Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

any good news

Thanks Diva She seems to be ok for the moment, although she is not loving the pill-popping!

 

[LozzyR]

Here is my sweet girl with her half-a-beak

 

[BY Bob]

Here is my sweet girl with her half-a-beak

View attachment 1975659

I never realized how awful her debeaking was. They really messed her up. Poor girl. You've done a great thing taking her in.

 

[BY Bob]

Late Night Snack

It is pitch dark outside but I thought I would check on the ladies anyway. I am on the road and I miss them.

I saw something very interesting. Hattie was already up, eating and drinking. You can see her on the ground here, off the roost. I am surprised with it so dark that she is able to see enough to eat and drink. She must have better eyesight at night than I thought.

 

[BY Bob]

Here she is on the coop floor.

Everyone was moving around on the roost as well.

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks Shad, I love my girls. I don't think I was really prepared for how much I would feel for them.

What I've found particularly fascinating about the chickens here is their intelligence. It's the chickens social abilities that amazes me.

 

[BY Bob]

What I've found particularly fascinating about the chickens here is their intelligence. It's the chickens social abilities that amazes me.

Me as well. The complex society in which they live must be designed around survival but there are times I have trouble figuring out how that behavior would help "in the wild". That is someplace you have the advantage over me.

The other surprising thing I've noticed is their compassion for each other. They will be brutal in their pecking order and then turn around and hang with someone who is not feeling well.
There is so much more to them and their society than the majority of humans understand.

 

[mixedUPturk]

Late Night Snack

It is pitch dark outside but I thought I would check on the ladies anyway. I am on the road and I miss them.
View attachment 1975692

I saw something very interesting. Hattie was already up, eating and drinking. You can see her on the ground here, off the roost. I am surprised with it so dark that she is able to see enough to eat and drink. She must have better eyesight at night than I thought.

Wild! Ive wondered if they get comfortable and know theyre safe if theyd do something like that out of memory knowing where their things are. Im pretty sure biologically theyre eyes are just Not made for darkness. We have cones and rods as types of vision cells in our eyes that allow us to see both depth and color very well. Color blindness comes from a lack of or lesser amount of cones (my grandfather and an uncle both colorblind.) Chickens only have cones.

 

[mixedUPturk]

Ive wondered this because i have these button quail living inside and they def move around in the dark. They have tiny crops and fast metabolisms so i figure they feel a mite peckish. So it comes as no surprise to me its your big ole duel purpous gal you catch in the act!

 

[LozzyR]

I never realized how awful her debeaking was. They really messed her up. Poor girl. You've done a great thing taking her in.

Thanks Bob. I didn’t have a choice with the choosing; the guy whose business it was just picked out girls who were ready for the chop, so I guess they were incredibly lucky. It took me a little while to bond with her; she’s got a dodgy eye as well where her pupil doesn’t dilate, but then she showed her friendly nature. I could pick her up and she stayed relaxed; Penny I could hardly pick up at all.