Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

My Drive Home

This is an example of what is awaiting me as I drive the 7.5 hours home today.

Do you take your alfa when driving for work? Or is there a work car?

 

[MaryJanet]

Treacle came to the house early this morning with Tap. I'm not sure where they went after but Tap wasn't in her bank nest when I've been up that way. I hope Treacle has persuaded Tap that an alternative nest site is a good idea.
View attachment 2038499

Lat this afternoon Moon arrived with Treacle with Tyle following behind. Treacle has had a go at Tyle it seems ( I didn't see it) because Tyle kept well away from Treacle and Moon.

An unpleasant reality of chicken keeping is when you let hens sit and hatch half are likely to be males. There are already two males in Tribe 1 (Cilling and Treacle) and Tyle was on the to be eaten list the day he was born. I would have liked to give Tyle at least six months. In the past this wouldn't have been a problem. Predation has always reduced the number of chicks that make it to adulthood. That hasn't happened and Tribe 1's coop is now overcrowded.
I did have someone interested in taking a pair but that has fallen through.
View attachment 2038501

Will you eat Tyle after all Shad?

 

[MaryJanet]

Donk has gone broody. I know where her nest is. She didn't head to her nest tonight but she will tomorrow.
View attachment 2038525View attachment 2038526

She's a very pretty hen!

If she's not on her nest yet, how can you tell she's broody? I ask because I'm curious about it.

 

[BY Bob]

I clean them while they are standing and I use my fingers to break the lumps.
While not particularly pleasant it's easy and better for them than bathing them.

I may try that. I want to trim her feathers as well. I think she might be having some difficulty bending far enough. Maybe a little arthritis.

Do you take your alfa when driving for work? Or is there a work car?

Sometimes I do take the Alfa for work as long as there is no snow. The Alfa cannot go anywhere with even a dusting of snow. For this trip I rented a four wheel drive SUV.

 

[MaryJanet]

I may try that. I want to trim her feathers as well. I think she might be having some difficulty bending far enough. Maybe a little arthritis.


Sometimes I do take the Alfa for work as long as there is no snow. The Alfa cannot go anywhere with even a dusting of snow. For this trip I rented a four wheel drive SUV.
View attachment 2038582

I was thinking you'd enjoy it more in your Alfa, but then I thought of the snow.

So, the car is at your expense? Are you consulting?

 

[BY Bob]

I was thinking you'd enjoy it more in your Alfa, but then I thought of the snow.

So, the car is at your expense? Are you consulting?

The rental goes on the expense report. I get mileage reimbursement when I use the Alfa. I'd much rather be in the Alfa when it's safe.

 

[RoyalChick]

I love my Princesses. They are so good!
This morning the nest box I thought needed fixing was the one they all chose to lay in. So that saved me one little job as it clearly didn’t need fixing after all!
Tonight I didn’t have to stand by the roost and snap my fingers - they all went up the ladder on their own.
And, Maggie figured if she went to bed first she would get her favorite spot which she did. And to cap it all Maggie also learned how to fly up to the roost directly so I may not need a second ladder (though I might make one anyway).
I think I can say the new coop is now home - so tomorrow I will let them out into the runs again and see if they find their way home in the evening.
Today was cold and windy and seemed to be full of endless chores so I didn’t get time to do pictures for the Chicken Palace tour. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[dirkandlorie]

I love my Princesses. They are so good!
This morning the nest box I thought needed fixing was the one they all chose to lay in. So that saved me one little job as it clearly didn’t need fixing after all!
Tonight I didn’t have to stand by the roost and snap my fingers - they all went up the ladder on their own.
And, Maggie figured if she went to bed first she would get her favorite spot which she did. And to cap it all Maggie also learned how to fly up to the roost directly so I may not need a second ladder (though I might make one anyway).
I think I can say the new coop is now home - so tomorrow I will let them out into the runs again and see if they find their way home in the evening.
Today was cold and windy and seemed to be full of endless chores so I didn’t get time to do pictures for the Chicken Palace tour. Maybe tomorrow.View attachment 2038643

Can't wait to see the tour!

 

[micstrachan]

Good morning ladies - come look at the view!

Things are definitely better this morning. Big East-facing windows meant they were up bright and early and seem happy in the Palace coop. I went and had my breakfast sitting in with them and Elizabeth even laid an egg in a nest box while I was there. Watching her made me realize I need to tweak the nest box set-up a bit but not a big deal. Hope tonight is a bit less stressful. I plan to sit in the coop and put them on the roost again if necessary. View attachment 2037620

Such a beautiful chicken palace!

 

[micstrachan]

You can only do what you can LozzyR and it sounds like you're doing the right things. The whole sick chicken business is so frustrating. Apart from mixed advice, if things get complicated it's often difficult to find a decent avian vet.
If I didn't get so upset I would have liked to have been an avian vet.

Same! I would have loved to be an avian vet!