Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Marie2020]

When ever I'm outside I'm being watched

Because Agatha is always keeping eye on me

Tina likes it when the sun is out and has discovered mud

 

[micstrachan]

Hi,it’s literally raining outside and there is a violent storm going on.There’s still no sign of Lilly I have no idea if she’s even okay.I’m probably sure she’s hiding under the back trees but she’s afraid of humans and dosent come out.I still haven’t heard any good news and They brought Era back in the coop,who is frantically crowing for Lil.I told them to open up the coop door for a few miniutes and go away so that maybe Lilly would come back to the coop?if no one was there and it was raining and she saw Era crowing?Well of course she didn’t,the caretaker spotted her in the end of the grassy garden but when they ran to catch her she disappeared.Now there’s been no sign of her since morning and it’s literally afternoon.The rain is really heavy and I’m really scared.There’s nothing to do but go and hunt for her tomorrow.I’m really panicking that she won’t thrive through this heavy rain.My fingers are crossed.

Someone spotted her? Maybe she is sitting on a nest somewhere?

 

[micstrachan]

Good morning everyone. Afi I hope you manage to catch you hen. If she's been spotted best thing to do is put out food and maybe leave the coop open and she'll come to your boy. It's a new place and she's scared so I would personally take a hands off approach at first. Trying to catch her may make her go further away. BY BOB I pray you have safe travels today and get your son-in-law safely home without too much discomfort. I hope everyone else is doing well with their chickens. I need a day to unwind myself after yesterday, Louis my old man had a mild form of Gas Colic. Thankfully we were outside yesterday afternoon when he displayed the first symptoms so quick action was able to be taken. Colic is deadly with horses though so spent the night up with him and I'm exhausted. I want to nap, but, Louis will still need observation and I really need to catch the 3 daughters of Momma Hens as I got a message Monday evening from Maddy's grandpa. He decided he wants them and I was supposed to try and catch them yesterday. Thankfully he understood I was dealing with a horse emergency and I'm really in no big hurry to catch them. But, I promised them to him and I'll feel better once they are penned up and he can come get them.

Oh goodness, you have a lot on your plate. Best wishes to you!

 

[Blazinga]

Went to the museum for class today. Here are some seasonally spooky chickens.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good morning everyone. Afi I hope you manage to catch you hen. If she's been spotted best thing to do is put out food and maybe leave the coop open and she'll come to your boy. It's a new place and she's scared so I would personally take a hands off approach at first. Trying to catch her may make her go further away. BY BOB I pray you have safe travels today and get your son-in-law safely home without too much discomfort. I hope everyone else is doing well with their chickens. I need a day to unwind myself after yesterday, Louis my old man had a mild form of Gas Colic. Thankfully we were outside yesterday afternoon when he displayed the first symptoms so quick action was able to be taken. Colic is deadly with horses though so spent the night up with him and I'm exhausted. I want to nap, but, Louis will still need observation and I really need to catch the 3 daughters of Momma Hens as I got a message Monday evening from Maddy's grandpa. He decided he wants them and I was supposed to try and catch them yesterday. Thankfully he understood I was dealing with a horse emergency and I'm really in no big hurry to catch them. But, I promised them to him and I'll feel better once they are penned up and he can come get them.

Goodness - definitely sounds like you need a rest. I hope Louis makes a full recovery.

I think your advice for Afi is good - if Lilly is scared, then the fewer people crowding around the better. It is hard for people to understand that chasing is not a good idea with any scared animal.
When I just started building the Chicken Palace I had lots of Tradies around - some to help with the Palace construction, but we had a gutter issue on the house, and a guy to see about a downed tree, and lord knows who else - even I felt stressed by all the people milling around and I understood they were there to help!
In the middle of all that, Maggie's sister Scary (RIP Scary) managed to get out of the pen and set off across the meadow.
The scene that followed is seared into my brain with the Benny Hill music as an accompaniment. Imagine many large guys with tool belts and some in hard hats running back and forth across a large field trying to catch a little chicken who effectively zig zagged her way across the open ground and evaded them all. If I hadn't intervened I am sure they would have all ended up in the next county!
I managed to persuade them all to stop chasing her and to get on with their work. Meanwhile, I went the long way around to be the other side of her and wielded the most effective weapon I have as a chicken keeper - an ear of corn (I always keep some in the freezer for emergency chicken retrievals).
She took one look at the corn and practically flew at me with a look on her face that said "well there was no need for all that fuss, why didn't you just tell me treats were available in the first place?".

 

[featherhead007]

Why don't you stop competing with him?

I don’t know

 

[AfiafiAfi]

Goodness - definitely sounds like you need a rest. I hope Louis makes a full recovery.

I think your advice for Afi is good - if Lilly is scared, then the fewer people crowding around the better. It is hard for people to understand that chasing is not a good idea with any scared animal.
When I just started building the Chicken Palace I had lots of Tradies around - some to help with the Palace construction, but we had a gutter issue on the house, and a guy to see about a downed tree, and lord knows who else - even I felt stressed by all the people milling around and I understood they were there to help!
In the middle of all that, Maggie's sister Scary (RIP Scary) managed to get out of the pen and set off across the meadow.
The scene that followed is seared into my brain with the Benny Hill music as an accompaniment. Imagine many large guys with tool belts and some in hard hats running back and forth across a large field trying to catch a little chicken who effectively zig zagged her way across the open ground and evaded them all. If I hadn't intervened I am sure they would have all ended up in the next county!
I managed to persuade them all to stop chasing her and to get on with their work. Meanwhile, I went the long way around to be the other side of her and wielded the most effective weapon I have as a chicken keeper - an ear of corn (I always keep some in the freezer for emergency chicken retrievals).
She took one look at the corn and practically flew at me with a look on her face that said "well there was no need for all that fuss, why didn't you just tell me treats were available in the first place?".

The caretakers are trying to slowly grab her.it’s night!she’s still not home!tomorrow I’m going hunting that’s it.Goodnight all

 

[Marie2020]

Someone spotted her? Maybe she is sitting on a nest somewhere?

Yes that's happened on numerous occasions especially if they are broody

 

[goldenfingers]

In your first set of birds without an established pecking order, how did you identify your top hen? What behaviors made that apparent?

We started with three birds and could not ever really settle on who was the top hen. It seemed they each took turns. However, after Ginger died a couple of weeks ago, a new order has definitely arrived, and it's not what I ever would have guessed. Honestly, it's been a bit unnerving for me to watch. Mrs. Howell has become an evil dictator. The most obvious behaviors are displayed when eating treats. A very menacing glare, sometimes along with a stern warning cluck to back off, which if not heeded results in pecking. They used to all get along so well.

 

[rural mouse]

I decided to try the terracotta pots in a coop modification before going full on remodel.

Starting with just to the left of the people door, moved the food bucket to the corner rather than in front of the nest boxes.

Added a 3rd roost with the 2x4 diagnosed across the corner, same height as the other 2 behind it.

Nest boxes on the right, pots underneath

Stepped further into get a better shot of the nest pots. Fresh straw in the top, dirt below, filled to 2-3 inches below the lip, topped with straw which can be kicked off if they choose to. I dug down to the dirt floor and leveled it out in placing the pots.

Reason for doing this now:
Was on the deck Monday, had half a dozen running toward me across the grass. Thought, "awwww, the babies are greeting me! That's a big comb for the babies....that's Pear! And Silver in that bunch!" Size difference between adult and pullet has shrunk enough that first glance can'tte'll the difference.
Yyesterday, noticed that Nellie's comb is big enough to bend to her left, while Splash's is heading to her right. Blanche's (Blanca doesn't quite fit) is a tiny bit smaller. Today, realized just how RED those 3 are. checkedt he calendar: 18 weeks. Nellie is listed with POL at 19 weeks. The 2 sapphires are half leghorn half legbar (22 weeks). Based upon comb, probably closer to the 19.

Nellie was being difficult

Splash

Blanche

Pear for comparison

She's still moulting