Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

This is awful. What is wrong with humans.

Too many bad humans

 

[BY Bob]

I want to show you all what I deal with 6 days out of the week. When it comes to being loud Raven puts any rooster to shame. She starts this on her way around the house when she has to lay her egg. It can take sometimes 20 minutes for her to make her way to her nest box. After she lays her egg though she will leave quietly thankfully. This is only 2 minutes of her announcing to the world a egg is on its way. Blueberry, Creamy and Squirrel are the same way, but thankfully only start singing once they reach the bottom step. Warning, turn your volume down.

She surely is one noisy lady. I just love that comb of hers.

 

[BY Bob]

She is lovely and that is a great video of her. But I am sorry to say Maggie would put her to shame on the noise front. Similar volume I would say, but Maggie doesn't restrict herself to egg time. She will go on like that if she sees a squirrel, or if she hears me, or if a car comes in to the driveway, or sometimes, just 'because' and it goes on for forever!
Personally I have a soft spot for these vocal chickens.

I think we need proof before we accept that as true. Just saying...

 

[BY Bob]

Following - I'm looking at the same one, for the same reason!

Welcome. We are glad you are with us. When you have some time tell us about your chickens.

 

[RoyalChick]

If she tells you what they are, I would love to know. I would love something 4-6 ft. tall and about 4' wide (ideally!) A bit wider is okay. Taller is fine, but it means I probably woulddn't be able to put a shade-cloth over the top in warmer season if toomuch taller (use shade cloth both for 'shade', but also to keep hawks out of extended run in the 'warmer'7 ish. mos. of the year. (i.e. now snow part of the year)

When I extend my 'safe run', I will be replacing the current chain-link fence (5' tall) with 8' fencing. With teh compost pile and grapevines INSIDE the run, it will allow me to string electric fencing around the run- 1 strand a couple inches off the ground and 1 strand at the top. I plan on putting chicken wire mesh on the pergola. All of this will mean (with the current pines) nearly all of the 'extended run' will have some sort of 'upper structure'. I realize it won't be 100% hawk-proof, but about 80% will, and all of it will greatly reduce a hawk's ability to see the chickens, and therefore prevent an attack.

I've attached a rough sketch of current + intended run. I have not put in placement of my multiple coops, but the 'secure run' has solid wood & metal roof presently on 10' of the 18' depth, and will have solid roof (hopefully!) with corrugated smokey plastic roofing by next winter. (it filters out some of UV, decreasing temps, but still letting light through. Is/will be, high enough to allow full winter sun in) The entire run to the left of secure run is covered by canopy of the two pines except for bottom left corner...which has a dog pen (with coop in it), including top (6'X12'), so is protected from arial predators. The entire run length along side the secure run has sun shade tarps the length of it starting in April - usually late October. Will still be able to do this with extending the run by 6" by rotating the shade cloths the long way top to bottom on pic instead of side-side (just would need 1 additional shade cloth...no problem!)View attachment 3031228

Ditto that on the shrub for me.
And love the plan.

 

[rural mouse]

No! NO MORE THORNS!! Our property is covered with invasive bittersweet and rosa rugosa ( the variety that was planted during WWII because they didn't have wire for fencing.) You can plant all you want...but I won't be! The choecherry is part of my plant multifunctional plants effort. But I won't go as far as planting blackthorn, thank you!

Juniper, currant bushes, raspberry, blackberry, lilac, Siberian pea tree, honeysuckle, elderberry....all relatively edible something (some better than others). Most aren't evergreen, and shelter quality varies, but on the list of multi-functionality, qualify nicely. Some of the nut producing trees are relatively small/more shrub like....hazelnut/filbert coming to mind but don't hold me to it. The deciduous leaves can also be wonderful fun for the chickens... crab apple another good one, get very small, leave the lowest branches rather than trim out

 

[BY Bob]

This is why I don’t get all the “no Roosters” rules in urban areas… my boys are mostly quiet unless they are alarming, but I’ve got a lot of screamer hens too. Top it off with the barking of domestic dogs, what’s the occasional little early morning crow really effect? I just go right back to sleep once I distinguish it’s not an alarm and there’s no way I’m letting them out that early! (Too many predators prefer early morning here)

Jabberwockie is the poster child for why no roosters in urban areas. He would crow incessantly at 3 am. Even the hens hated him for it. It was unbearable.

 

[BY Bob]

Additional FB Friday picture:
(I think they posed for this one)
View attachment 3028978

Magnificent

 

[BY Bob]

Happy FBF from Tailess and friends!View attachment 3029008
My puddle drinkers…View attachment 3029010and I almost caught the fluffiest butt of all here again Goldie… but she’s now wise to the Friday photos and slightly concerned with our obsession with her butt fluff, as you can clearly tell by her expression!View attachment 3029012

They are really something special.

 

[BY Bob]

Happy FBF everyone. It is sunny and feels spring like today!!!
View attachment 3029175View attachment 3029176View attachment 3029177

Beautiful.