Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Interesting. It goes way back as a saying.
A quick consultation with the oracle at Google reveals that Shakespeare, hedged his bets on the topic in Venus & Adonis, 1593:



I don't have time to look for it now but I remember reading something in Nature or somewhere like that which said it is actually a good predictor because of something to do with atmospheric pressure.

I will trust you to research this for us. I truly am interested.

 

[BY Bob]

All 3 boys love the chickens. Russ and Louis would love it if they would sleep on their backs. Dirt has guarded 2 momma's while they brooded just outside his stall. During fly season the chickens earn their keep. The boys stand still and let everyone eat the flies that land on their legs. Every morning Louis throws out a mouthful of his breakfast to the chickens. If a hen wants to take a nap on their flakes of hay they are given, the boys will eat around them or simply wait until she gets up before eating.

That is so cool that they work with each other like that. I always thought that horses liked chickens but that was from my youth and I was never certain if I was remembering that correctly or if that was what I wished it to be.

 

[BY Bob]

I think this picture right here taken 2 minutes ago perfectly illustrates how Dirt gets along with the chickens.View attachment 2992925

How sweet.

 

[BY Bob]

I got another look at the nest today. 9 eggs. Splash insisted Jess vacate, and laid another egg, bringing it up to 10. This was AFTER the nest drama. Thing laid an egg in the smallest nest box (bottom left) this morning. Splash was in there, but not entirely pleased about it. Nellie came in wanting to lay and set to bokking. Tried the nest above Splash, who was having none of that....repeatedly....Nellie protested some more, then checked out the other end....no, wanted the one above Splash. I finally went back (45min+ of this) to the garage and got another mini bale to add more straw to the unacceptable boxes. Splash freaked out before I got started, tried to fly through the window, then pushed out through the people door (after running into it). Added the last of the straw to the box Nellie wanted and left the lower one alone (but stole the egg). Nellie settled in, started nest building, laid her egg (in something like 5 min), then continued nest building. Meanwhile Splash comes back in, checks things out a bit (avoiding the box she'd been in prior), then starts working on evicting Jessica, complete with climbing in on top of her. That's when I got the egg count. In both nests, Splash was tucking egg(s) under herself. An hour later, I see Splash AND Jess out with the rest of the flock. Go check nest. 10 eggs, warmer than air temp, but not what I would call warm. Nellie's nest is vacant, but the egg is hidden under some of the straw. 2 more hours, Jess is back on the nest (Don't know when she went back)

Options:
1. Remove all eggs from nest, messing it up, maybe breaking one in the process, discouraging all of them from laying there.

2. let it go another week to when I KNOW she was broody, see if anything hatches in spite of the additions and let her vacate in her own time.

3. let it go to that week mark and swap live chicks in for some of the eggs (removing all the eggs at same time): caveat of how well can she protect chicks when she gets pushed off the eggs so another can get added?

4. Something I haven't thought of?


Squawking hensView attachment 2992938View attachment 2992937
Egged on from outside, by....

I would do option 2 myself. She will likely set again if this hatch winds up no good.

 

[MaryJanet]

Warm Memories
Of yesterday!

Sydney, Betty, and Phyllis were hanging out peacefully yesterday.

Lilly was exceptionally iridescent yesterday.

View attachment 2992393View attachment 2992394View attachment 2992395

Not just the Polish chased me to the back door expecting more food.

View attachment 2992400View attachment 2992401View attachment 2992402View attachment 2992403

They're looking wonderful Bob!!

 

[MaryJanet]

And at the end of the day a beautiful sunset.
View attachment 2992406

@Ribh @MaryJanet @LozzyR @Aussie-Chookmum @micstrachan @ChicoryBlue

Gorgeous. They did say we would see some lovely sunsets from that volcano in Tonga which put lots of particulates into the atmosphere.

 

[MaryJanet]

I will trust you to research this for us. I truly am interested.

Red sky at night, sailors delight.
Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.

At least that's what I learned from nana and both her husband and father were seafaring men.

 

[MaryJanet]

I would do option 2 myself. She will likely set again if this hatch winds up no good.

Me too. But I'm far from expert.

 

[MaryJanet]

I find that to be unbelievably adorable. I had no ideas horses would interact with chickens that way. Made my day!

Horses are surprisingly good thinkers. Look at all the fancy footwork dressage horses learn.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Have real guilt where they r concerned, darn hard lesson learnt. They were the ones killed by a fox - now I don't let anyone roam too far for too long.

With you on that (been there), some lessons learned come with so much pain.