Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I am totally behind now. I haven’t been on the internet for awhile. I need a whole day just to read!
The best I can do is at least catch up on YESTERDAY and TODAY.

This is Rose
View attachment 2897347View attachment 2897348

Wow! Rose is a real looker!

 

[featherhead007]

I usually answer in a language NOT english..or Spanish, or easily recognized: (translated) hello, who is this? What do you want?

I've had responses such as:

Is there someone in the house who speaks English?

What language are you speaking?

.......um, if I am not speaking English, what makes you think I'll understand your questions in English?
My typical response is : (again translated) I don't speak that language. I don't understand you.

They usually hang up. I've occupied some of their time in ways that increase the odds of NOT hearing from that one again.

Should you do the political donations, let me know how it goes. I figured if they responded with a party, then ask if they wanted it at the federal, state, county or city level. Follow that with requesting a card number from them (turn the number in to the police if it got that far).

Just try to waste as much of their time, as they are wasting yours!

 

[Blazinga]

New word for me! Thanks Blazinga, I always like to add to my vocabulary.

Me too. As an artist I am fascinated by all the different color names.

 

[Blazinga]

When Sydney, Sansa, and Phyllis came to live with us, Sansa was clearly in charge. Peck, peck, peck. However Sydney laid first. It took me a while to realize that she moved ahead of Sansa in the order. I finally realized that Sansa wasn't pecking anyone anymore and was deferring to Sydney over food. It lasted a month or so but once Sansa started laying it wasn't too long before she took the spot back from Sydney. It was a bloodless change with no fighting mostly because Sydney did not seem to care.

We shall see how it works out. Shirina is a lot more pokey and I'm not sure if she'd be the best top hen given her relationship with Plati.

 

[rural mouse]

Just try to waste as much of their time, as they are wasting yours!

I'm usually working on something while doing this.

 

[Marie2020]

The potential dethroning is my newbie (ie pretty ignorant) theory. (Edit: I think Bob clued me in on this.)The ones right beneath them are by position the biggest "threat." Though keeping the lower ones in place also occurs. But this begs the question has anyone seen a chicken suddenly ascend in rank by leaps rather than working their way up past others one at a time? Guessing it would occur if some in the upper echelons we're wiped out maybe. What about when a hen stops laying due to age?

My main laying girl stopped a long time ago and is still the lead hen

 

[featherhead007]

Mine too

 

[featherhead007]

I’m out of meally worms again I cooked and chopped up a thin steak for the chooks instead. They didn’t seem to mind too much.

 

[Shadrach]

Hopefully that will change once they get size to them and/or start laying, though.....they are SO much smaller than the others, and had no 'Mom' to introduce them to the 'flock' and protect them like they would have in a natural setting.

My experience with broodies/chicks: Momma protects them and introduces them to flock (things are essentially fine...a few hens might go after the chicks if they get separated now & then, but Momma will charge & defend. Then once momma 'abandons' them, they are mostly fine until they hit 'adolescent stage'. They know, as youngsters, to not challenge the adults and stay with the flock, but a bit to the side so to speak...though some hens will let them cluster around, eat treats, etc without bothering them. At this point - the hitting adolescent stage - there seems to be some chasing & pecking...especially at roost time...but I think that is has to do with them reaching adult world and essentially establishing their place in the heirarchy.....and it definitely settles down once the girls start laying. (same with the boys, too...only it seems that the hens stop 'picking' on them sooner...maybe when they have reached sexual maturity...as it is always after they start expressing their 'Rooster' desires.)

I don't by any means have scientific evidence...just this observational/anecdotal evidence...but with 1 exception, (i.e. 1 chick), this has been the case with all of the broody hatched &/or chicks 'imported' and given to a broody...

That is very similar to what I've observed. The point where mum stops mothering them I've always found heart rending. There hasn't seemed to be any particular chick age, it's just when mum decides.
Ruffles cared for and protected her chicks for over two months, Blue Spot averaged around five weeks.
What has been ntereesting is all the mums have at some point taken their chicks back to their tribe coop with them shortly before they stop being mum.
So, the chicks get introduced to the tribe by mum, unless they were hatched in the tribe coop then the chicks already know who not to piss off.
Also, all the mums, usually very early on introduce their chicks to their father/tribe rooster.

 

[featherhead007]

My rooster is on strike (he isn’t acting roosterly today) The hens are scattered all around the yard. Jaffar doesn’t s seem to care!?