Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

A bit of a picture flood coming. I've compressed them so they shouldn't grind the page to a halt.
I spent a couple of hours with the three tribes this morning. Ostensibly I was trying to track the new away from coop nesters; I think I have three.
Tribe 2 has always been the most reserved when it came to any close interaction with me. They do not like physical contact and if anyone else should be about in human form they hide.
They haven't ranged far from their territory since Harold died. He would take them right up to the sheep shed and down the back bank leaning on my house. Most chicks, no matter what relationship I have with their mother and father are nervous of me. I don't handle them, don't often hand feed them and when I do the mums usually tut at me and scratch the treat out of my hand onto the ground. Hens it seems are very proud of being able to feed their chicks.
There are reasons for Tribe 1's distrust of humans that I won't go into here.
I've got on well with Bracket since she hatched and her period of wry neck meant I got to handle her a lot. She is also very trusting of me with her chicks. She will still tut at me if she thinks I'm being clumsy or boss them about but otherwise she's quite happy for the chicks to engage with me.
I took these pictures as I sat on the steps with Tribe 2. I've just posted the lot.

Lock sunbathing.
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Chicks.
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Bracket and chicks napping in the sunshine.
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Lock and chicks. They get on well with Lock.
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In Brackets way.View attachment 2042782
Lock and chicks.
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Chick.
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Three chicks. The one standing had just been trying to get into my pocket but I couldn't get the camera far enough away without disturbing it.
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The Tribe 2 adults under their favorite bush. I'm sat a couple of feet away.
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Mag showing his recently acquired war wound.
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Chicks. Some lovely looks in this lot.
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I once posted that I had chicken-envy every time you posted @Shadrach and the group explained how I wouldn't like the loss that you have to live through etc. Well this set of pictures has set me off again! LOTS of chicken-envy!!

 

[MaryJanet]

They are getting enormous amounts of free range time with me being home. I really believe all that free space is really helping. They don't need to hang out together but look at them Chosing to hangout together.

I agree. It made all the difference. I think both old and new factions need to be able to avoid each other until the new ones are familiar with their surroundings and know where to run and hide. Then they can say hello at their own pace, pay respects etc.

 

[MaryJanet]

Hi folks. Sorry I’ve been MIA. My SIL was visiting, we’ve been crazy swamped at work (I work for a public school district and we’re staying on top of coronavirus status and messaging) and I’ve been a bit sick myself. Today is my big 5-0 birthday. Look at the cute card a work friend gave me and the adorable cake my sisters did for my surprise party DH threw last weekend. Yep . I’m a true Chicken Lady.
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Happy 50th! Hope it's a wonderful year.

 

[MaryJanet]

A bit of a picture flood coming. I've compressed them so they shouldn't grind the page to a halt.
I spent a couple of hours with the three tribes this morning. Ostensibly I was trying to track the new away from coop nesters; I think I have three.
Tribe 2 has always been the most reserved when it came to any close interaction with me. They do not like physical contact and if anyone else should be about in human form they hide.
They haven't ranged far from their territory since Harold died. He would take them right up to the sheep shed and down the back bank leaning on my house. Most chicks, no matter what relationship I have with their mother and father are nervous of me. I don't handle them, don't often hand feed them and when I do the mums usually tut at me and scratch the treat out of my hand onto the ground. Hens it seems are very proud of being able to feed their chicks.
There are reasons for Tribe 1's distrust of humans that I won't go into here.
I've got on well with Bracket since she hatched and her period of wry neck meant I got to handle her a lot. She is also very trusting of me with her chicks. She will still tut at me if she thinks I'm being clumsy or boss them about but otherwise she's quite happy for the chicks to engage with me.
I took these pictures as I sat on the steps with Tribe 2. I've just posted the lot.

Lock sunbathing.
View attachment 2042768
Chicks.
View attachment 2042769
Bracket and chicks napping in the sunshine.
View attachment 2042773View attachment 2042776View attachment 2042777View attachment 2042779
Lock and chicks. They get on well with Lock.
View attachment 2042780

In Brackets way.View attachment 2042782
Lock and chicks.
View attachment 2042783
Chick.
View attachment 2042784
Three chicks. The one standing had just been trying to get into my pocket but I couldn't get the camera far enough away without disturbing it.
View attachment 2042786
The Tribe 2 adults under their favorite bush. I'm sat a couple of feet away.
View attachment 2042787
Mag showing his recently acquired war wound.
View attachment 2042788
Chicks. Some lovely looks in this lot.
View attachment 2042789View attachment 2042790View attachment 2042791View attachment 2042768View attachment 2042769View attachment 2042773View attachment 2042776View attachment 2042777View attachment 2042779View attachment 2042780View attachment 2042782View attachment 2042783View attachment 2042784View attachment 2042786View attachment 2042787View attachment 2042788View attachment 2042789View attachment 2042790View attachment 2042791View attachment 2042792View attachment 2042793View attachment 2042794View attachment 2042795View attachment 2042792View attachment 2042793View attachment 2042794View attachment 2042795

This face

 

[Shadrach]

I once posted that I had chicken-envy every time you posted @Shadrach and the group explained how I wouldn't like the loss that you have to live through etc. Well this set of pictures has set me off again! LOTS of chicken-envy!!

This face

View attachment 2042950

There is something wrong in the post that picture came from. It seems to be a technical problem. The pictures repeat themselves as one scrolls through.
There are some at the bottom that aren't showing.

 

[MaryJanet]

There is something wrong in the post that picture came from. It seems to be a technical problem. The pictures repeat themselves as one scrolls through.
There are some at the bottom that aren't showing.

Oh no!

 

[RoyalChick]

There is something wrong in the post that picture came from. It seems to be a technical problem. The pictures repeat themselves as one scrolls through.
There are some at the bottom that aren't showing.

I liked the repeats because some of those chickens I would otherwise have to scroll back to look at again. I have no idea how @MaryJanet managed to pull out one photo but she picked my favorite too. The face and the hair-do!

 

[WhoDatChick]

Hi folks. Sorry I’ve been MIA. My SIL was visiting, we’ve been crazy swamped at work (I work for a public school district and we’re staying on top of coronavirus status and messaging) and I’ve been a bit sick myself. Today is my big 5-0 birthday. Look at the cute card a work friend gave me and the adorable cake my sisters did for my surprise party DH threw last weekend. Yep . I’m a true Chicken Lady.
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Oh my gosh!! Can I love this 1000 times!!! This is the best! Happy Birthday to you!! I hope it was blessed ... sure looks like it was! And.. gimme dat cake !!!!

 

[BY Bob]

Hi folks. Sorry I’ve been MIA. My SIL was visiting, we’ve been crazy swamped at work (I work for a public school district and we’re staying on top of coronavirus status and messaging) and I’ve been a bit sick myself. Today is my big 5-0 birthday. Look at the cute card a work friend gave me and the adorable cake my sisters did for my surprise party DH threw last weekend. Yep . I’m a true Chicken Lady.
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Happy Birthday! That cake is truly special. Yummy.

 

[BY Bob]

I wonder what Hattie thinks she has in common with the newcomers.

I have been trying to figure out the motivation for the behavior. It is contrary to her survival right? Foreign chickens are going to reduce available resources for all. And yet she has not fussed at running them off and Lilly is less vicious when she is around. It seems counter to nature.

Could it really be her personality? Something driving her to higher thoughts than survival?

I wonder.