Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

That will work great for them to hide in from the sun. Nice job

I will put more shade cloth up as well, over the old henhouse. The new one is up against the fence and we have Colorbond fences, and as they are metal they get hot. The old one is by the wire on the other side, so if I can properly shade that, it should be cooler. Charlie laid her egg today in the garden nest and the three of them have dug into the garden by the house for the afternoon.

 

[LozzyR]

It’s about 31 degrees Celsius where we live (which is right on the lake). Where we picked up the bales (about 15 mins drive) it was 41 degrees! Not getting as badly smashed as @MaryJanet is, but still.

 

[drumstick diva]

The bales make a good place to hide, if they have too.

 

[BY Bob]

Stuck Out Again

The automated door is getting my attention tomorrow. Another rainy day and it has closed too early for them. The late arrival feature which opens the door a second time 5 minutes after it intially closes is also not working. I'm going to calibrate it to stay open later as well. This is getting crazy. Everytime it is rainy and cloudy they are locked out.

 

[ValerieJ]

Stuck Out Again

The automated door is getting my attention tomorrow. Another rainy day and it has closed too early for them. The late arrival feature which opens the door a second time 5 minutes after it intially closes is also not working. I'm going to calibrate it to stay open later as well. This is getting crazy. Everytime it is rainy and cloudy they are locked out.

View attachment 1993879

Note to self: Don't get automatic doors. It rains here.

 

[Kris5902]

Good to know that even if I had power to the tractors that the auto doors aren’t as reliable as all that. Factor in the usual rainy weather here and it’s even more discouraging. I have several girls that like to push their luck with the shorter days right now, getting in those last bedtime snacks, and they often end up trying to roost on the nest box or floor because it’s darker in the “coop” area. I help them up when I get in.

We are still in full “Owl Alert” lockdown here, but with the drywall work and painting I’ve been doing spanning into the evening most days, and on the other side of the island, I’m often locking the chickens properly up well after full dark. I’ve had a few more “visits” from the owl, nocturnal, early morning, and even at 2 in the afternoon! (He’s probably just as confused by our grey weather as @BY Bob ‘s door is) Today DH picked up a nerf rival gun in town for me, or as I have begun calling it, the “Owl behavior modification device”... now I only have to wait for it to harass my birds again. I want it to associate the “bad” with the bothering of my chickens, not with that crazy human who is constantly walking up to it waving things and shining headlamps in it’s face.

 

[Ribh]

the “Owl behavior modification device”..

Love it!

 

[Kris5902]

Love it!

I’m hoping the owl doesn’t! I’m getting tired of the standoff...

 

[Ribh]

I’m hoping the owl doesn’t! I’m getting tired of the standoff...

I'm impressed that so far everyone has survived!

 

[Kris5902]

I'm impressed that so far everyone has survived!

He is very lucky... my chickens are all in the owl proof tractors. Not very happy about it in a few cases, what with the weather we have had lately, but it is still better to be a little more confined and drafty, but alive, than owl snacks.