Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

Christmas Lights and a Return Visitor

I spent Sunday hanging the outdoor Christmas lights. That included decorating the coop again. It came out well. Aurora decided to pose with the Christmas decoration for which she was clearly their model chicken.

View attachment 2919926

Here is the coop lit up at dusk.

View attachment 2919923

Throughout the day as I was working on the lights I could hear the nearly continuous scree of the red tailed hawk. However they never got closer than this.

View attachment 2919927

Return Visit

I was touching up the paint on the letters of the coop today, as I need to do before every winter, and the ladies were fussing at me. It was like they wanted me to know they were there but it was not the full whiney let us out. I talked to them for a while and all of a sudden they went dead silent.

This one had returned.

No chickens this way.....
View attachment 2919924

No chickens that way.......
View attachment 2919925

I guess I'll go and try to kill that sparrow hiding in the trumpet vines.

I did not run it off. I wanted to see it hunt. After watching that video, there is no safe place in my yard other than the complex. Nowhere. The ability that hawk demonstrated dropping down through those vines is scary. Those trumpet vines are the tribes favorite hiding spot. The tribe thinks they are safe there.

They are wrong.

Ugh. I am sorry that hawk seems to be taking up residence there. What are the chances if you getting a dog?

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

they love their chick'chicksView attachment 2920589
View attachment 2920590

Beautiful puppers. Rottis are such sweet hearts.

There is a video of a Bantam Rooster killing a hawk.

I've attached it below for those interested.
BYBob and RC you may not want to watch.

EDIT: Warning! Quite brutal!!

Spoiler: Rooster kills hawk

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Oh hello.

Hi Afi!

 

[featherhead007]

Botheration!

At least you can look forward to it racking off in the Spring.

What do songbirds eat?

I've planted my garden with a view to food and shelter for the local fauna. I even have a "prickly corner" to grow painfully sharp plants like the Needle bush and Dagger hakea for the little birds and mammals to hide in, away from cats and such. They still have a bit of growing to do to be really effective though. In the meantime they provide flowers and food for the local fauna.

For those interested, here they are.

Needle bush (Hakea sericea). No flowers at the moment but some nice seed pods.View attachment 2920771

Dagger hakea (Hakea teretifolia). The flowers will be opening soon.
View attachment 2920772

Spiny head mat rush, the kids call it "sword grass". (Lomandra longifolia) pointy on the ends and sharp on the edges.
View attachment 2920773

Mountain Devil (Lambertia formosa)
View attachment 2920781

The whole time I was taking these photos I was going "Ow. Ow. Ow." So they are pointy enough to discourage humans!

You crazy Australians .. you even grow killer plants on purpose?

 

[featherhead007]

Beautiful puppers. Rottis are such sweet hearts.

There is a video of a Bantam Rooster killing a hawk.

I've attached it below for those interested.
BYBob and RC you may not want to watch.

Spoiler: Rooster kills hawk

Chicken-1 Hawk -0

 

[featherhead007]

I’m feeling better now. I have Xzit in with me. We are going to watch a video

I need to add (Xzit snores louder than I do) and she couldn’t just sleep on the perch in the spare room, she came all the way to my room (light being on) and chose to sleep on my bed . But I don’t really care so much. It only shows how much dedication she has for me as a chicken daddy! I love you my little Xzit!

 

[featherhead007]

I need to add (Xzit snores louder than I do) and she couldn’t just sleep on the perch in the spare room, she came all the way to my room (light being on) and chose to sleep on my bed . But I don’t really care so much. It only shows how much dedication she has for me as a chicken daddy! I love you my little Xzit!

I need to add, I invite any of my chooks inside (open door policy) that’s why I hurt so much, when I lose even one of them. RIP Emily, BLU, BEN, Sunshine,BeeBees, Linda Lou, Rocket, Harriet, CANNA, Gigs, Peeps, many more over the years only (brings tears)

 

[LozzyR]

I seem to remember someone saying you could plug up mouse holes with steel wool. (probably not the kind with soap in it though. They may eat the soap...)

We had cockroaches getting into our medicine cupboard via a small hole next to the rangehood. I plugged it up with steel wool and strapping tape and they haven’t been back!

 

[LozzyR]

Beautiful puppers. Rottis are such sweet hearts.

There is a video of a Bantam Rooster killing a hawk.

I've attached it below for those interested.
BYBob and RC you may not want to watch.

Spoiler: Rooster kills hawk

Holy cr*p! I couldn’t watch all of it.

 

[MaryJanet]

Holy cr*p! I couldn’t watch all of it.

Me either