Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Tentative Integration Plan

It breaks my heart but the littles are too big to remain in the indoors brooder much longer. I'm going to miss their little voices and our evening perch time.

I have a basic outline of an integration plan. Phyllis roosting in the run, by her choice now, provides some opportunity and potential complications but I think I can make it work for me.

It is supposed to be chilly yet tonight so I will be moving the littles out tomorrow morning. I'm going to put an escape door across the nest boxes so they can get away from Phyllis. Then tomorrow night Phyllis will join them in the coop.

In the morning I will let Phyllis out and leave the littles in the coop alone. I will probably repeat that for several days. Then I will segment off the big run where the Cluckle Hut is and let the littles have access to the big run.

After they demonstrate that they will go to bed in the coop, then I will start providing evening access to the yard where the big girls roam.

All this time I will have Phyllis roost in The Hut with them each night. Provided nothing untoward occurs I hope to continue that through the full integration.

I will be moving the heat block out for the littles. I expect they will sleep under it at first before roosting. Additionally I have purchased a coop heater as it will be getting pretty chilly and I don't want anything happening to them.

What does everyone think of the plan?

One thing to add to the plan is to get Phyllis and the littles having treats near each other so Phyllis associates them with good things (away from the big bossy Aunties). That could be a morning and evening ritual maybe?

 

[RoyalChick]

Hen Fight!

Not really. Got you to read!

Actually there has been a lot of fence fighting this morning between Phyllis, Sansa and the littles, most specially, it seems to be Legertha.

I keep trying to get video. Here is a video of Phyllis and Legertha beak to beak. I saw no fence pecking here.

Interestingly I did see Aurora step between Phyllis and the littles at one point. She continues to show no aggressions towards the littles at all.

Hmmm. Hard to tell what that was about. You could do the 'associate the littles with treats' thing when they are outside like that too.

 

[fuentemoon]

I forgot how jumpy babies are, such quick flighty things!

Nice clean pool you have again so jealous, though it is much too chilly here for swimming already. Fall has dropped on us.

 

[fuentemoon]

Ok peeps, I have a conundrum that I need input on.
This is the prefab I have now that becoming derelict. I hate it which is why I’m looking to upgrade to the cubby coop idea…
View attachment 2855106

ok, so I’ve just seen this and other than difference in height the living space is roughly the same size as the cubby I was going to purchase.

View attachment 2855107
Now, after I fit a floor, raise it on stumps, add ventilation, windows, nest boxes, and all the other stuff to make the cubby safe and secure for my girls, it will end up costing me at least $100-$150 more than this one.
This is the cubby…
View attachment 2855109
All I’ve bought so far for my project is paint so…I’m torn.
As I said, I’m not handy with building so I tried to keep my plan simple for a build but for me, that’s a fair chunk of money. And considering what the girls have now the new prefab is a fair but bigger.
They roam each day so the size of the run isn’t worrying me (and at least it is covered unlike now in the run.)
And I could add more roosts in the prefab, and use my paint if I want to hahaha.
Input?

Sorry I haven’t cropped the photos, first day back at work after the holidays so I’m tired
I hope this all makes sense!

You know the issues prefab have, that said, that one looks better than some. Ours isn't used as a coop anymore, but both chickens and cats regularly hide out in it. Biggest issue we had with ours was the roost was rubbish and there wasn't enough height inside to put a real one. Still premade is certainly quickest!

 

[Marie2020]

One thing to add to the plan is to get Phyllis and the littles having treats near each other so Phyllis associates them with good things (away from the big bossy Aunties). That could be a morning and evening ritual maybe?

After reading this I'm going to mingle my girls with treats as well.

Plus this dear man down the road has put wire in the big coop so I can put them all in tomorrow night.

There's more this same man helped me to get some pine logs so I can make charcoal and he's searching for a bin for me to burn them .

 

[BY Bob]

Caught in the Act

I caught Sansa pecking the fence. You can hear the first and see the second.

 

[Marie2020]

It's been a fast hard and eventful day .

 

[BY Bob]

One thing to add to the plan is to get Phyllis and the littles having treats near each other so Phyllis associates them with good things (away from the big bossy Aunties). That could be a morning and evening ritual maybe?

That is a good idea. I will this add it. Meal worms are due to arrive today.

 

[BY Bob]

I forgot how jumpy babies are, such quick flighty things!

Nice clean pool you have again so jealous, though it is much too chilly here for swimming already. Fall has dropped on us.

The algae is dead covering the bottom. I am actually getting ready to vacuum now.

 

[RoyalChick]

Caught in the Act

I caught Sansa pecking the fence. You can hear the first and see the second.

She is rattling their cage. Literally!