Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LCG Chicken Coop]

I love the wood chips.. this is wood chips, pine shavings, and periodically I will add loads of leaves and/or pine needles.. never needs cleaning out.. and never stinks..View attachment 1943097View attachment 1943098View attachment 1943099View attachment 1943100View attachment 1943101

Those lovely chickens look so great against the wood chips. Do you have a preference for wood, or aged vs fresh?

 

[LozzyR]

So, speaking of digging...yesterday was the day I introduced our flock of 17 to the outdoor (enclosed) run with a new "compost play area" and I say it was better than a fish tank, watching chickens forage in the litter.View attachment 1943040I like it so much I think I may try a deep litter method for the run—it gets so muddy in winter (CA, no snow) that I think leaves and wood chips would be useful. Anyone try that in a run before?

What lovely chooks you have!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I hope your Deana is ok, keep us posted.

Deana still isn't laying but she seems much better in herself since the poo-ectomy.
She has more energy and is clucking under her breath again. I even saw her eating (gasp!) actual layer pellets with Tsuki today.

Of course I'll keep an eye on her, but at the moment I'm feeling quite relieved and cautiously optimistic.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Lilly wins the Coveted Roosting Spot

One of the sad things about fall is the lack of time I get with the girls in the morning and evening. Last night I was sitting out with them as they started to go to bed. Way too early for my tastes but the sun was going down.

As you know, I have been interested in what is going on with the pecking order since I saw everyone huddled together on the roost. So I watched for who would go in first.

Hattie was first to bed. Once Lilly saw Hattie had gone in for the night, she sprinted accross the yard to the coop. Of course she was too late and Hattie had the best spot on the roost as determined by Daisy, the greatest hen ever, back when the coop was new.

Now I can't see what is going on inside the coop but I can hear Hattie's yelps. It is clear that unlike the normal bed time shenanigans, Lilly is hurting her. Hattie never yelps like that. I assume that Lilly found a spot sans feathers where she could inflict pain in order to get Hattie to give up the spot. So I flipped on the coop cam and started recording so I could see what was going on.

In the 2 minute video below, you will see Hattie eventually give up and hop down off the roost, use her step to get back up and settle near the roost extension with Mal & Aurora.

You will see Mal roost up on the extension as well as Aurora look in, change her mind and come back out to check on me, run past the door a few times, and then go in and settle for the night. You will also note that despite all of the pecking order meaness going on between Aurora and Mal, there is none on the roost. I am not quite sure what that means.

I love your coop cam Bob. It's always interesting (and educational!) to see what thye get up to on the roost.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

So, speaking of digging...yesterday was the day I introduced our flock of 17 to the outdoor (enclosed) run with a new "compost play area" and I say it was better than a fish tank, watching chickens forage in the litter.View attachment 1943040I like it so much I think I may try a deep litter method for the run—it gets so muddy in winter (CA, no snow) that I think leaves and wood chips would be useful. Anyone try that in a run before?

I live in a temperate climate. My run is uncovered and originally had wood mulch in it which has mostly been dug through. I dump the grass clippings from the lawn mower in too and the girls spread it around for me.

 

[LozzyR]

Deana still isn't laying but she seems much better in herself since the poo-ectomy.
She has more energy and is clucking under her breath again. I even saw her eating (gasp!) actual layer pellets with Tsuki today.

Of course I'll keep an eye on her, but at the moment I'm feeling quite relieved and cautiously optimistic.

And what results did the poo-ectomy reveal?

 

[LozzyR]

So... if egg-song is what the hen sings when she has laid her egg and is calling for the rooster, is there a name for when they chat to themselves whilst sitting on the nest?

 

[BY Bob]

Biddy-Bitting?

 

[BY Bob]

Unfluffy Butt Friday

 

[WhoDatChick]

Awww, look at your bubbies!! I want to give them all big hugs.

I’ll hug em for ya