Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

All the ladies have hidden in the yard, so it’s just me and Jaffar enjoying some meally worms. (They taste better on vanilla ice cream)

 

[featherhead007]

Who is that little beak poking my leg? Oh! It’s little Coco (she wants some meally worms too!)

 

[MaryJanet]

News

A week and a half ago Mrs. Howell died during the night, leaving Maryanne all alone. After serious consideration, we decided that due to current circumstances it would be best to rehome Maryanne rather than bring in some flock mates. I don't know why I was surprised, but it was much harder to deal with that than with the deaths of our other two.

Today is the first day that Maryanne has been let out of her safety cage at her new home, about a 2.5 hour drive from us. She's keeping her distance, but it looks like things are going well. She joins a flock of six (she makes it seven)

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This is Maryanne and DW saying their goodbyes.

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While we are now empty nesters, I don't think we are forever done with chickens, but I also can't imagine we will find any that will be as affectionate with us as these have been. We truly miss them already.

I'm so sorry you lost Mrs Howell.

Maryanne will settle in. I'm glad she'll have a larger chicken family to spend her time with.

 

[MaryJanet]

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.

Same with Ivy, although sometimes I feel like getting a pair of pullets simply to give Ivy a break from bottom place.

 

[MaryJanet]

I had no idea they bloomed.

Mine throws up orange flowers most years.

Except for a few years after repotting. I think they flower best when their roots are constricted.

 

[MaryJanet]

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.

Mary has recently started to deposit poop smears on her eggs. Just the last couple of weeks. I can't think why she's gone from shutting the poop off to not shutting it off. Any ideas?

 

[MaryJanet]

He's Ned on Friday with his flock.
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He now has 7 hens and 1 junior rooster. I was going to split out Cappy and the 2 black hens into their own coop, but I don't think I will now.

I found that the boys take turns doing escort duty while free ranging. Depending on which hen needs to lay determines which roo takes her to the coop. The remaining boy stays with the rest of the flock.

There is no hostility between Ned and Cappy. They both mate with the hens, Cappy only has a few that allow him though.

Awww look at him!! Beautiful fella.

 

[featherhead007]

Jaffar Jaffar Jaffar. Poor little guy seems worn out. He’s been busy hen-sitting and I pulled him away from the tribe, brought him inside, and we have been talking about future plans.
Jaffar said “the grass seems to always be greener on top of the septic tank !”

 

[RoyalChick]

Mary has recently started to deposit poop smears on her eggs. Just the last couple of weeks. I can't think why she's gone from shutting the poop off to not shutting it off. Any ideas?

No idea at all. I did read that a small number of hens do have an anatomical abnormality that means they can't shut the poop off when they lay, and i assume that is what goes on with Dotty. When I was researching it I didn't read anything about a hen developing the condition later in life.
That said, as we age, all sorts of bits start to sag and malfunction. Maybe that is what Mary is experiencing.

 

[rural mouse]

Spent the better part of an hour this morning out with the tribe. Started by filling water. Next thing I knew, they're all bathing except Blanche who was in laying an egg. 45 min later, they're still bathing, including Cheetah. Did he delegate sentinel duties to me?

Had to go into town with a kid. Stopped at the feed store to check on pine shavings for the coop change. Came home with 6 chicks.

2 speckled Sussex, 3 dark brahmas, and 1 australorp. The australorp was from the only straight run, and we spent some time watching to try to pick a cockerel. Cheetah needs help with escort/sentinel duties. my son was delighted: he finally has his feather footed birds. Both the Sussex and dark brahmas have been on my wish list. I'm curious if their markings will be better camouflage. Time will tell. The 3 brahmas are a light, middle and dark tone from the group. now I'm wondering if the light one is actually a light brahma. anyway, more as they grow. no names until personalities develop.