Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

I love a good hotel room. Motels not so much.

x2

 

[micstrachan]

Cindy, I took an air trip With my plane to see old friends, and family. Friends in Colorado, and family in Washington state.
(seems I needed to stretch my wings for the week)

Oops! SHRA!

 

[micstrachan]

OK. I have kept this picture up for awhile, because my first impression at the time was that the bird on top is an American Bald Eagle. I have not wavered from that impression. This is bugging me, sorry @Cynthia12 !

What chicken has eyes like that, and insanely curved, gripping claws made for gripping fish and meat like that? And details - an under-beak area very non-chicken, massive tail feathers, and very long wing feathers - this bird flies. Is this a Giant Air Chicken?

It is a GREAT picture. I didn't see anybody except @Shadrach ask about it, and I was waiting on the answer....if there was an answer I didn't see it, at least not here on @BY Bob 's thread, so please explain this bird, thank you!

Oh, gosh! I thought I commented on that photo. I definitely assumed it was a Bald Eagle. Magnificent.

 

[micstrachan]

Also lynx are protected in Canada, probably here too, in Canada they are on the Endangered list. I didn't have the sound on and I couldn't watch it very long as he is torturing that lynx by holding it that way. Is he going to kill it eventually or just torture it? I understand the anger and feel sorry for his losses, but predators like lynx, fox, weasel, raccoon are only doing their thing, it's on chicken keepers to secure their chickens IMO. I don't want any of mine to get killed but I understand there's always going to be some risk no matter what you do.

EDIT - What about bear? I doubt there's any coop that can withstand a bear attack. So there's always going to be risk. I am expecting a visit or two in Spring, and am hoping for the best, that's one reason I got the Omlet Cube. We are often around when they come by inspecting, hope to discourage it with noise as usual. But nothing that chickens could survive in can stop a determined bear.

My friend’s sister has chickens in Colorado. A bear tore a wall off the coop to get at the flock. I think the only thing that will deter a bear would be hot wire.

 

[micstrachan]

All 10 babies that went into lockdown hatched. Started with twelve. One wasn't fertile, the other quit around a week in. View attachment 2542278View attachment 2542279

Such beautiful babies!

 

[micstrachan]

I cry photo shop! That simply Cannot be the same chicken. She is looking absolutely amazing, great job nursing her!

Haha! Thanks! I’m actually worried about her because she stopped laying over a week ago. Her behavior is normal and she looks great, though!

 

[micstrachan]

I took that picture from my front gate. The orchard extends for six miles (that’s a lot of almonds)

Alex, I drove by California almond orchards one of our really bad drought years and they were pulled out of the ground snd were heaped up in piles. Heartbreaking!

 

[Kris5902]

My friend’s sister has chickens in Colorado. A bear tore a wall off the coop to get at the flock. I think the only thing that will deter a bear would be hot wire.

All depends on the type of bear, availability of other food sources, and coop design. My uncle gets grizzlies, they leave paw prints on the doors and Windows of his cabin, but are easily deterred by his two outdoor dogs. I’m mostly familiar with black bears and have run into them hiking, stealing my garbage cans, and other such activities. There were beehives at a local hobby/urban/permaculture farm that was running in my neighborhood of North Vancouver. They eventually managed to bear proof the hives (after several years of ursine destruction), so I suppose it could be done for chickens as well. Something about heavy chain ink fencing buried in a concrete perimeter... I think it’s a little more than the average chicken keeper is going to invest in predator proofing. That said, bears are omnivores and lazy, they would rather go for an easy snack.

 

[featherhead007]

I thought I was mostly caught up, but apparently not. Alex, why are you in Colorado?

Answer to your questions. I had a new navigation computer installed in my Cessna, so I took a sky trip to see an old friend in Denver and test out the new gps capabilities. My true destination is my brother’s home in Washington state near Seattle. (I’m here now) I’m staying on his yacht, as not to be a burden on his full house. (Just to mention, I love my brother very much) it’s great to see him again.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I have always called it an “eem ooh”, as has everyone I know from my areas.
I had no idea!

Glad to be of service.
Maybe it's a southern states thing. Now you can start the Eeem-you revolution!