulip tree that looks out over the meadow, so I think I will go with lower level shrubs.
I want to create some different ‘zones’ - seating for me; a jungle gym from old tree stumps (lots of those around); some multi stemmed shrubs they can push their way through; some more robust shrubs with branches to perch on; and a couple of blue berry bushes where the drain opens out and the soil is wet.
I think most of it will still be pretty ‘open’ - not dense shrubs - but enough shrubbery to give them air cover and interesting places to explore.
It was way too cold yesterday for me to go out and measure, but I think roughly I am talking 20-30’ long and maybe similar wide.
I think that will create a nice space for them even though it isn’t like free range.

I'm looking at what time you posted this. Did you get up early this morning just to chat with our Aussie friends, have insomnia, or are you up at this hour every night?

 

[BY Bob]

I had visions of @featherhead007 pitching a tent in the parking lot overnight with his thermos of coffee, a torch and Jaffar perched on his shoulder.

We can only hope!