Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Well I didn't get hay or get to town, snow squalls and blowing snow. My hay guy told to stay home you can't see anything, he knows I am sheltered here with the trees, bit up on the heights it wide open and white outs. The wind is fierce here I can only imagine what it's like further up

Brrrr. Stay warm and safe. Hope all the animals are OK.

Edited to add this because I checked the NJ weather: 'snow squalls on their way low visibility stay off the roads weather warning'. WTH?! It isn't even that cold.

 

[Kris5902]

This time of year is a bad time to be broody. It was good to find out that several were fertile. 3 of 10 isnt great...Those numbers need to go up, but she also needs to keep PITA (and others) from adding to it after she starts sitting. As young as they are, takes time to learn. I'm hoping she'll go again in may/june....but she's a bit growly so we'll have to see if she stays broody or snaps out of it.

I have a slightly different solution, I steal the added eggs and stuff them under the next broody… it seemed to keep the girls happy, Babies for everyone!

 

[BY Bob]

Roost Height

I think @Ponypoor asked about my roost height.

In the Main Coop. Main roost is 16 inches. High roost is 24 inches. There is a table (step) for Hattie to get up that is about 1 foot tall.

In the Cluckle Hut the roost is 17 inches or just above Polish Head Height when they are standing up.

 

[featherhead007]

If I had a higher coop roof, with higher roosts, the chooks would go even higher to sleep. I think that 8 ft high is enough (Probably too high for them, but they don’t mind)

 

[Kris5902]

Your budgeting troubles remind me of a saying from "The Secret Garden"
"I've got four places to put every penny.."

I'm not sure I follow about the smoking though. Are you saying that your Mum smokes and has been smoking more since getting someone to smoke with? At first I was thinking someone was making her buy packs of cigarettes for them! I thought "That's a bit rude!"
If it makes you feel any better, I just looked up the cost of cigarettes in Australia at the moment:

"Here are the latest cigarette prices in Australia: a packet of 20 cigarettes costs $23.86. a packet of 25 cigarettes costs $29.48. a packet of 30 cigarettes costs $38.11.31 Jan 2019

Cigarette Prices in Australia in 2022"​

Ouch… I remember something about those prices and beer being way more expensive than wine, much to my visiting friend’s dismay. It’s a good way to discourage smoking that’s for sure. My mom has been smoking for over 50 years now, so I doubt any nagging or price increases will really help much on the “quitting” campaign. Nothing short of a full out country wide ban would do it, if that. It’s also a bit of all of the above. She has one neighbour constantly bumming smokes, and another new neighbour she enjoys smoking with… so consumption has increased exponentially. She was cutting back, and was down to less than 5 a day, before she moved. To put it in perspective when DH and I were drinking (we’ve basically quit due to finances and his health, we had been cutting back and considering a full on quit for a while before his health issues last fall) the two of us were spending about $300/month on beer. My mom is spending that and then some on cigarettes, plus brandy, plus vodka… another good incentive to get the house done and her moved in… less smoking and drinking. I believe all told so far DH and I have spent $30 on beer this year. We are now buying only “nice” beer for “special occasions” like “look at those windows and French doors!” Occasions!

 

[Kris5902]

No. It did not fly off with her. Though it did not have the chance to really try.

Next time try a shovel… for behaviour correction and adding fertilizer to the garden I do not appreciate those buggers. At all. I prefer the darn eagles and Raccoons, truth be told.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Me and mom have came to a agreement on what to do. Rural King should have a shipment of chicks in Tuesday. I went there earlier to pick up a small bag of chick starter. Even though the lady on the phone said they did not have chicks, they do. But they only have ducks and turkey's left at the moment. I talked to the employee who orders their chicks and found out they will be getting in Buff Orpington pullets. Mom wants another Butter. When the chicks come in I'm going to go pick up some. I hope to find someone to split a order with me as I really only need 2 or 3, but they have a 6 chick minimum. If I have to get 6, once they are about 9 to 10 weeks old I'll place all but the one mom decides she wants to keep. She and Rosie also named her this morning. Mom told Rosie while I was setting up the brooder she needed to come up with a strong determined name. The first thing that popped out of my daughters mouth was Ezra. I shouted to them no, that was a boy name. I got overruled quick. I did not know this but Ezra was my great-great grandfathers name and he lived to be 98 years old. I will not call her that, it is Ezzie. If the world hates me and she is a boy then she can be called Ezra.

 

[Kris5902]

Having lost birds to foxes and dog, I have to say I prefer fox: at least they eat what they kill. Dog just kills wether in play or not, they don't eat. This also gives new appreciation for a fox wrap.

One of my biggest concerns with our labor help, to get both extra sets of hands also means bringing two half trained 8month old HIGH prey drive pups here. They did pretty well controlling them and lowering the excitement level. The chickens weren’t very impressed, but they just really dislike all dogs. Can’t blame them…

 

[Kris5902]

I don't know this for a fact...it is just a supposition based on change in behavior with bovines....but you may find that if you caponize them, they no longer act like a real rooster/flock protector. I'm not sure about this, though as yours have already reached sexual maturity,,,caponizing is usually done young.

Just something more to 'chew on' when contemplating this.

Any idea on how it might effect goats? “Jimmy needs his na-nas nipped” has been a constant refrain here lately, but I don’t want to break out the burdizzos and have him hate me for it. I am an awful farmer… but those hormones have got to go! Arduinna’s pissed, I’m not impressed, and walking him often starts out and ends a little “rough” if he gets much bigger it could also get dangerous… sigh, if only I could get some of the goat hater aunts to do the deed instead.

 

[Kris5902]

Well I didn't get hay or get to town, snow squalls and blowing snow. My hay guy told to stay home you can't see anything, he knows I am sheltered here with the trees, bit up on the heights it wide open and white outs. The wind is fierce here I can only imagine what it's like further up

Again, just NOPE… delicate west coast flower here. I made the mistake of whining to DH this morning (checking on his shopping/home coming progress… lol) that I spent all afternoon busting my butt and then walking the goats home in the near dark (fun times, highly do not recommend!) prepping for rain and all I get is a light 7:20 am sprinkle??? Well, it’s now making up for it. Time to go find the leaks and put some buckets under them!