Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

All this molt talk, I think I’m starting to molt too!

Umm...I think in humans it is called 'balding'

 

[BY Bob]

I don't think we can place human morality on chicken shoulders.

Instead, the humans have to learn about chicken morality...

... She says while recalling how nice it was to lift rambunctious Peggy away from the dear old girls at roosting time last night.

It's much easier to know it than to do it.

So true.

 

[bgmathteach]

I'm so worried that Betty will start roosting somewhere else. She is looking every night for somewhere other than by Phyllis. Then when she finally gets up successfully, Betty always scoots down next to Phyllis and Phyllis goes after her again. If I just separated the roost with wire for a few days they could see each other without the abuse.

I know, I know. Let them sort it out. It's so hard to a watch. Keep me on the right track @RoyalChick

@BY Bob Really, a big part of it is that Betty refuses to respect Phyllis' space. She needs to learn that...and once she does, Phyllis will probably allow her to slowly slide closer each night....I say no wire, just turn off the camera (or the screen) for 15-20 min. at roosting time.......just check after the dust settles each evening to be sure they are both okay.

Gosh, Betty hasn't even been there a week yet, has she? And she is already crowding glamour girl, really now, so limits need to be set here!!!

 

[BY Bob]

Ummm, nope, not even close to one day's haul!

I have a few more chickens than you...I'm getting between 28 - 34 chicken eggs per day atm, and was getting 3 duck eggs most days, but just had another of my August hatch start, so now getting 3 or 4 duck eggs per day. I presently have 91 birds: 9 ducks, 1 of which is a drake, 2 of the hens will be 5 in April,(no longer lay in the winter) 1 hen will be 2 in June, and the rest were July (2 - both laying now) or august(3 - 1 of which just started laying Sat.) hatches. And I have 82 chickens, 9 of which are Roos, and the girls range in age from 5 & 1/2 months up to almost 5 yrs. old. My molters (4) and my older (3 yrs. and up) girls aren't laying now, and a couple of the heavier breed newbies aren't laying yet. I expect that by the end of Feb, I will be getting 50+ chicken eggs per day. I sell some - I was just barely keeping up with demand late fall.early winter...but the surplus that I will have this spring will either go into the incubator (I am planning on breeding my own instead of buying hatchery, plus I am starting developing my own meat breed - will be breeding 2nd and 3rd gens this year). Extra beyond that goes 1 of 2 places: a colleague at work is really struggling financially ( she is part-time, no benefits!), so I give her 1-2 doz. per week, and I donate the others to my church's food pantry. (Well, I give some to my elderly neighbors year round, too...and sometimes family, etc...you know how that goes.)

Yours is a very different sized operation than mine for sure.

I'm back to 0 eggs. Sydney stopped laying when Betty arrived. I have no idea why.

 

[BY Bob]

@BY Bob Really, a big part of it is that Betty refuses to respect Phyllis' space. She needs to learn that...and once she does, Phyllis will probably allow her to slowly slide closer each night....I say no wire, just turn off the camera (or the screen) for 15-20 min. at roosting time.......just check after the dust settles each evening to be sure they are both okay.

Gosh, Betty hasn't even been there a week yet, has she? And she is already crowding glamour girl, really now, so limits need to be set here!!!

Betty is here a week tonight.

When I went out and gathered up the water and food from the run I noticed they are about 4 -5 inches apart on the roost right next to each other. Betty is determined for sure.

 

[Ribh]

I'm so worried that Betty will start roosting somewhere else. She is looking every night for somewhere other than by Phyllis. Then when she finally gets up successfully, Betty always scoots down next to Phyllis and Phyllis goes after her again. If I just separated the roost with wire for a few days they could see each other without the abuse.

I know, I know. Let them sort it out. It's so hard to a watch. Keep me on the right track @RoyalChick

Try not to interfere, Bob. Betty is an older bird & understands the 2 of them need to work out their relationship ~ & the less interference the sooner it will happen.

 

[Chicks in VA]

male or a female bantam mix? Sorry its not a great photo

 

[bgmathteach]

Yours is a very different sized operation than mine for sure.

I'm back to 0 eggs. Sydney stopped laying when Betty arrived. I have no idea why.

Excessive cold, maybe? Timing just coincidental? Or, Betty is a stressor...anytime a new flock member is added, it causes some stress to all (Phyllis more so in this situation, but still a change for all.)? Only my heaviest lay right through the frigid weather - which we have been having lately. The others stop a day or two after frigid temps set in, and start back up a day or two after temps become more reasonable. (or, for youngsters...significantly slow down in their laying during frigid temps.) Many possibilities and/or contributing factors.

But.....that makes me think that my offer to express ship a few your way is probably sounding better and better......

 

[BY Bob]

Try not to interfere, Bob. Betty is an older bird & understands the 2 of them need to work out their relationship ~ & the less interference the sooner it will happen.

Thanks for the reminder. Knowing and doing are different things. I'm going to need reminding. That's why I share my thoughts here.

 

[bgmathteach]

View attachment 2979667 male or a female bantam mix? Sorry its not a great photo

Posture of a male, but I can't be sure. If there was a noise or something interesting going on, any chicken would stretch the neck to check it out. Does this chick have that posture regularly? How old is it?