Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

That's a good channel. All cats love the wildlife channel!

 

[LozzyR]

Without the rooster, Maleficent sits in my lap. They swarm me when I come out. When Jabber had the flock, that did not occur. He kept them on the other side of yard away from me and when they came around me he did not like it and would try to shuffle them away.

I wish my girls liked sitting in my lap.

 

[Shadrach]

I wish my girls liked sitting in my lap.

They don't sit on my lap either unless they are sick or injured.

 

[LCG Chicken Coop]

Hurry, daughter of Ruffles is getting ready to lay her first egg. She's making a major performance out of it.
The usual is the junior rooster escorts the pullets around the various prospective nesting sites making encouraging noises and nest preparations at what he considers suitable locations. (I wrote an article about this. It's in my articles section)
Hurry has been all over the place with Treacle. She did eventually make a nest in this maternity unit and one in the tribes coop.
This is hurry on her nest with Treacle standing guard.
View attachment 1998189 Fat Bird, who is the most senior hen arrived and drove Hurry off the nest. Also normal; the most senior hen has the last word in such matters.
View attachment 1998188 Hurry having been driven off her nest gives the escort call and Cillin responds, much to Treacle's annoyance who naturally got driven away. Cillin can't manage all the hens and Fudge who was elsewhere called for him and off he went leaving Treacle alone with Hurry. Hurry went back to the other maternity coop and once again gave the escort call.
Treacle was quick enough to mate with Hurry before Cillin got to the pair.
View attachment 1998187 Cillin didn't take any more chances and for a time was in the coop with Hurry keeping Treacle away.
View attachment 1998186
Despite all the drama, Hurry didn't lay an egg today.

These are my favorite posts, with the drama, suspense, and interconnected relationships like a poultry Downton Abby episode. I’m very glad you have the ability to sort it all out and report in it!

 

[BY Bob]

Who can blame her with all the commotion around her!!!

Men vying for attention, old women bullying her. My Gosh! What's a young hen to do!

 

[BY Bob]

One of the main reasons this first egg business is important to me, is if a pullet, who doesn't have the experience of the older hens, lays an egg outside, then I need to know where.
When I see the various tribes around the place I now who should be in each tribe. If one is missing I want to know why. With the hens it is usually because she's gone to lay an egg somewhere, but some times it means there are problems.

If it's a dangerous site, I take the egg and destroy the nest. The roosters are pretty good at trying to tempt the pullets to lay in the coops and nest boxes which makes life easier.

I'm sure the roosters get some kind of a kickback from you for making your life easier.

 

[Shadrach]

It is very funny to watch. I was up in the sheep field getting some wood from the shed when Hurry and Treacle appear over the bank. Hurry is in the lead by half a meter with Treacle trotting along behind. Hurry is still ear bashing Treacle. You hear the noise recede as their bums disappear through the coop door. I can hear them scratching around in one of the nest boxes. A few minutes later Hurry marches out of the coop and stands at the bottom of the ramp shouting for Treacle; off they go again.
A while later I saw then down by the bamboo patch. Hurry still marching in front with Treacle looking very apprehensive a good couple of meters behind Hurry. Hurry has gone into another tribes territory. Treacle would rather not risk a fight.
Fortunately, Donk from Tribe 3 came out of the bamboo and chased Hurry off probably shouting, 'you're not laying your eggs in my patch you young hussy'. No way Hurry was going to argue with Donk!
Over the day I saw them at five different locations. You could hear Hurry giving the escort call all over the property. The call would go off and shortly after you would have a rooster running past you shouting at the hen.

 

[ValerieJ]

It is very funny to watch. I was up in the sheep field getting some wood from the shed when Hurry and Treacle appear over the bank. Hurry is in the lead by half a meter with Treacle trotting along behind. Hurry is still ear bashing Treacle. You hear the noise recede as their bums disappear through the coop door. I can hear them scratching around in one of the nest boxes. A few minutes later Hurry marches out of the coop and stands at the bottom of the ramp shouting for Treacle; off they go again.
A while later I saw then down by the bamboo patch. Hurry still marching in front with Treacle looking very apprehensive a good couple of meters behind Hurry. Hurry has gone into another tribes territory. Treacle would rather not risk a fight.
Fortunately, Donk from Tribe 3 came out of the bamboo and chased Hurry off probably shouting, 'you're not laying your eggs in my patch you young hussy'. No way Hurry was going to argue with Donk!
Over the day I saw them at five different locations. You could hear Hurry giving the escort call all over the property. The call would go off and shortly after you would have a rooster running past you shouting at the hen.

Poor girl is going to just squat in the middle of the yard and drop an egg.

 

[Shadrach]

Poor girl is going to just squat in the middle of the yard and drop an egg.

She may well do exactly that.

 

[Shadrach]

These are my favorite posts, with the drama, suspense, and interconnected relationships like a poultry Downton Abby episode. I’m very glad you have the ability to sort it all out and report in it!

Chicken TV. It's the best!