Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

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.

Shra!

 

[Shadrach]

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.
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It's nice to be fancied.
Most of the roosters i've known have tried it on with their mothers first. If you've been cuddling them and giving them treats then as far as they are concerend you are near enough to mum and you'll do.
Treacle ended up with a leather boot fetish. He did get over it eventually and decided proper hens were his best bet.

 

[RoyalChick]

Awww, Lima. If anyone can help her, you can. Do you have a blender? You could put some meat through it, or try some meat baby food. Buttermilk (or yogurt or kefir) can have good calories, too, for mixing into mash. I know dairy isn’t great, but the fermented ones seem to be ok. What about an unsalted nut or seed butter? And spiking mash with just a little coconut oil and honey for more calories?

The fermented ones (kefir, yoghurt) are OK because the lactose is destroyed by the bacteria that cause the fermentation. Lactose intolerant people are also usually OK with yoghurt and kefir.
Nut and seed butters are a great idea.

 

[MaryJanet]

She was a Black Australorp. I believe they’re considered dual purpose and not necessarily a production breed, but Flo, my second Black Australorp, seems to be following in her footsteps.

Edited to add, Bagheera would stuff herself silly and Flo does the same.
View attachment 2866704

Wow, Mary (also an Australorp, but an Australian) does not lay like Bagheera did. This season, she laid almost daily for about a month, now she's sitting, and after last season, I expect her to go on holiday for the rest of the year.

 

[MaryJanet]

It is sad. I hope I didn’t offend anyone by posting it. I was so impressed with the hens standing together, which is why I posted it. I thought it demonstrated more complex socialization; a coordinated effort to protect each other. Smart birds!

It did show those things. Smart hens.

 

[RoyalChick]

Wow, Mary (also an Australorp, but an Australian) does not lay like Bagheera did. This season, she laid almost daily for about a month, now she's sitting, and after last season, I expect her to go on holiday for the rest of the year.

I think in the US they have bred to be high production hens which as we know is rather sad.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I got some pictures and did some research.
Wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta) is this stuff in the first two pictures that's around here. It's tangy and tasty and we ate it as kids but this isn't what we called sourgrass, although some people call it that. The seed heads, shaped like okra pods, pop open when they're ready, scattering out the sticky little seeds. It grows well in part shade, I'm weeding it out all the time in the garden, it loves being under other things. I've never come across tubers but I'll investigate more. Research is preliminary but I didn't find any reference yet to edible tubers with Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta). ("They may form colonies arising from slender but tough underground stems (rhizomes), but more often are individual, seed-grown plants." https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/common-yellow-woodsorrel-oxalis-stricta/ ) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/oxalis-stricta/

I also found what we used to call sourgrass as kids, and someone told me years ago this was sorrel. This below is called Red Sorrel, or Common Sheep Sorrel (Rumes acetosella). It has tall thin spiky red-flower stems. It is not in the oxalis group but does have oxalic acid in it. The arrow-shaped leaves are very tasty. Larger cultivated kinds are made into sorrel soup. The only ones I could find today are growing on big gravel, making it hard to dig, but I'll keep looking.
It has "creeping rhizome roots" https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rumex-acetosella/.
https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/rumace/all.html
What the chickens found were individual tubers/bulbs, not rhizomes on roots.

I am doubting that what the chickens were eating is either of these. But I don't really know. Best to try to find and grow some tubers like @rural mouse? or @fuentemoon? suggested!

 

[RoyalChick]

I got some pictures and did some research.
Wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta) is this stuff in the first two pictures that's around here. It's tangy and tasty and we ate it as kids but this isn't what we called sourgrass, although some people call it that. The seed heads, shaped like okra pods, pop open when they're ready, scattering out the sticky little seeds. It grows well in part shade, I'm weeding it out all the time in the garden, it loves being under other things. I've never come across tubers but I'll investigate more. Research is preliminary but I didn't find any reference yet to edible tubers with Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta). ("They may form colonies arising from slender but tough underground stems (rhizomes), but more often are individual, seed-grown plants." https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/common-yellow-woodsorrel-oxalis-stricta/ ) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/oxalis-stricta/

View attachment 2867070

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I also found what we used to call sourgrass as kids, and someone told me years ago this was sorrel. This below is called Red Sorrel, or Common Sheep Sorrel (Rumes acetosella). It has tall thin spiky red-flower stems. It is not in the oxalis group but does have oxalic acid in it. The arrow-shaped leaves are very tasty. Larger cultivated kinds are made into sorrel soup. The only ones I could find today are growing on big gravel, making it hard to dig, but I'll keep looking.
It has "creeping rhizome roots" https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rumex-acetosella/.
https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/rumace/all.html
What the chickens found were individual tubers/bulbs, not rhizomes on roots.

View attachment 2867078

I am doubting that what the chickens were eating is either of these. But I don't really know. Best to try to find and grow some tubers like @rural mouse? or @fuentemoon? suggested!

I love that you are looking into this for all of us. I don't think I have either of those but definitely need some under-planted sort of weed that the chickens will love to nibble.

 

[Shadrach]

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.

No, it's not a sign he will turn mean. But, if you constantly reject him and fend him off in an aggressive manner he may well take a swipe at you.
In fact, when he's around stay on your feet. If you don't like this type of attention then don't pick him up anymore.
Learn what are aggressive signs, what are herding signs. You must get these things right or you will join the depressingly long list of posters who post, "I used to have such a sweet roo but now he attacks me" and as one might expect the advice is almost always to get rid of the rooster, usually by death and cooking.
Roosters do not dance, not for anyone. They herd and it's harmless. Just walk around him.
Hackle Flashing is a bit bossy. Ignore it.
In fact, read this article. It will explain a little about rooster behaviour and at least you will understand better why they do what they do. Hopefully with this knowledge you will be able to come to a working relationship.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[MaryJanet]

I think in the US they have bred to be high production hens which as we know is rather sad.

Yes. I thought the comparison between the two Australorps might give everyone something to think about because it's so stark.