Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

If the hens are getting over heated maybe they are going through hen-o-pause!

I apologize - I'm having a goofy spell myself.

 

[BY Bob]

What I need is a brain filter, otherwise anything that pops into my head -gets vocalized.

You are cracking me up. I get silly as well. Hence chickens with party hats and Halloween costumes.

 

[BY Bob]

Song Birds as an Early Warning System

I was sitting outside this morning as the girls free ranged, no free ranging without supervision, and I was enjoying the song birds at the feeders. I have had bird feeders since way before chickens. I have spent years getting different birds to come to my feeders. With the advent of the cold weather, the feeders are jammed with song birds.

At one point today there were as many as 30 birds in the feeders and trees. All of a sudden they all scattered and the flock sprinted to me. There was no flock alarm, they just took off running to hide behind me.

Then I noticed a hawk circling in the distance probably a 1/2 mile off.


Maybe having the song birds around will help to protect the flock. At least they provide another target for the hawks.

 

[BY Bob]

All Quiet on the Roosting Front

Not a single bawk tonight. Roosting was quiet and efficient. Perhaps a lesson was learned.

 

[MaryJanet]

Awww look at those dear little feather balls!

 

[MaryJanet]

Song Birds as an Early Warning System

I was sitting outside this morning as the girls free ranged, no free ranging without supervision, and I was enjoying the song birds at the feeders. I have had bird feeders since way before chickens. I have spent years getting different birds to come to my feeders. With the advent of the cold weather, the feeders are jammed with song birds.

At one point today there were as many as 30 birds in the feeders and trees. All of a sudden they all scattered and the flock sprinted to me. There was no flock alarm, they just took off running to hide behind me.

Then I noticed a hawk circling in the distance probably a 1/2 mile off.


Maybe having the song birds around will help to protect the flock. At least they provide another target for the hawks.

The one time I saw a hawk circling I also noticed the silence.

 

[Kris5902]

Today I had another “major alarm!!!” Call from the boys. They were all fussing incessantly. Someone walked down the driveway, and I think they may have had a dog with them as well! Trespassers good thing I have my watch chickens on guard!

They do seem to respond differently to different perceived levels of threats. Cat=Alarm, eagle on the ground=alarm, Raccoons=friends?, strangers walking 150 feet away or an unknown car=alarm, big birds circling above may or may not provoke alarm, but everyone usually hides under something! Owls hooting=Semi alarm

 

[LozzyR]

Awww look at those dear little feather balls!

I was going to say gorgeous fluff balls, but I think feather balls is more accurate. So cute!

 

[drumstick diva]

Thanks for the hug. If I don't get enough I hug myself

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I and a few others have a different view of chicken keeping to the majority.
The essential difference is I try to manage a chicken population rather than keep a few chickens. I want this population to be able to replace itself rather than go to the shops or hatcheries and replace those that die with yet another group of genetically challenged poor quality fowl. I keep a closed flock and I free range.
I want the chickens here to live as close to a natural existence as circumstances permit and I would rather not be burying them at 4 and 5 years old. I get attached to them.
Before the backyard chicken keeping craze took off in the USA most literature I read gave an average life expectancy of 10 years old for the heavier dual purpose breeds and 12 years old for the lighter bantam breeds. This is what I aim for. Next year I will have my first 10 year old Marans. My eldest bantam died at 9 years old earlier this year unfortunately.
Most of the local chicken keepers I know here expect their chickens to live to the above average ages if not culled, or predated. We don't have large commercial hatcheries or much in the way of keepers that describe themselves as breeders.
Many here start their flocks with an adult pair purchased form flocks with known heritage. Nobody here picks a few random chicks out a bin in the local farm store if they are serious about keeping chickens, or gets chicks delivered by mail unseen with no real knowledge of the quality of what they are getting. Some keepers here, particularly the game bird enthusiasts will travel to other countries to ensure they get quality birds.

That is very different from here, including me. I appreciate what you are doing and love hearing your stories. And I love having you comment and participate here. Frankly I would love to do the same but I do not have access to the land necessary.

Fluffy Butt Acres is a backyard pet operation. I want the girls to live as long as possible and be as happy as possible. I would like eggs but as they seem to have figured out right now, it is not required. I hope you are not offended by how I get my hens but that is what I have to work with right now.

I love your system @Shadrach . It seems ideal for the chooks with benefits for the keeper. I'd like to be able to do that too but I'm in the same boat as @BY Bob.

I like reading about your chickens though. I'm learning such a lot about chicken behavior and physiology from you Shad and everyone here.

My basic aim is to get my eggs from guaranteed happy chickens. Observing and interacting with them happens to be a side benefit!