Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ribh]

We too rescued a munchkin cat. I have yet to see him not do anything that my other cats do. Add far as I can tell, he's a regular cat and a true sweetheart.

View attachment 2001258
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He is gorgeous!

 

[Kris5902]

I'm sorry everyone. I was away today visiting my parents who have returned from my brother's in Florida.

I gave them a cabbage today to make up for no free range time. Hattie promptly sat herself in front of it and viciously pecked anyone else who tried to get some.

Aurora also loves cabbage. She had to develop a strategy to defeat Hattie's blocking.

So as Hattie pecked at the cabbage a leaf would start to peel off, Aurora would align herself and sprint past Hattie and the cabbage grabbing the leaf and peeling it off the cabbage as she ran. She would keep going until she reached a corner of the run where she could eat her treasure in peace.

Once she had completed eaing her cabbage leaf she would line up for another run. She was very clever and very very very fast!

So smart! And cute I’m sure... I can totally picture the escapade.

You can send it but it usually comes here on its own.

I've never asked, do you get much snow? It sounds like you have a lot of emergency adjusting to do because of it. That makes me think it's pretty rare.

It is usually quite rare and nasty stuff, we get a few days of it on and off most winters, but usually (knocking on wood) no prolonged cold spells. We aren’t talking nice fluffy powder, or even a sudden hoar frost and intense dry cold... this is wet, soggy, heavy slush (threatening my poor awning) and with temperatures varying between a few degrees above and a few degrees below freezing... any wet muddy feet could easily freeze overnight. And because it’s wet, slushy snow, there’s mud a plenty. The low roosts, between 2-6” off the mud, in the “summer only” meat tractors, and the 2’ hardware cloth ceilings covered with tarps are not adequate for this stuff, especially with Sammy’s huge comb and tall stance.

Everyone is tucked into the brooder in my barn overnight, with daytime arrangements still undecided. There has been a lot of conversation back and forth with Sammy and the 6 boys on the other side of my improvised cardboard brooder divider. I’m hoping it stands up to any attempts at violence tomorrow morning, and I have a feeling it’s going to be a very early one for me. I also had to take out the waterer, as the Littles were clustered around and attempting to roost on it, and I don’t like the though of potential spills, wet birds, and freezing temperatures!

At least everyone was dry and warm when we scooped them up. Unlike poor Barney and the soggy kids from last week’s overnight storm. My brooder is 4x8x2 feet, so a fair amount of room for everyone for sleeping, and about half the size of the meat tractor they were in outside. It is a combination of denial “it won’t s***”, some deceptively warm weather, and being slightly unprepared “I have time to build another tractor”, and greedy “well, just one more hatch won’t hurt...” Picture DH and I with 10 Littles in a transport crate, and each with two full grown chickens in one arm carrying the crate through the mushy, slippery field with snow blowing down around us in the pitch dark! I had Sammy and Hoppy, DH was carrying Croppy and Mrs B, and we both had our other hand holding a side of the crate... not exactly the most well planned out situation, to say the least.

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm sorry everyone. I was away today visiting my parents who have returned from my brother's in Florida.

I gave them a cabbage today to make up for no free range time. Hattie promptly sat herself in front of it and viciously pecked anyone else who tried to get some.

Aurora also loves cabbage. She had to develop a strategy to defeat Hattie's blocking.

So as Hattie pecked at the cabbage a leaf would start to peel off, Aurora would align herself and sprint past Hattie and the cabbage grabbing the leaf and peeling it off the cabbage as she ran. She would keep going until she reached a corner of the run where she could eat her treasure in peace.

Once she had completed eaing her cabbage leaf she would line up for another run. She was very clever and very very very fast!

What a good problem solver!

 

[Shadrach]

Opened up Tribe 3 this morning to find Donk eating bits of one of Knocks eggs with an almost fully formed chick in the egg. I've spared you the picture. It's a reminder that sometimes they are not quite such cute fluffy butts. Trashed the egg and evicted Donk.
I may move Knock in her nest box to another coop. I would place good money on it being Myth who dragged the egg away from Knock. Knock is the most junior hen in the tribe.
Back to the advice I've received here; only let your senior hens sit and hatch.
I was a bit late letting Tribe 1 out due to the above drama. By the time I had collected up all the feed trays, changed all the water, got the sheep out and inspected and got back to my house, Hurry from Tribe 1 was waiting outside my house. As soon as I went in she followed and got into the nest box.
A video camera would be a handy thing.
Here she is getting ready to lay her first ever egg.

The egg must have been well on it's way. She was only in the nest box a few minutes when she stood to deliver. She's standing to far up! She'll crouch more after she's got the hang of it.

There seems to be a point in the oviduct where as far as the hen is concerned the egg is out. Lots of Pullets laying for the first time get caught out by this. Hurry gets off the nest and heads towards the door with me trying to follow behind crouched over with my hand out. Hurry put on a burst of speed, probably thinking I was trying to catch her and out fell the egg onto the concrete floor.

Hurry didn't even break stride, went straight out the door and gave her first proper escort call. Treacle was there in seconds. Last I saw of them they were walking side by side over the house roof with Treacle doing elaborate herding shuffles around her.

Unfortunately the egg is broken.

 

[MaryJanet]

I noticed that with Janet and Mary! Standing to deliver the egg. Now they sit and sit. Then sit a bit more. Ok, all done.

 

[Shadrach]

Until a predator got hold of one. I would love to raise my chickens that way too, but they wouldn't last a single season. I know. I have a neighbor who replaces his chickens every year because he free ranges.

Predation is always an issue when free ranging as are accidents, injuries, fights and the general drama of chicken life.
There is a lot one can do to reduce the risks but some are going to die along the way....just like free ranging humans.

 

[LozzyR]

Opened up Tribe 3 this morning to find Donk eating bits of one of Knocks eggs with an almost fully formed chick in the egg. I've spared you the picture. It's a reminder that sometimes they are not quite such cute fluffy butts. Trashed the egg and evicted Donk.
I may move Knock in her nest box to another coop. I would place good money on it being Myth who dragged the egg away from Knock. Knock is the most junior hen in the tribe.
Back to the advice I've received here; only let your senior hens sit and hatch.
I was a bit late letting Tribe 1 out due to the above drama. By the time I had collected up all the feed trays, changed all the water, got the sheep out and inspected and got back to my house, Hurry from Tribe 1 was waiting outside my house. As soon as I went in she followed and got into the nest box.
A video camera would be a handy thing.
Here she is getting ready to lay her first ever egg.
View attachment 2001322
The egg must have been well on it's way. She was only in the nest box a few minutes when she stood to deliver. She's standing to far up! She'll crouch more after she's got the hang of it. View attachment 2001323
There seems to be a point in the oviduct where as far as the hen is concerned the egg is out. Lots of Pullets laying for the first time get caught out by this. Hurry gets off the nest and heads towards the door with me trying to follow behind crouched over with my hand out. Hurry put on a burst of speed, probably thinking I was trying to catch her and out fell the egg onto the concrete floor.View attachment 2001324
Hurry didn't even break stride, went straight out the door and gave her first proper escort call. Treacle was there in seconds. Last I saw of them they were walking side by side over the house roof with Treacle doing elaborate herding shuffles around her. View attachment 2001325
Unfortunately the egg is broken.

Did you eat the egg?

 

[BY Bob]

So smart! And cute I’m sure... I can totally picture the escapade.



It is usually quite rare and nasty stuff, we get a few days of it on and off most winters, but usually (knocking on wood) no prolonged cold spells. We aren’t talking nice fluffy powder, or even a sudden hoar frost and intense dry cold... this is wet, soggy, heavy slush (threatening my poor awning) and with temperatures varying between a few degrees above and a few degrees below freezing... any wet muddy feet could easily freeze overnight. And because it’s wet, slushy snow, there’s mud a plenty. The low roosts, between 2-6” off the mud, in the “summer only” meat tractors, and the 2’ hardware cloth ceilings covered with tarps are not adequate for this stuff, especially with Sammy’s huge comb and tall stance.

Everyone is tucked into the brooder in my barn overnight, with daytime arrangements still undecided. There has been a lot of conversation back and forth with Sammy and the 6 boys on the other side of my improvised cardboard brooder divider. I’m hoping it stands up to any attempts at violence tomorrow morning, and I have a feeling it’s going to be a very early one for me. I also had to take out the waterer, as the Littles were clustered around and attempting to roost on it, and I don’t like the though of potential spills, wet birds, and freezing temperatures!

At least everyone was dry and warm when we scooped them up. Unlike poor Barney and the soggy kids from last week’s overnight storm. My brooder is 4x8x2 feet, so a fair amount of room for everyone for sleeping, and about half the size of the meat tractor they were in outside. It is a combination of denial “it won’t s***”, some deceptively warm weather, and being slightly unprepared “I have time to build another tractor”, and greedy “well, just one more hatch won’t hurt...” Picture DH and I with 10 Littles in a transport crate, and each with two full grown chickens in one arm carrying the crate through the mushy, slippery field with snow blowing down around us in the pitch dark! I had Sammy and Hoppy, DH was carrying Croppy and Mrs B, and we both had our other hand holding a side of the crate... not exactly the most well planned out situation, to say the least.

Oh, that is an image. The snow from our last storm was like that, wet and heavy. How long is it expected to last? I hope not too long until it melts.

 

[BY Bob]

Opened up Tribe 3 this morning to find Donk eating bits of one of Knocks eggs with an almost fully formed chick in the egg. I've spared you the picture. It's a reminder that sometimes they are not quite such cute fluffy butts. Trashed the egg and evicted Donk.
I may move Knock in her nest box to another coop. I would place good money on it being Myth who dragged the egg away from Knock. Knock is the most junior hen in the tribe.
Back to the advice I've received here; only let your senior hens sit and hatch.
I was a bit late letting Tribe 1 out due to the above drama. By the time I had collected up all the feed trays, changed all the water, got the sheep out and inspected and got back to my house, Hurry from Tribe 1 was waiting outside my house. As soon as I went in she followed and got into the nest box.
A video camera would be a handy thing.
Here she is getting ready to lay her first ever egg.
View attachment 2001322
The egg must have been well on it's way. She was only in the nest box a few minutes when she stood to deliver. She's standing to far up! She'll crouch more after she's got the hang of it. View attachment 2001323
There seems to be a point in the oviduct where as far as the hen is concerned the egg is out. Lots of Pullets laying for the first time get caught out by this. Hurry gets off the nest and heads towards the door with me trying to follow behind crouched over with my hand out. Hurry put on a burst of speed, probably thinking I was trying to catch her and out fell the egg onto the concrete floor.View attachment 2001324
Hurry didn't even break stride, went straight out the door and gave her first proper escort call. Treacle was there in seconds. Last I saw of them they were walking side by side over the house roof with Treacle doing elaborate herding shuffles around her. View attachment 2001325
Unfortunately the egg is broken.

Scrambled eggs for lunch?

Congratulations on the first egg! She will get better at this. Do you think that she will keep using that nest?

 

[ValerieJ]

So smart! And cute I’m sure... I can totally picture the escapade.



It is usually quite rare and nasty stuff, we get a few days of it on and off most winters, but usually (knocking on wood) no prolonged cold spells. We aren’t talking nice fluffy powder, or even a sudden hoar frost and intense dry cold... this is wet, soggy, heavy slush (threatening my poor awning) and with temperatures varying between a few degrees above and a few degrees below freezing... any wet muddy feet could easily freeze overnight. And because it’s wet, slushy snow, there’s mud a plenty. The low roosts, between 2-6” off the mud, in the “summer only” meat tractors, and the 2’ hardware cloth ceilings covered with tarps are not adequate for this stuff, especially with Sammy’s huge comb and tall stance.

Everyone is tucked into the brooder in my barn overnight, with daytime arrangements still undecided. There has been a lot of conversation back and forth with Sammy and the 6 boys on the other side of my improvised cardboard brooder divider. I’m hoping it stands up to any attempts at violence tomorrow morning, and I have a feeling it’s going to be a very early one for me. I also had to take out the waterer, as the Littles were clustered around and attempting to roost on it, and I don’t like the though of potential spills, wet birds, and freezing temperatures!

At least everyone was dry and warm when we scooped them up. Unlike poor Barney and the soggy kids from last week’s overnight storm. My brooder is 4x8x2 feet, so a fair amount of room for everyone for sleeping, and about half the size of the meat tractor they were in outside. It is a combination of denial “it won’t s***”, some deceptively warm weather, and being slightly unprepared “I have time to build another tractor”, and greedy “well, just one more hatch won’t hurt...” Picture DH and I with 10 Littles in a transport crate, and each with two full grown chickens in one arm carrying the crate through the mushy, slippery field with snow blowing down around us in the pitch dark! I had Sammy and Hoppy, DH was carrying Croppy and Mrs B, and we both had our other hand holding a side of the crate... not exactly the most well planned out situation, to say the least.

I could envision that whole escapade! What a night you had!!!