Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

Haven't been here for a while, but thought I'd pop in to see how the big integration went for Fluffy Butt Acres. Everyone happy together?

And to brag that mine went famously yesterday!!! I split my 10 hens/pullets into two groups, one for Pippi and one for Mad Hatter. They have been awesome guys, spending more time courting their girls than jumping on them. Such a new experience for me! I haven't had such nice cockerels or roosters in the past.

Yay! Awesome to hear!

 

[micstrachan]

I've got at least three trying to lay eggs outside atm. I know where two nests are but Tap has got me worried.
I keep hearing her give the escort call from the sheep shed. I go up and check on her. Usually either Tyle or Treacle are already there, but she wants Cillin to come and get her. Not much chance of that.
I know she's trying to find a nest site but she's dropping eggs at various places. I managed to tread on one going to feed Jenny and Solomon this evening.
I've found a couple on paths in that general area. She should have settled on a site by now.
I heard Moon give the escort call this morning but couldn't get to her before she had moved from wherever she had laid the egg.
This is where Tap shouts for an escort from.
View attachment 2035698

@Shadrach why does that worry you about Tap? Not being discreet enough for safety?

 

[micstrachan]

@BY Bob, how did poor (wet) Phyllis fo the remainder of the day?

 

[micstrachan]

I will try to bring you up to speed on the pecking order. I added 2 EEs, Maleficent and Aurora to my flock which at the time consisted of 3 hens and 1 rooster. The rooster, Jabber, would leave us before the two pullets ever merged with the flock. That left 3 hens. Here was the established pecking order among those 3:

1. Patsy
2. Lilly
3. Hattie

Between the 2 little pullets, Aurora was clearly #1. She was vicious towards Maleficent. Of course I’m and old softie and root for the underdog so Mal pulled at my heart strings. She and I became very close.

My flock believes in seniority. So when the lead hen passes, number 2 takes over and when new pullets are added, they come in at the bottom. When i merged everyone together the pecking order came out thus:

1. Patsy
2. Lilly
3. Hattie
4. Aurora
5. Maleficent

2 things would then drive changes in the pecking order. Patsy would pass And everyone just slid up one spot.

Then as near as I can remember, Maleficent started laying a couple of weeks before Aurora. Around the same time she moved up in the pecking order to 3rd and Aurora fell down to 4th. Egg laying can effect the pecking order. Mal was never a shy hen and she was as ruthless towards Aurora as Aurora was to her.

Then Maleficent was killed. That left me with the following pecking order.

1. Lilly
2. Hattie
3. Aurora

I expect when the flocks merge together at some point, we will see something like this:

1. Lilly
2. Hattie
3. Aurora
4. Sansa
5. Sydney
6. Phyllis D

Does that help?

Great summary!

 

[drumstick diva]

Belated Happy Birthday Wishes, Who Dat, Just seem to sleep my life away. Missed my bus friend's birthday 2-21 also. I need a at least twice.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Belated Happy Birthday Wishes, Who Dat, Just seem to sleep my life away. Missed my bus friend's birthday 2-21 also. I need a at least twice.

Thank you dear!

 

[BY Bob]

@BY Bob, how did poor (wet) Phyllis fo the remainder of the day?

Phyllis was great the rest of the day. The dip did not effect her at all. More to come.

 

[BY Bob]

Integration Day 4

After Phyllis' dip today, things calmed down. Here are some observations from today.

Leaving the Zone
It's always fun to watch them expand their world. For the first 3 days they have stayed to the left of the Big Coop.

Today with no one else but Phyllis in thr lead, they expanded their zone to the other side of the Big Coop!

Sydney Notices
Sydney is very observant. Everytime today that I fed the Big Girls on the deck, Sydney stopped, came to the edge of the pool, and watched them eat. I wonder how long until she joins them?

Aurora continues to go scatter the Newbies every so often throughout the day. Lilly and Hattie went over and worked in the garden without messing with the Newbies. Sansa spent a lot of the day under the Big Coop staying dry today.

I will be glad when they understand and use all the run exits so they can't be trapped in their prefab coop by Aurora. It looks like that won't be soon however. Their roaming has not yet made the connections.

A Look
I found this shot from Saturday. Aurora had just put down Phyllis and was not happy. She is shooting a look at Sansa essentially saying,

Aurora, "You got a problem!?"

Sansa, "Nope, no problems here"

Aurora, "I didn't think so!"

I'll be heading out on a business trip tomorrow. It's going to be up to Mrs. BY Bob to maintain the integration.

 

[BY Bob]

And how did your integration go? I haven't found it yet.

Integration Day 1
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-22236019
Integration Day 2
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-22238962
Integration Day 3
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-22242573

 

[pspatbyc]

Thanks Kris. She’s a ravenous little thing so the diarrhoea is obviously preventing her from absorbing nutrients.

how about the liquid supplement like sav-a-chick Probiotic supplement . might be easier to absorb