Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

This looks great! @BY Bob and @Kris5902 , both of you are so creative with solving building issues! I do wish I was as talented in the actual building part! While my structures are very stable, I'll be darned if I can make things meet up perfectly square despite my best efforts.
I'm a bit jealous of your abilities

Nothing about the Cluckle Hut is square hence the need for a seal. The birch tree has bowed in the top of the run. It was a nightmare building that coop.

 

[BY Bob]

She still has her eyes open and is moving her head around in the video. I *suspect* part of it is trying to 'look around' Lady Featherington's ample feathery bottom. I agree with @Ponypoor that she will probably tuck it under a wing...especially if it IS uncomfortable for her hanging like that.

Also, look at poor Gucci...nose-dive into the bedding. I think that the youngsters can somewhat 'collapse' where they are and be 'comfortable. When I was younger (kid through early 20s - before car accident injuries) I would go tent camping and could sleep just about anywhere with just my sleeping bag & be fine. Now, can barely even get down/back up from the ground, never mind sleep there! They will figure it out!

Gucci sleeps like that all the time. It has scared me several times.

Because of their head tufts the Polish cannot tuck their heads in. Phyllis and Betty droop their heads on the roost. You watch them slowly bob their way down until they pick them back up and do it all over again. All night long.

 

[BY Bob]

Which is which?

No seriously. I can see they are different. Which is which?

 

[bgmathteach]

Which is which?

Which one looks to have a slightly larger frame, fluffier feathers, and more uniformed barring? (I do realize the angle isn't the best for comparing)

While it may not be obvious on size, the one on the right definitely has a larger, more robust frame, and has looser, fluffier feathering, and more consistent barring. The production breeds, in my experience, have feathering half-way between the heritage one pictured, and my Dark Cornish (who are considered hard or close feathered feathered.) It is hard for me to technically explain the difference, but the looser feathering is 'fluffier' and 'fuller'

 

[RoyalChick]

This isn't the article I previously read, but it does give a bit of clarity on some of the food labels used out there.
If you are not a subscriber, you can read 3 free articles a month

I think that is one of the things I read.

 

[RoyalChick]

Which one looks to have a slightly larger frame, fluffier feathers, and more uniformed barring? (I do realize the angle isn't the best for comparing)
View attachment 3172703

While it may not be obvious on size, the one on the right definitely has a larger, more robust frame, and has looser, fluffier feathering, and more consistent barring. The production breeds, in my experience, have feathering half-way between the heritage one pictured, and my Dark Cornish (who are considered hard or close feathered feathered.) It is hard for me to technically explain the difference, but the looser feathering is 'fluffier' and 'fuller'

So the larger one on the right is the production one?

 

[Ponypoor]

I have no pony pics yet today, but here’s two from last time that I was there: View attachment 3172590View attachment 3172589

Hi pretty Chaco

 

[Ponypoor]

Gucci sleeps like that all the time. It has scared me several times.

Because of their head tufts the Polish cannot tuck their heads in. Phyllis and Betty droop their heads on the roost. You watch them slowly bob their way down until they pick them back up and do it all over again. All night long.

Oh that can't be a good night's sleep .

What if you trimmed their poofs?

I am always having to trim the silkies, I thought birds feathers did continue to grow out be replaced! But they do! If I don't they run into things (which is funny - but dangerous too ), I freaks me out having to trim their head feathers, but I pluck around their eyes. I am too paranoid to trim there!.

 

[GregnLety]

So, working in HVAC, you probably know all or most of these tricks, but I'll share just in case, (note, I don't know how humid it is where you are - some don't work as well with high humidity)

A) Spray roof of coop (or roof of run, if you have a solid roof) with water from hose.

B) Hang shade cloth over area near coop to help lower temps under cloth and around coop in general.

C) Dampen ground in a shady area for them to dust bath in cooler, moist soil.

D) put ice in their water...and have a shallow dish they can 'wade in' to cool their feet.

E) Give them a block of ice in a quiet shady area they can lay near to cool off. I freeze gallon jugs of water just for this purpose in the summer. ( Note, on really miserable days, I 'bury' a 20 oz. soda bottle, with frozen h2o in it, in their favorite nesting boxes. I slide it into an old sock to slow melting and to soak up condensation)

F) and, of course, frozen treats and/or chunks of ice with treats frozen in them.

G) (only if dry where you are) Mister high up to help cool area.

I didn't mention fan since you stated you are already deploying that. I will say that I started using shade cloths 2 years ago and they make much more of a difference than I expected.

Also, a longer term solution would be to plant a bush/tree/climbing vine in strategic location near coop.

Again, you probably know all or most of these strategies...but thought I'd mention them just in case.


I'm sooooo glad you found her in time! That would have been a horrible loss..the poor girl!

All good points and now I plan on adding shade cloth. Her coop is under a oak tree and has shade most of the day. It is humid here and the heat index is near 110 on a daily basis. I try to check on them often but working on a new coop yesterday I forgot to check on her.

 

[RoyalChick]

All good points and now I plan on adding shade cloth. Her coop is under a oak tree and has shade most of the day. It is humid here and the heat index is near 110 on a daily basis. I try to check on them often but working on a new coop yesterday I forgot to check on her.

I don’t know how any of you cope with those temperatures. Our heat index with humidity was only about 92 here but I still could only do one little thing and then needed a break.
At least I now have A/C working in some parts of the house - well at least until the electricity goes out again.