Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Well, Branch and Bubba have hit the teenage phase and hormones are starting to rage at almost 4 1/2 months old. Basil is paying no attention to either of them so he is going to be no help. Bubba has yet to crow, but 3 days in a row he's caught Basil not looking and bred the 1 blue cochin girl that is still laying. He's showing no aggression so that is a plus for him at the moment. If I walk up to him he just lays down and waits for me to pick him up or pet him. Now Branch, me and Branch are going to have to have a few conversations after the little stunt he pulled out of the blue last night. I was sitting out back like normal waiting on it to get dark enough for everyone to be ready to go to bed. Branch walks up and gets in my lap for some nighttime cuddles. Stays about 5 minutes and hops down, I don't pay him any attention as I was talking to dad when I feel him start nibbling on my sweatshirt sleeve. This is not odd as when he preens himself a lot of the time he'll also try to preen my shirt sleeves. Then out of nowhere he grabs ahold of my sweatshirt sleeve and tried to do the deed on my hand. Nope Nope Nope, I don't think so little man. I jerked my hand away and he had the nerve to look offended. I've never had a boy pull that stunt so this is a new one on me, but will NOT be tolerated. Basil saw this, and did absolutely nothing. I don't want Basil to be mean to the boys, but I do wish he would step up and not let them get out of line like Drumstick would have. I know it's asking a lot out of Basil as he's still technically a teenager himself at almost 7 months old and still learning the ropes of being head rooster. If Basil does not step up I'm really going to miss Drumstick for the next few months as I wrangle two horny boys and turn them into gentlemen.
The 2 newest troublemakers. I took these yesterday afternoon.
View attachment 2866482View attachment 2866484

Oh no no no. Bad boy. You may have to ask @Shadrach what kind of boots his boys used to prefer!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I have one Fluffy Butt to share

The other girls are refusing to turn around. They told me they are tired of being objectified!

 

[BY Bob]

The only risk I see is if Phyllis ends up not being loved by either group. I certainly wouldn't force anything, but I probably would try and make sure that Phyllis and her Phyllistines are comfortable with each other. Phyllis can roost where she chooses but it would be good if she felt comfortable to go in to the Cluckle Hut by getting used to it while the Phyllistines are still relatively small.
Just my thoughts based on no experience of course.

This is what I struggle with right now. Do I at some point lock them in together for a week? Do I try to force Phyllis to reset her coop?

I'd really prefer that she roosted in The Hut, where she can be boss hen. The only way I know to try and make that happen would be to force the issue. I did not want to force anything. I thought after 3 or 4 nights of waking up together a new home base might be set but it did not happen.

I could go back to moving her in every night regardless of where Phyllis roosts........

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Oh no no no. Bad boy. You may have to ask @Shadrach what kind of boots his boys used to prefer!

A boot is better then my hand. Being a first for me I need to know is if this is a sign that the boy is going to try to turn mean. Biting, raising hackles at me or even dropping a wing and trying to do the rooster dance around me is easily nipped in the bud and I know how to handle it, if one attempts such nonsense. Attempting to do the deed on my hand, never had it happen and I have no clue what to do.

 

[BY Bob]

A boot is better then my hand. Being a first for me I need to know is if this is a sign that the boy is going to try to turn mean. Biting, raising hackles at me or even dropping a wing and trying to do the rooster dance around me is easily nipped in the bud and I know how to handle it, if one attempts such nonsense. Attempting to do the deed on my hand, never had it happen and I have no clue what to do.

I would also be clueless on how to handle that. That is some different behavior.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I thought that was called. Cat scan .? (Sorry, I joke under stress)

No, it’s a simple LAB test

 

[BY Bob]

No, it’s a simple LAB test
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Well played.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Routine

It seems the littles have entered into a routine that does not align with leaving their coop and run complex to hang out with the big ladies.

Once again yesterday, I opened the big run to provide them some access to the outside world to free range. And again they stayed in their coop. The big girls wandered through the run but no one stayed long. The Phyllistines did make use of their porch several times but they never descended to the run to come out. I also opened the doors much earlier yesterday. Their was just no interest in their part.

Equally interesting to me is that none of the big girls has shown interest in the coop since I caught Aurora trying to fly in the side door one day. Before the littles were in The Hut both Hattie and Sydney had been in it with Sydney even laying eggs in the nest box a couple of times.

By opening things up in the evening I also thought that Phyllis might go into the coop to roost but that is not happening as she has used the Main Coop to sleep the last two nights.

I am not going to force anything. They can be friends with who they want and live where they want. I am interested to see how things progress from here.

Over time the Littles will begin to wander out into the run. I think they are being cautious.
It’s only been a couple of days.
And I think Phyllis just needs more time also.

 

[RoyalChick]

This is what I struggle with right now. Do I at some point lock them in together for a week? Do I try to force Phyllis to reset her coop?

I'd really prefer that she roosted in The Hut, where she can be boss hen. The only way I know to try and make that happen would be to force the issue. I did not want to force anything. I thought after 3 or 4 nights of waking up together a new home base might be set but it did not happen.

I could go back to moving her in every night regardless of where Phyllis roosts........

It is a tricky one. Could you give her a special breakfast in the Cluckle Hut each morning?

 

[RoyalChick]

A boot is better then my hand. Being a first for me I need to know is if this is a sign that the boy is going to try to turn mean. Biting, raising hackles at me or even dropping a wing and trying to do the rooster dance around me is easily nipped in the bud and I know how to handle it, if one attempts such nonsense. Attempting to do the deed on my hand, never had it happen and I have no clue what to do.

Sorry I keep laughing - it is just an image I can't get out of my head!