Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Yes, fairness is a human notion I think! But here there are only four chickens total, with your 11? 12? it's more problematic to make sure everyone gets some.

Treats aren't a problem for these ladies, Popcorn, bottom of the pecking order, gets in there quick and is doing fine that way. Today she also immediately stole a damp paper towel I had in my hand, ran away with it, held it under her foot and managed to get two rips off it and eat them before I got it away from her. She just prizes it, I have no clue why.

The exception here now is that Hazel has been molting and is very slow and hesitant about foods. So I need to sequester her and let her pick at things and/or feed off my fingers at her own speed in order to get a decent amount in her. Today I forgot that fact, because she was right in the mix there at the corn cob this morning, but I saw that when I gave them all 2 sardines (water no salt), Hazel probably got two teaspoons at most. She did immediately show interest and come over, an improvement from previous days - but, she pointed and bokked warnings at the whole sardines laying in the bowl. Popcorn, Peanut and Butters recognized them, or trusted me more, and immediately laid into them without care. Does molt make chickens forget? They've seen them twice before, maybe not quite as whole as these.

She did peck at it, but it wasn't until the meat was in little bits (I started breaking it up and offering bits on my fingers) that I could get her to eat any. Then she slowly got some gusto about it, but she kept picking up larger chunks from the bowl, putting them down outside the bowl to peck at, and having them stolen. Tomorrow I will separate her so she gets a good portion. It has worked to get her just behind the wire gate in the coop run, where she feels safest, and show her food there and reach in with food on my fingers. The others get some too but from this side of the gate, so she's with everyone eating, and they can't get at her portions.

Hattie is the same way right now. She just doesn't participate in snack time. Sansa was also like that for about a week or so. It is usually a month or more with Hattie.

 

[bgmathteach]

View attachment 2854486View attachment 2854487I love them both a lot! This was yesterday, they were in the shed warming up with us! (But first, truffles had to take a nap on the trampoline!)

What a gorgeous pair. What breed are they..is he part Ayam Cemani.?

 

[BY Bob]

Yes, I remember several of your rants on this issue & if I could have I would have gone all Campines, as you know. That has not been possible & I have insanely mixed tribes, which you also know. From my own observations I suspect group dynamics are far more complex than we grasp. Everything I read [& @BY Bob's issues with Phyllis] suggested my frizzles would all get picked on but it is not so, my friend. They are all quite high up the pecking order, & Olivia, who is also tiny, part D'Uccle so with feathered feet to boot, gets along with everybody. She is an extremely well liked chicken. Beatha, now my only Aracauna, & one of my older girls, is not really liked by anybody & this was true even before I lost her running mate but since the move the tribes have been far more accepting of her & she of them. The Japanese bantams, who might also have been in trouble, mix easily. It is the Porcelain D'Uccle who is a bit of an outsider but she is the only one of the bantams not laying. I think I mentioned elsewhere my girls seem to hang by colouring & or feathering type rather than breed, so Olivia, B&W D'Uccle frizzle & Portia, SLW frizzle often hang together despite size & breed differences. Desdemona [Birchen Jap] often hangs with Olivia. Portia, despite being a very young bird, only just started laying, has really high status. No~one picks on her. It is complicated & always subtley shifting but it is really rare to see any hen get pecked for any reason here. I do see quite a bit of mutual grooming & the girls will tend to hang in small groups in different parts of the yard but those groups are not stable & are always changing

Having said all that I started with a mixed lot of birds who grew up together & when I have added birds it has been in largish numbers of mixed breeds with long slow integrations. I also have much bigger numbers. I suspect that has made a difference. It is really unusual for any of my girls to squabble. My experience has been so different to @BY Bob's I am always quite shocked by how his girls behave towards each other.

I will be interested to see, now you have your own mixed tribe, what observations you notice, especially as conditions improve for them.

Well said. Excellent.

 

[BY Bob]

That's why lots of little ones (along with all the geothermal activity) are good. Vents out most of the pressure before it builds up too much.

TaxView attachment 2854679

Lovely photo. I love seeing them out like this.

 

[BY Bob]

Rude!

I agree!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hattie is the same way right now. She just doesn't participate in snack time. Sansa was also like that for about a week or so. It is usually a month or more with Hattie.

Well that's good to know, that long. It's been a long time with Hazel! I'm not sure, but it's no one or two week thing! It is her first molt. Maybe future ones will be shorter? Maybe not. At least I'll have a better idea going forward.

 

[BY Bob]

It's not aesy

I see what you did there.

Well played.

 

[bgmathteach]

I should go take more pics today. 18.5 weeks, egg watch is starting too.

Maybe ? Emily will change her mind once she starts laying?

 

[BY Bob]

They told me I did a good job this afternoon. So I think I am secure in my position for now.

I'm curious. However did they communicate their pleasure with your performance?

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks for this. Knowing it’s coming doesn’t make it any easier. We had gotten quite close.

I know. Patsy and I also grew very close. Take the time. It's important.