Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

After the initial rush to get out and check what goodies I've brought is over, I clean out the coops (main and broody) do the water and sit in the chair you've seen in some of the pictures and watch for an hour or so. I'm there three or four hours each day in the afternoon until roost time.
Lima will come and get on my lap for a while. Quite a few of the others gather around the chair in shifts and stick their heads under their wings and nap.
Henry 11 has tended to keep his distance. This has changed a bit in the last week. Every night when he goes to roost on his bar outside the closed part of the coop I kneel down next to him on the ground and stroke his wattles and chest. He used to stand up and shuffle away. Now he stays still and closes the opaque eyelid. He came right up to the chair today and settled down with the hens for a while. Hopefully it wont be long before I can check him and treat him in daylight as he stands on the ground. This is what I try to aim for for all roosters.View attachment 2883048View attachment 2883050View attachment 2883051

They are looking good!

That is great advise...wish I was already a pensioner so I could sit and do that daily for an hour or two! Though all but 1 of my roosters let me handle them willingly...the other is still a bit skittish with the touch, but actively 'herds' me...and then gets QUITE UPSET when I don't 'herd' to his liking. Evidently, he sees me as his problem hen.

I've been working on him the past week or so...based on your comments from ages ago, @Shadrach ! It has been helping as he no longer slides away at night when I 'preen' 'groom' him or rub his chest. He just eyes me suspiciously, but holds still. I think another week of this and he will relax and enjoy the 'treatment' at night.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Yes, me, too. (Meaning, I’ve read that; I don’t see UV!!! )

Well since we're talking raptors. I've had an idea about chickens and why they are so good at finding worms. I saw a show about mouse-hunting raptors (I don't remember what kind) where besides the incredible detailed vision they have, it was pointed out that the expanded light vision enabled them to see mouse urine. It stood out to them. So they could essentially see the patterns of mouse paths, where the path was visible to the sky, 'cause as we know, mice pee everywhere they go. (We can see those well-traveled trails in the meadow grasses and lawn grasses in the Spring, after the snow melts). I remember a graphic showing a network of glowing trails superimposed on a shot of a meadow. I don't know if this is absolutely true or was only a theory. I will try to find out. But if it's true, maybe chickens also see these things.

I've noticed the Buckeyes instantly know when a spot of earth or clump of soil is good worm hunting or not. How so? The soil texture or type? I can sometimes see the worm holes in a clump of soil I dig. So that might be some clues. But sometimes the chickens get really intense when I dig something or they dig in a spot, like they glance at it and KNOW there's worms in there (and there are), and they up the digging effort and pull it apart with their beaks, pull a pebble over, break into the clump of dirt, whereas they ignore other clumps and test spots. They do take a look, but go, "Meh, next please!"

Suppose worms' body slime stands out when you can see a larger spectrum of light? Suppose they shed this slime as they move along, and leave trails, and chickens can see that? Maybe even distinguish between fresh and old trails? Or maybe it's the worm castings they see?

 

[micstrachan]

Well since we're talking raptors. I've had an idea about chickens and why they are so good at finding worms. I saw a show about mouse-hunting raptors (I don't remember what kind) where besides the incredible detailed vision they have, it was pointed out that the expanded light vision enabled them to see mouse urine. It stood out to them. So they could essentially see the patterns of mouse paths, where the path was visible to the sky, 'cause as we know, mice pee everywhere they go. (We can see those well-traveled trails in the meadow grasses and lawn grasses in the Spring, after the snow melts). I remember a graphic showing a network of glowing trails superimposed on a shot of a meadow. I don't know if this is absolutely true or was only a theory. I will try to find out. But if it's true, maybe chickens also see these things.

I've noticed the Buckeyes instantly know when a spot of earth or clump of soil is good worm hunting or not. How so? The soil texture or type? I can sometimes see the worm holes in a clump of soil I dig. So that might be some clues. But sometimes the chickens get really intense when I dig something or they dig in a spot, like they glance at it and KNOW there's worms in there (and there are), and they up the digging effort and pull it apart with their beaks, pull a pebble over, break into the clump of dirt, whereas they ignore other clumps and test spots. They do take a look, but go, "Meh, next please!"

Suppose worms' body slime stands out when you can see a larger spectrum of light? Suppose they shed this slime as they move along, and leave trails, and chickens can see that? Maybe even distinguish between fresh and old trails? Or maybe it's the worm castings they see?

Super interesting! Seeing mouse urine from a distance? Very cool!

Maybe chickens can see the worm slime? You know how we see the shimmer from a snail trail?

 

[micstrachan]

After the initial rush to get out and check what goodies I've brought is over, I clean out the coops (main and broody) do the water and sit in the chair you've seen in some of the pictures and watch for an hour or so. I'm there three or four hours each day in the afternoon until roost time.
Lima will come and get on my lap for a while. Quite a few of the others gather around the chair in shifts and stick their heads under their wings and nap.
Henry 11 has tended to keep his distance. This has changed a bit in the last week. Every night when he goes to roost on his bar outside the closed part of the coop I kneel down next to him on the ground and stroke his wattles and chest. He used to stand up and shuffle away. Now he stays still and closes the opaque eyelid. He came right up to the chair today and settled down with the hens for a while. Hopefully it wont be long before I can check him and treat him in daylight as he stands on the ground. This is what I try to aim for for all roosters.View attachment 2883048View attachment 2883050View attachment 2883051

Precious lovelies. So wonderful that they are trusting you.

 

[micstrachan]

It’s still Friday somewhere…

View attachment 2882134

Impressive fluff!!!

 

[RoyalChick]

Well since we're talking raptors. I've had an idea about chickens and why they are so good at finding worms. I saw a show about mouse-hunting raptors (I don't remember what kind) where besides the incredible detailed vision they have, it was pointed out that the expanded light vision enabled them to see mouse urine. It stood out to them. So they could essentially see the patterns of mouse paths, where the path was visible to the sky, 'cause as we know, mice pee everywhere they go. (We can see those well-traveled trails in the meadow grasses and lawn grasses in the Spring, after the snow melts). I remember a graphic showing a network of glowing trails superimposed on a shot of a meadow. I don't know if this is absolutely true or was only a theory. I will try to find out. But if it's true, maybe chickens also see these things.

I've noticed the Buckeyes instantly know when a spot of earth or clump of soil is good worm hunting or not. How so? The soil texture or type? I can sometimes see the worm holes in a clump of soil I dig. So that might be some clues. But sometimes the chickens get really intense when I dig something or they dig in a spot, like they glance at it and KNOW there's worms in there (and there are), and they up the digging effort and pull it apart with their beaks, pull a pebble over, break into the clump of dirt, whereas they ignore other clumps and test spots. They do take a look, but go, "Meh, next please!"

Suppose worms' body slime stands out when you can see a larger spectrum of light? Suppose they shed this slime as they move along, and leave trails, and chickens can see that? Maybe even distinguish between fresh and old trails? Or maybe it's the worm castings they see?

Interesting. From watching Maggie closely I came to the theory that she could hear them moving just below the surface.
Also a possibility I think.

 

[Marie2020]

Good morning
I found this interesting article this morning on friendly plants for chickens

https://104homestead.com/chicken-safe-plants/

 

[Shadrach]

Feel free to download and use it. Just tag me when you do so I can laugh too.

Thank you. I may just do that.

 

[Shadrach]

I took this photo on Tuesday and was saving it for Friday… of course I ended up being busy yesterday and was unable to post

Happy Belated Fluffy Butt Friday from Willow and her little one!
View attachment 2883201

How many regular visitors have you got currently cfonts?
Do you have any that live with you permentantly?

 

[Shadrach]

They are looking good!

That is great advise...wish I was already a pensioner so I could sit and do that daily for an hour or two! Though all but 1 of my roosters let me handle them willingly...the other is still a bit skittish with the touch, but actively 'herds' me...and then gets QUITE UPSET when I don't 'herd' to his liking. Evidently, he sees me as his problem hen.

I've been working on him the past week or so...based on your comments from ages ago, @Shadrach ! It has been helping as he no longer slides away at night when I 'preen' him or rub his chest. He just eyes me suspiciously, but holds still. I think another week of this and he will relax and enjoy the 'treatment' at night.

I've been that problem hen a few times. It's when they see you in the distance and hurtle towards you with their heads down and wings outstretched and look a bit miffed when you don't throw yourself on the floor in awe of their magnificance. That look of disapointment and then the half hearted herding shuffle after is truely heartbreaking.