Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

Now for the photo's I took of everyone this morning. I did not get any of Branch or the cochin girls. The cochins decided the cabbage was a chicken killer and hid in the stalls and Branch stayed with them.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

And a few more

 

[BY Bob]

Remember that part of Phyllis' problem was she went broody when she shouldn't have had (i.e. too low on the pecking order) That, combined with her personality, I suspect, is it. (And Betty's personality, too, is a factor in being accepted...versus Phyllis not)

Plus, due to the frizzling, Betty actually LOOKS bigger than she is, and LOOKS bigger than Phyllis is.......

This could very easily be true. I think it was where Phyllis went broody as much as that Phyllis went broody but it is hard to be certain.

 

[BY Bob]

Just went out and took about a hundred photo's and a few video's of the chickens. While I go through them here is just 1 submission for Fluffy Butt Friday. Butter's new sidekick Chiquita. They are spending so much time together they now have the nickname Big B and Little B.
View attachment 3021295

How wonderful that Chiquita has a friend

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Okay, here goes:
1) I see green in those videos (other than the cabbage)
2) It appears they are out free ranging?
3) They have never seen a whole cabbage before
4) They are CHICKENS (i.e. new things are deadly!)

So, why would we want to nibble on something potentially dangerous, that we have no idea what it is, when there are plenty of greens about, plus I can scratch up a few bugs (YUM) too.

Suggestion: Hang it in their run/pen when it is too miserable to be out. Cut it in half, so there are 'edges' that are easy to peck at/off. When hanging it, use your treat voice/call. And if all of that fails, take a bit of peanut butter, smear thinly on the outside, and sprinkle with scratch grain or some other small treat that they like and will stick. Finally: give them a day or two to be comfortable with the scarey new thing.

Don't thank me....you'll be cursing me when they devour multiple of them in 5 minutes, and you have to spend a fortune to "keep them in cabbbages!"

To be honest, where they are allowed to free range they really do not need other "enrichment" activities. I just thought I'd try it to see what they thought. A cabbage is nothing compared to grass, bugs, and if they find them baby snakes and minnows. They cost me a small fortune keeping them supplied in raisins and other dried fruit. I really do not need to create a love for cabbage as well.

 

[RoyalChick]

Chaco is doing well today. She seems to be thriving on the new diet that was set up. And she’s drinking normally.

Great to hear.

 

[RoyalChick]

Ok before I upload the photo's I took this morning I'll share the video's. I had a old cabbage head and thought I'd try what everyone else does. Hang it up and let the chickens go to town. Well.....mine are broken. Only Butter and Creamy were brave enough to peck at it. Then they only went after the pieces of bread I had stuff in the holes to get their interest. This summer I will just have to put a little water in the plastic kiddie pool and fill it with minnows. That will be something mine will go crazy about.
https://www.facebook.com/100003915274138/videos/pcb.2359983770808776/1109676426541170
https://www.facebook.com/100003915274138/videos/pcb.2359983770808776/1315675342241268
https://www.facebook.com/100003915274138/videos/pcb.2359983770808776/335479711941453
https://www.facebook.com/100003915274138/videos/pcb.2359983770808776/652489722668511
https://www.facebook.com/100003915274138/videos/pcb.2359983770808776/478890720367461
https://www.facebook.com/100003915274138/videos/pcb.2359983770808776/977130019675425

I think they will change their minds.

 

[featherhead007]

How old is she. Alex? Is this new diet a permanent thing...or temporary until things sort themselves out?

She’s three years old. And the diet stays the same, until the veterinarian comes to see her again.

 

[featherhead007]

Now for the photo's I took of everyone this morning. I did not get any of Branch or the cochin girls. The cochins decided the cabbage was a chicken killer and hid in the stalls and Branch stayed with them.
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Cabbage here, is a wallet killer. My chickens go crazy for them. Kale too.

 

[RoyalChick]

And a few more
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So lovely!