Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValerieJ]

Opened up Tribe 3 this morning to find Donk eating bits of one of Knocks eggs with an almost fully formed chick in the egg. I've spared you the picture. It's a reminder that sometimes they are not quite such cute fluffy butts. Trashed the egg and evicted Donk.
I may move Knock in her nest box to another coop. I would place good money on it being Myth who dragged the egg away from Knock. Knock is the most junior hen in the tribe.
Back to the advice I've received here; only let your senior hens sit and hatch.
I was a bit late letting Tribe 1 out due to the above drama. By the time I had collected up all the feed trays, changed all the water, got the sheep out and inspected and got back to my house, Hurry from Tribe 1 was waiting outside my house. As soon as I went in she followed and got into the nest box.
A video camera would be a handy thing.
Here she is getting ready to lay her first ever egg.
View attachment 2001322
The egg must have been well on it's way. She was only in the nest box a few minutes when she stood to deliver. She's standing to far up! She'll crouch more after she's got the hang of it. View attachment 2001323
There seems to be a point in the oviduct where as far as the hen is concerned the egg is out. Lots of Pullets laying for the first time get caught out by this. Hurry gets off the nest and heads towards the door with me trying to follow behind crouched over with my hand out. Hurry put on a burst of speed, probably thinking I was trying to catch her and out fell the egg onto the concrete floor.View attachment 2001324
Hurry didn't even break stride, went straight out the door and gave her first proper escort call. Treacle was there in seconds. Last I saw of them they were walking side by side over the house roof with Treacle doing elaborate herding shuffles around her. View attachment 2001325
Unfortunately the egg is broken.

I love your chicken stories! Good for Hurry! She finally laid an egg!

 

[Shadrach]

Did you eat the egg?

Not yet. I've put it in the nest box for now.

 

[Shadrach]

Scrambled eggs for lunch?

Congratulations on the first egg! She will get better at this. Do you think that she will keep using that nest?

I do. All Tribe 1 use it. I've had a procession of hens checking it out today. Bear in mind it's been stripped out for a while.

 

[ValerieJ]

I do. All Tribe 1 use it. I've had a procession of hens checking it out today. Bear in mind it's been stripped out for a while.

But it has straw in it now and they are all excited that you gave them their nest back!

 

[WhoDatChick]

So quail. I have so many quail. I have made these collages while we wait on me to go get new good Svart Hona pics (which i need anyway for sales ads later so thanks the kick in my rear!) Enjoy!

I will write in the color variety types in this format 1, 2
3,4
View attachment 2001253
1 Tibetan
2 pansy
3 grau fee
4 unknown color possibly 1 time weirdo

View attachment 2001255
1 Italian
2 chocolate
3 blue phase of silver collection
4 silver tux phase of silver collection

View attachment 2001256

Cream
Red range
Lotsa newly hatched babies

I have more colors but i think thats plenty

These are lovely! Great job

 

[WhoDatChick]

Just beautiful eggs. I love seeing them. You are most fortunate.

Tanks Bob!

 

[Shadrach]

So quail. I have so many quail. I have made these collages while we wait on me to go get new good Svart Hona pics (which i need anyway for sales ads later so thanks the kick in my rear!) Enjoy!

I will write in the color variety types in this format 1, 2
3,4
View attachment 2001253
1 Tibetan
2 pansy
3 grau fee
4 unknown color possibly 1 time weirdo

View attachment 2001255
1 Italian
2 chocolate
3 blue phase of silver collection
4 silver tux phase of silver collection

View attachment 2001256

Cream
Red range
Lotsa newly hatched babies

I have more colors but i think thats plenty

They're very cute. I don't think they are for me though.

 

[mixedUPturk]

Thank you all for the compliments on the quail, i love em to bits and yes the colors are very pretty! Wish you could see em in person, such neat little birds over all. If anyone decides they Do want to consider branching out into them please PM me and id be glad to give you a few pointers. Works really well for hatchaholics

 

[Shadrach]

Todays nest box testers.
Mel back, just to make sure.
Moon was next. She's thinking about where she should lay her eggs. She's a bit strange and has been checking out Tribe 2 and Tribe 3 coops.

Treacle on escort duties for mum Mel.

Fudge, just checking.

 

[Shadrach]

Walking up the sheep field track this afternoon I see these two having a bath. This is a very dangerous spot. You can just see past the dogs and accross the field the bottom edge of the West ridge. This is where the Goshawk sits watching the field below and of course the bank opposite where the hens are bathing. I'm about to climb down and move them when I see Cillin standing guard.

Why is he standing so far away I wondered.

Walking a bit further I understood his problem. There are two bath sites!

Cillin shouting.

Along comes Treacle who tries to herd the hens out of the bath.

Cillin moves to the other bath and herds the hens out of that one.

You can see from the pictures that the bank is quite steep and there are lots of trip hazards. Get it wrong and you roll on to the track at the bottom of the bank. Needless to say I've done the full journey.