Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Fascinating. Who knew? We do not frequently have ravens here.

Even crows and magpies can be threats. They're opportunistic birds. They're also smart enough to leave the chickens alone and take the scratch instead.

 

[micstrachan]

I have never heard of ravens killing chickens. That is news to me. Mine love the crows when they start coming by in fall and winter.

Yeah, my ravens protected the yard from hawks. However, I definitely keep an eye on them when there are little chicks.

 

[Marie2020]

It's takes a long time to use them up but they are way cheaper in bulk.

I found them

 

[Marie2020]

Phyllistines. I still laugh when I read that name!

I laughed at the name bo peep

 

[Marie2020]

Well you've lost me Lozzy.

How do you know what Alice, Edwina and Pepper have been looking at on BeakBook? They don't tell me anything!

Sneaky little bokers

 

[rural mouse]

1 egg per day Monday through this morning. Looks like Silver and Pear (all brown, 2 different shades) have started laying again. Glad they're showing the rest how it's done. Also glad they're taking turns.

 

[BY Bob]

Yep. And in full or partial sun. Just not when it gets super hot and dry.
Here it is in bloom in March. This is behind the chicken run, under the walnut tree, toward what used to be Poison Oak Forest.
View attachment 2865513

I may plant some under the apple trees then. They are always under there anyway safe from the Hawks.

 

[RoyalChick]

Yep. And in full or partial sun. Just not when it gets super hot and dry.
Here it is in bloom in March. This is behind the chicken run, under the walnut tree, toward what used to be Poison Oak Forest.
View attachment 2865513

I am hoping I can grow it from seed. Does it spread nice and fast (I mean when the chickens aren't destroying it)?

 

[RoyalChick]

Adult birds, no. Chicks/pullets: depends upon how big. When my pullets were tiny and locked in the coop, Rusty paced circles around the coop and alerted to the magpies (and anything bigger). As the littles got bigger, he stopped alerting to the magpies (until Storm hatched). The little kestrel that dropped in one day was so tiny compared to Rusty, but he alerted for it anyway. It came back yesterday morning (same size as Storm). Cheetah alerted and I watched the whole flock stalk it. They stayed under the olive trees, and eeled their way up the hillside to places where they could eyeball it themselves. When it decided to fly off, they squawked more, and stayed alert for awhile longer. Size wise that little bird wasnt a threat, but talon /beak wise, it could still do some damage. If a broody was caring for some freshly hatched chicks, that kestrel would most certainly have been a threat.

That is really interesting Rural Mouse. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BY Bob]

Free Range Time

Part of my plan for the Phyllistines was to give them free range time outside the complex with everyone else. After their breakout on Tuesday i figured they would be out like a shot when i opened the door for them. I was wrong.

First the good news. They were in and out of The Hut all day yesterday. They know where home base is and can work their way in and out. Of course I have no video of how they do it. I need to get on that today. I am going to bet that somehow they are not using the ramp to get down but using it to get back in. We shall see.

Most importantly, they put themselves to bed yesterday. They did not go in with the heat block and I did not force the issue as they are fully feathered and the coop is heated. I do think that Legertha is already having to squeeze through the hole. I need to enlarge it today. However, I may be getting close to removing the heat block soon. They are fine today, running around and being chickeny.

So why didn't they come out into the yard yesterday when the opportunity was presented? Well this might have had something to do with it.

As soon as I opened the door, Aunt Aurora went in and dustbathed right below their porch. They came out several times and looked down at her. Never did they come down.

I will be trying the same thing today. Hopefully Aunt Aurora has taken her bath before I open the doors.