Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

I wanted to take a moment and think this through before I responded. I am going to ask for one allowance. I am writing this to address the difference in shells between the hens. If I am missing the mark and you are trying to address a soft-shelled egg, please forgive me and let me know.

The Roadrunners are Legbars and are only 1 year old. They are in the peak of their laying cycle and should remain there for a couple of years as they are not over producers like Leghorns are.

Your other hens are Production Reds, are they not? I know Maggie is an RIR if I remember correctly. Production Reds are just like the Leghorn in that they produce a lot of eggs early in their lifespan. The Production Reds are the same age as Maggie right? You already know that as it relates to egg production, Maggie is elderly. I submit that your other hens are as well. Egg shell problems are common as chickens age (that's why soft-shelled eggs increase in frequency as a chicken ages). I would suggest that the thinner shells are likely a by-product of this aging.

Now if I am wrong and they are not Productions Reds let me know. They are not old by chicken age standards and perhaps we should be looking at this differently.

I do think that supplementing their calcium intake is not a bad thing. Do you offer oyster shell as well? (I'm sorry but with so many soft-shelled issues running around I can't keep the details straight in my head).

Keep this in mind. The layer feed offers everything they need nutritionally for laying eggs provided that is all they eat. Anything they eat outside that will unbalance the diet. I am certain that they seek out what they need. Shadrach has told those stories many times and I have trust in the ladies to do that. But if high calcium sources are not available they will actually lower their calcium intake by eating non-feed sources of food. That is why even when my ladies were on layer feed, I had oyster shell available for them. They did not use much but mine have always eaten some oyster shell.

I hope this helps. Please correct me if any of my assumptions were wrong.

I agree with Bob that calcium will be diluted while free ranging unless extra calcium, like oyster shell, is supplied.

 

[micstrachan]

My girls chattering and feasting today.

I made a short clip if them having their conversation but can't find a way of posting it. I guess I will catch on one day.
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What breed is that brown, barred hen? Beautiful, and not one I'm familiar with. The feathers appear barred, not laced or penciled, to me.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Dominance stories - Hazel is definitely the boss around here! She is a safety lookout and an enforcer. This morning someone, I think Popcorn, had caught a little moth. She ran around doing keep-away from the other two, but Hazel was on lookout and was intent on watching for something, and she didn't move. Except when Popcorn ran by her she did lean over and give her a quick peck on the neck. Just because.

Hazel

A few days ago everyone was in the big run except Popcorn, who had just gone into the little run and up into the coop to lay her egg. Both runs were currently pretty close. The big run is fairly stationary and the little run is a tractor run/ coop. The three all began to dustbathe in the new doggie pool, only half filled with dirt, ashes & whatnot, I am filling it up still but was thinking the whole big run will move soon to a very shady spot so I didn't fill it all up. It's working well, esp. when their dirt hole by the apple tree is too damp for good fluffing. They don't seem to be mud bathers. It has a soft edge that they step on as they hop into it. When I set it up I got a wood block step for them, thinking the edge was a little high, and just as I set it down two just went right in stepping on and over the edge next to me.

They looked very much into their dustbath so I closed both runs and went into the house to do some chores, checking on both visually to see if they had stopped or Popcorn had finished or bailed for the moment, and I would bring them together. Everyone was busy for over an hour.

Cut to later, I saw Popcorn leave the coop and the others finish their bath about the same time. So I go out and open up both runs and everybody comes out. Pecking around under the apple tree while I watched and fed them dandelion leaves to tear off. Almost immediately Popcorn headed up to the big run and jumped into the dustbath and started scratching and bokking and fluffing around. Hazel followed her quite eagerly, but what does she do? Mercilessly peck Popcorn and drive her out of the bath. Popcorn leaves and exits the run and goes back to pecking and scratching under the tree, but a few minutes later tries again and jumps into the pool. Hazel is right on her and drives her out again. It seems pool times are heavily regulated around here!

Beware Hazel the Pool Master

So just today, Hazel started to dustbathe and then decided not to and jumped out. A little later Butters started dustbathing and Hazel stopped her with a few pecks. Then Hazel left, went over to the coop run and approached the coop ladder. It seems she wanted to lay an egg soon. But then she came out. Butters and Popcorn got into the pool and started the beginnings of dustbathing, and Hazel looked interested but pecked a little at them instead, then wandered away. They weren't deterred, and Peanut joined in. Soon it was going full swing, all clucks and kicks and rubs and fun, but Hazel didn't join in. She did Sentinel duty, looking out and up near the run door, then browsed around the apple tree, said hello to me a bit, then went back into the big run, and lay down next to the pool and preened while they bathed. Later on she went into the nestbox, but came out a while later not having laid anything when I checked. I'll keep an eye on her tomorrow.

Usually the four dustbathe together. This was different. Here they are, the three in dustbathing ecstasy, having a blast in there, and Hazel just being mellow and preening.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

By George, you're right! We finally were able to verify that it is a checkered garter snake. Supposedly very easy to tame and makes a great pet. Uh...no thanks. I took it out for the chickens to play with. They were not impressed.

They did not eat it? I'm sure mine would have eaten it.

The Buckeyes are staying in an area around 20 x 20 feet - at most - encompassing the big run on one side, an apple tree, blueberry bushes and the little run & coop on the other. Why? The only thing I can think of is that for two days in a row earlier this week, when let out of the coop in the morning, they all ran 30 feet over to their favorite area by the old compost pile and the rhododendron bush and encountered a snake sunning itself there. Both times it quickly moved away but not before someone issued a serious alarm call and there was a mad rush back to the coop. This morning I walked over there in front of them, trying to make sure it was clear and reassuring them, but they really wanted nothing to do with the place and stayed away every time they were free to wander, which was many hours today as I gardened right next to them. They didn't even go past it to their favorite spot under the fallen apricot tree. They have caught very small snakes and big worms, but this one, maybe 18 inches long? is a mortal enemy and too much to take on.

Maybe there's another reason, I don't know. But they preferred to be in either run, or the small area between them with the sheltering apple tree in between. I'm happy they are choosing caution, it is much safer from hawks even with me there. Really for 2-3 days now they actually have stayed in a 10x15 spot between the runs. Today they got very interested in excavating a new hole there.

 

[Blazinga]

I've only known my new birds for a day and they've already chosen to perch on me without coercion. I'm seeing this as the beginning of a great friendship.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Tragedy Strikes the Gardens at Fluffy Butt Acres

For years I have been cultivating Black Eyed Susans in one of our flower boxes around the backyard. You can see them here in this photo of Sansa.
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I have them so they come back every year in significant numbers spread around the box on their own. This year they are just now starting to show the bugs of flowers. I love them and get excited when they start to bloom.

This morning before work, Mrs BY Bob and Phyllis decided to weed that box. I say the two of them because I know Mrs BY Bob got caught up in supplying bugs for Phyllis to eat.

Now there are weeds in ithe box, no doubt about it, as I have not yet gotten to that box this year. However, Mrs BY Bob targeted my Black Eyed Susan's as weeds. She pulled them all out.

Every last one.

All of them.

None were left.

Now there may be some hope. Mrs BY Bob is not a great weeder. She does not knock the dirt off the roots and she does not clean up after herself. So my Susans were in the pile on the patio with the other weeds.

Desperate to try and save something, I sorted them out, dug a hole, planted what I had, watered them, and even put a cage around them to give them support and hopefully give Mrs BY Bob pause before she pulls them out again.
Here they were at 9:00 am after I replanted them. The Susans are in the circle. That is lavender in the picture below them. The rest of the green is weeds.
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Tip, if you want - Put an opaque plastic bag around them to keep the humidity high, the roots can't keep up with the leaves in their condition (and leaves open their pores under any light, they can't control that). A sun shade would be helpful too. Alternatively to the bag, mist them a lot, and/or you could lightly pile some actual weeds under, on, and around them. That will keep the humidity up. Cut grass works. Replace it every day (it's an excuse to weed the garden!).

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I think I am raccoon central in the group though I don’t doubt most of the US-based folk have them.

Yes, raccoons are everywhere in the U.S. And also like coyotes, in that lots of people think they aren't around in their area when actually they are all over it. They've just figured out how to go about unseen. Both thrive in urban/suburban areas in particular (raccoons and coyotes).

 

[ChicoryBlue]

It's Friday!

I'm going to give you an unusual Fluffy Butt this Friday. It is a video bum!

I took down the chicken wire around my new grass yesterday. I knew this was going to be a issue for the ladies as the straw at the bottom of my delicate grass would be full of creepy crawlies and would be irresistible to them. Pair that with delicate new grass and I would be right back to where I started with bare patches dug up by them.

Sadly, I was right.

I had to take down the fence and mow as it was getting over grown. I waited as long as I could. Check it out.
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First Aurora found a spot to destroy. She was easy to move along. She doesn't want to be touched. A waive of my hand and she is gone.

However, Hattie found a spot that she fell in love with. I tried to move her on but she would not move. I tried pushing her and she pushed back!

I had to do something to protect my grass.

Here is your Hattie butt for Friday and my solution.

I love this story! I can picture Hattie pushing back!
That was my idea for around the base of the blueberry plants (the chickens love the compost mulch!), with blue or green vinyl fencing, cut to encircle the base. I ended up just using small cardboard boxes with sticks through them as a low fence. They still have passageways between the plants for the chickens.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Nice to hear from you again Kris.

For me a static environment with a friend would be the most reasonable solution. Does she have a best friend or someone with which she hangs out? I think I would keep it to two hens myself. I wouldn't want another pair to form and gang up on her.

It will be interesting to hear what @Shadrach says.

@Kris5902 so sorry for your poor hen! I would give her a chance and not cull unless she really can't cope. Bob's recommendation sounds good and I agree, I also think that a tractor that is moved just once in a while would work too - because she locates the feeder & waterer likely by the sound of others at it and then feeling for it. So if it's full and she doesn't have to find individual specks or pellets that will work. I am more concerned about getting on and off the roost. A ramp up and down to a perch maybe?

 

[RoyalChick]

Sooooo pretty!!

She says: ‘thank you, and can I peck your ankles too?’