Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

We also have a small wind turbine for the house… a Christmas present from FIL, so when I get that darn roof on… the Jackery are great backup options, and they are so expensive because it really is an all in one, foolproof system. You could check out “Mobile Solar Power made easy” by William Errol Prowse IV (plus you have to love his name!) or his YouTube channel, although I find that a little harder to follow. Your Jackery is so nice and light because it uses the lithium Battery, which is where a lot of the cost comes in as well.

I plan on having essentially three separate sets of wiring in the house, a straight 12v for lighting and USB chargers, and one or two plugs running off an inverter in key locations from the battery bank for our TV and DVD as well as hopefully some small kitchen appliances. I will also install a full circuit per room on standard A/C which we can power with a generator on a 30 Amp breaker, so we will only be able to run one big appliance at a time, but there’s the potential for powering a washing machine, a dishwasher, and running a vacuum or other high draw appliance in each room. (Note this is Way below acceptable electrical code in most places, but I will never have a grid tie in at this location so it doesn’t really matter, as long as it is safe and meets our needs). Where Solar gets confusing to me is when you need to do a grid tie in system.

It was nice when we had the solar running at full capacity during the summer and we could watch 3 hours or more of DVD’s without having to use any gasoline. Now, the downside to my “alternative powering” of the heat plates is this (also consider as electrical talk tax) 9:30pm as I finished getting all the big chickens up and had to run down with the jeep to swap out my batteries on the charger down there, As I won’t leave a fire hazard running while I am away from the trailer. Between me turning the diesel heater off and putting up the bigs and coming back in for a couple odds and ends to take down, this is what they did. By the time I got back up an hour later from the round trip (hauling and swapping out 4 heavy batteries, filling 20 gallons of water, and starting a load of laundry) they had basically all settled into a soft fuzzy sleeping carpet in the same spot. Now I need to head out and turn off said generator!View attachment 3101973

Can you tent the brooder in some way, to help hold in some of that heat?

 

[BY Bob]

While I've shared updates on Lily, Charlie, Cricket, and Effie, the 4 chicks my hens adopted, I have not on the rest of their siblings. In total grandma and myself hatched off 27 chicks. There was another white fluffy legged Butter chick that passed around the 24 hour mark. I also had a Blueberry chick hatch out that sadly was my first cross beak experience. I did not catch it until after they had been moved to the brooder for several hours. The top beak was perfectly straight but the bottom beak stuck out at a 45 degree angle. I feel horrible for saying this but with everything on my plate at the time I made the call to humanely euthanize. I showed it to mom and explained why and as she was holding it she told me no. It was strong, and a fighter and while she understood that I could not mentally or emotionally take on a special needs chick, she wanted to. She researched how to feed them and with grandma's help they syringe fed it every 2 hours for a week. It was growing very well and was even learning to drink from the water itself and I was thinking that they may be successful. Sadly in between feedings at a week old it passed with no warnings. They were heartbroken but they did give it a chance which is something any other time I would have done myself without question. The remaining 21 are thriving. For the past few days at around 10 when it has warmed up in the mornings they get to go to the coop for the day. I bring them back to the brooder in the evenings and put them back under the heat lamp. I will get to enjoy them until next Thursday when they leave for their new home. My neighbors co-worker is going to take them all. I informed her that there were some boys and she is happy about that. When they are old enough they will be allowed to free range and she wants a few boys to help keep the girls safe. She already has 1 boy, a special needs house boy. He lost half of one leg in a accident at a few weeks old and has been a pampered pet ever since.
Here is a picture of the group the first day I put them in the coop. They were still a little frightened of their big new space but before the day was out they were making full use of it.
View attachment 3102051

I am Sorry to hear about the cross beak but I'm glad they gave it a chance.

 

[featherhead007]

That little one at the top is dancing the funky chicken.

Wow, Marie. Hi, hey, ha! Let’s do the funky chicken yah!

 

[featherhead007]

This was bound to happen

What do you get when your giant outside cat wants to snuggle after having stopped in chicken poo.

Answer: a trip to the washing machine

 

[micstrachan]

We also have a small wind turbine for the house… a Christmas present from FIL, so when I get that darn roof on… the Jackery are great backup options, and they are so expensive because it really is an all in one, foolproof system. You could check out “Mobile Solar Power made easy” by William Errol Prowse IV (plus you have to love his name!) or his YouTube channel, although I find that a little harder to follow. Your Jackery is so nice and light because it uses the lithium Battery, which is where a lot of the cost comes in as well.

I plan on having essentially three separate sets of wiring in the house, a straight 12v for lighting and USB chargers, and one or two plugs running off an inverter in key locations from the battery bank for our TV and DVD as well as hopefully some small kitchen appliances. I will also install a full circuit per room on standard A/C which we can power with a generator on a 30 Amp breaker, so we will only be able to run one big appliance at a time, but there’s the potential for powering a washing machine, a dishwasher, and running a vacuum or other high draw appliance in each room. (Note this is Way below acceptable electrical code in most places, but I will never have a grid tie in at this location so it doesn’t really matter, as long as it is safe and meets our needs). Where Solar gets confusing to me is when you need to do a grid tie in system.

It was nice when we had the solar running at full capacity during the summer and we could watch 3 hours or more of DVD’s without having to use any gasoline. Now, the downside to my “alternative powering” of the heat plates is this (also consider as electrical talk tax) 9:30pm as I finished getting all the big chickens up and had to run down with the jeep to swap out my batteries on the charger down there, As I won’t leave a fire hazard running while I am away from the trailer. Between me turning the diesel heater off and putting up the bigs and coming back in for a couple odds and ends to take down, this is what they did. By the time I got back up an hour later from the round trip (hauling and swapping out 4 heavy batteries, filling 20 gallons of water, and starting a load of laundry) they had basically all settled into a soft fuzzy sleeping carpet in the same spot. Now I need to head out and turn off said generator!View attachment 3101973

Thank you for this!

 

[RoyalChick]

In good, but painful news, Dotty has experienced the electric fence.
It was distressing to watch. She was trying to eat the bottom horizontal wire (which is not live) and her comb touched the next wire up (which is live). That is exactly how it is supposed to work I guess.
She shot 3’ in the air vertically and ran off shrieking and leaping in the air like the whole ground was zapping her (which it wasn’t).
Now I have to hope:
- she is smart enough not to do that again
- she realizes that she should not touch any part of the fence, it isn't just that specific spot she needs to avoid
- she has sufficient community spirit to teach the others so they don’t all need to learn by experience
- the foxes have the same reaction

Tax - my ladies out exploring the wilderness.

 

[BY Bob]

Answer: a trip to the washing machine

You know it!

 

[BY Bob]

In good, but painful news, Dotty has experienced the electric fence.
It was distressing to watch. She was trying to eat the bottom horizontal wire (which is not live) and her comb touched the next wire up (which is live). That is exact how it is supposed to work I guess.
She shot 3’ in the air vertically and ran off shrieking and leaping in the air like the whole ground was zapping her (which it wasn’t).
Now I have to hope:
- she is smart enough not to do that again
- she realizes that she should not touch any part of the fence, it isnt just that specific spot she needs to avoi
- she has sufficient community spirit to teach the others so they don’t all need to learn by experience
- the foxes have the same reaction

Tax - my ladies out exploring the wilderness.

View attachment 3102394

I'm sorry this had to happen but it HAD to happen to someone.

 

[RoyalChick]

I'm sorry this had to happen but it HAD to happen to someone.

Yes. And I am glad I happened to be able to see it as I have been quite worried about how it would play out.
All in all it wasn't too awful (Dotty might disagree).
So now I can go back to worrying about Bernadette’s foot, Maggie’s diarrhea, that I haven’t had an egg in 10 days, and how to adapt the Chicken Palace for a special needs chicken.
Lord that makes me tired just listing it all!

 

[RoyalChick]

Dotty a little bug-eyed and bewildered after her fence encounter.