Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[WhoDatChick]

Roosting is a whole other story! I have seen Claire.. bottom gal in first group.. kick Ruby off of a roost!! By pecking at her feet until she moves! Claire WILL have the spot she wants.. you better believe it!!! Now, how on earth does she get away with that!? She is clearly a bottom gal who gets what she wants come bedtime ...
And as for Ruby... she doesn’t seem to care much about where she ends up at roost time... remember she is most definitely top gal!!
What is it that I always say....?

 

[BY Bob]

There is NO way Ruby, Maryn, or Rosemary... 1,2 & 3... are gonna be doing any sort of escorting for ANYONE! Except themselves! And not for each other either! Now, I’ll have to pay a bit more attention for a watcher... Rosemary is on occasion known to sound an alarm but she is in no way ALWAYS on the lookout! Actually, I have quite a few that’ll sound the alarm but Rosemary could be found doing it more often... I have also noticed that when they are doing the egg song and I come out or go in there they stop.. so perhaps I’m the “rooster” and they are satisfied when I show up

It is quite possible that you serve as a surrogate rooster. Especially if they squat for you. You may perform all of the jobs without realizing it. You bring them food and good snacks. I bet you even call them when you do bring them snacks thereby imitating tidbitting. If they hang around you and groom, essentially feeling safe. They are likely accepting you as a temporary rooster when you are there.

Rooster WhoDatChick. It has a nice ring to it.

 

[Ribh]

Very cool. Isn't it neat to watch once you understand a little more about their structure and society. It makes perfect sense that the Sentinel does escort duty as well. She is the only one really paying close attention to everything. Thanks for sharing. I love that she patrols the roost as well. I don't think I have enough hens for that to be a need and I have never seen that behavior.

Yeah I was confused for a while because when she's ready to roost she's sometimes looking for a spot on the top bar, but first she's patrolling. You can practically see her doing a head count & pecking anyone out of line.

 

[WhoDatChick]

It is quite possible that you serve as a surrogate rooster. Especially if they squat for you. You may perform all of the jobs without realizing it. You bring them food and good snacks. I bet you even call them when you do bring them snacks thereby imitating tidbitting. If they hang around you and groom, essentially feeling safe. They are likely accepting you as a temporary rooster when you are there.

Rooster WhoDatChick. It has a nice ring to it.

I do believe they may see me as rooster... everyone who lays squats for me... Ruby does it in the most determined way and Maryn does it such a way that it looks like hic-ups (that’s the best way to describe it)... if I am standing next to her and my hands/arms are moving around she is in and out of squat at every move.. it’s crazy! And yes, they do hang around me and groom themselves
And don’t know if any of you do this.. but when they are in squat I pet them firmly down their backs and go up the tail as they put it up... and after that they walk away puffing up and shaking off as if just been mated...? I don’t know if that’s weird or not but they seem to like it..

 

[Ribh]

It is quite possible that you serve as a surrogate rooster. Especially if they squat for you. You may perform all of the jobs without realizing it. You bring them food and good snacks. I bet you even call them when you do bring them snacks thereby imitating tidbitting. If they hang around you and groom, essentially feeling safe. They are likely accepting you as a temporary rooster when you are there.

Rooster WhoDatChick. It has a nice ring to it.

You have just confirmed my worst suspicions! I sometimes find it quite disconcerting to have my entire flock congregate around my feet preening themselves & sunbathing when they have the whole run to scavenge.

 

[Ribh]

I do believe they may see me as rooster... everyone who lays squats for me... Ruby does it in the most determined way and Maryn does it such a way that it looks like hic-ups (that’s the best way to describe it)... if I am standing next to her and my hands/arms are moving around she is in and out of squat at every move.. it’s crazy! And yes, they do hang around me and groom themselves
And don’t know if any of you do this.. but when they are in squat I pet them firmly down their backs and go up the tail as they put it up... and after that they walk away puffing up and shaking off as if just been mated...? I don’t know if that’s weird or not but they seem to like it..

Yep. I do the same. If I forget or don't go all the way up the tail they wait. Creatures of habit.

 

[BY Bob]

I do believe they may see me as rooster... everyone who lays squats for me... Ruby does it in the most determined way and Maryn does it such a way that it looks like hic-ups (that’s the best way to describe it)... if I am standing next to her and my hands/arms are moving around she is in and out of squat at every move.. it’s crazy! And yes, they do hang around me and groom themselves
And don’t know if any of you do this.. but when they are in squat I pet them firmly down their backs and go up the tail as they put it up... and after that they walk away puffing up and shaking off as if just been mated...? I don’t know if that’s weird or not but they seem to like it..

That’s so funny, i started doing the same thing. Patsy and Daisy would wait for it. They seemed to like it. Right now only Lilly squats for me. I’m not sure what the others view me as. Perhaps just one of the gals?

 

[BY Bob]

You have just confirmed my worst suspicions! I sometimes find it quite disconcerting to have my entire flock congregate around my feet preening themselves & sunbathing when they have the whole run to scavenge.

It’s a good thing. They feel safe around you. Disconcerting perhaps but definitely good. That is good work. Their trust is not easily given.

 

[WhoDatChick]

That’s so funny, i started doing the same thing. Patsy and Daisy would wait for it. They seemed to like it. Right now only Lilly squats for me. I’m not sure what the others view me as. Perhaps just one of the gals?

One of the gals

 

[WhoDatChick]

Guess what brudda Bob ... Maggie squatted for me today!!! So you know what that means... we are real close to finding out
She also let me get her and hold her without any fuss or acting scared at all!! Then I scratched her beard feathers for a bit and she sat calmly and closed her eyes .... you know how scary they are... I think they are gonna come around and be just as curious as Kelly! Here is a pic of Maggie and Daffy getting close and pecking my shorts!