Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Are you sure it isn’t just the normal pecking order stuff? Everyone here pecks Minnie but she seems to take it in her stride.

I don’t know I’m probably reading more into this, than I should. But I never said I agree with those chickens pecking order. Makes me crazy!

 

[featherhead007]

I don’t know I’m probably reading more into this, than I should. But I never said I agree with those chickens pecking order. Makes me crazy!

I could voice my concerns all night long. But I won’t.

 

[bgmathteach]

Is it any surprise that Maggie is irritable with the Little Princesses when they play games like this just as she is settling down for a night's sleep huddled up with her two sisters.

BFTP:

I can just hear it now:

Minnie (already on the main roost): No you can't
Dotty: Oh, yes I can!
Minnie: You'll fall, you can't make it that far!
Dotty: yes I can!
Dottie: You're just a 'fraidy cat, 'cause you can't make it.
Minnie: Bet you can't!! Bet you can't!!
Dottie: Can to! Can to!
Minnie: okay, I'll give you my next mouse if you actually make it! Bet you can't!
*
*
*
Dottie: Ha! Did it! I'll do anything for a mouse snack!!

( Hoping I didn't get the players reversed)

 

[bgmathteach]

They are still pecking at Arizona. She had nowhere to run all day, and I’m sure that she’s stressed out! (I’m stressed out) I don’t know what to do!

Give her an extra roost in the run high enough they can;t peck her from the ground, far enough away from other roosts...and small enough so another hen doesn't really fit on the roost with her (like, maybe 10" long). Maybe a couple of these placed around the coop/run. Just a thought.

 

[micstrachan]

Turns out @micstrachan was correct, they were talking about eggs. They have all decided to lay at once and it is a big mess.
There was traffic congestion at the nest boxes so Minnie laid her egg on the floor in the middle of the coop.
Maggie laid a perfect brown egg which Diana messed up by laying one of her no-shell eggs and coating Maggie's egg in yolk.
Dotty laid a beautiful egg and as she often does then pooped all over it (I think it is an anatomical defect actually - she doesn't shut off the poop pipe when she lays).
So there I am with 4 eggs in various stages of sticky disgusting-ness and 4 hens all yelling at once to be escorted. Where exactly? They are all there together by the nest boxes.

Oh my frick; this post makes me laugh!

 

[featherhead007]

Give her an extra roost in the run high enough they can;t peck her from the ground, far enough away from other roosts...and small enough so another hen doesn't really fit on the roost with her (like, maybe 10" long). Maybe a couple of these placed around the coop/run. Just a thought.

I appreciate your input, but my run isn’t set up that way. For some reason, they all want to be under a solid roof at night (and they prefer to have Jaffar standing guard at night)

 

[micstrachan]

They are still pecking at Arizona. She had nowhere to run all day, and I’m sure that she’s stressed out! (I’m stressed out) I don’t know what to do!

Poor Arizona! Does she not have a single friend? Poor baby. I think you might need to bite the bullet and let her tough it out. She has been free ranging with them all this time, right?

 

[featherhead007]

Poor Arizona! Does she not have a single friend? Poor baby. I think you might need to bite the bullet and let her tough it out. She has been free ranging with them all this time, right?

Absolutely she free ranges with the rest. It’s only at roosting time she gets pecked and I can hear her yelling from my room inside.

 

[featherhead007]

Absolutely she free ranges with the rest. It’s only at roosting time she gets pecked and I can hear her yelling from my room inside.

She lays the best eggs!

 

[featherhead007]

It must seem like I’m overreacting, but I can tell when my chickens are stressed, or sad, or excited (or hungry… always!)