Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

I have been experimenting with sprouting grains on the kitchen windowsill and feeding the sprouts to the Princesses. I have a weekly rotation of jars going (except when I travel and have to take a break).
It takes about a week to soak the grains, have them germinate and then turn green. So I start a new jar every day and feed them a jar every day. It is fun and quite pretty on the windowsill and they seem to like the freshly sprouted greens. I cannot imagine there are any bugs or worms out there right now. Brrrr.

My best chook friend does this. I’d like to try too, I just need to set things up first.

 

[Shadrach]

@mixedUPturk
A couple of things that got some coverage in PhD papers based on the Brazilian research I linked to.
The first three days after the hen sets the eggs are critical. Something that incubators do not replicate well is the hens ability to turn the eggs frequently enough or place in correct orientation. A hen can stand an egg upright in a well made nest apparently.
One great seemingly advantage of having a nest box in this house is I can observe it from most points. A disadvantage is I can also hear it. I've timed a few hens turning eggs here. I can hear them quite clearly from my bed and given how quiet it is here.......well, sleep became a problem and I had to resort to wearing earplugs for the durations.
Anyway, they turn eggs every twenty minutes on average. What I don't know is how many get turned each time.
The paper I recall had all eggs turned each hour.
The last three days the eggs should not be turned or disturbed as I believe most know.

 

[BY Bob]

I think I'll skip the meat and give them some berries. I have some in the freezer I could pull out. I don't cook for the dog or cats...not likely I'll be cooking for the chickens.

Canned tuna works great. Mine love it as a treat. And you don't have to cook it.

 

[BY Bob]

My work had left over steak stew sort of thing from a group lunch that had been left out all day and they were about to throw it away and I grabbed it all for my Princesses and cats. I can tell you chickens devour steak faster than cats! My conclusion from this experience is never to fall down in the chicken run because it wouldn't take them long to pick my bones clean!

They are truly little dinosaurs. Mine devour any meat. They even eat lobster shells. Lots of calcium in those.

 

[BY Bob]

I have a pretty ready supply of venison because there is a big deer problem in my area and we are encouraged to allow people to hunt our land. The guy who hunts by me is a retired cop and seems very thoughtful about animal welfare, so I feel (more-or-less) safe with him traipsing around my woods with a gun, and feel assured that he won't leave a deer injured and in pain. I think of him like an efficient predator. Well that is my self-justification anyway! But the point is, that whenever he gets a deer in my woods which seems like about twice a season, he always comes round with packages of meat for my freezer. I eat it sometimes but it is hard to cook because it has almost no fat at all. Anyway, I have a bit of a backlog and am planning on stewing it up for the Princesses. I imagine they will take a finger or two of mine in their rush to gulp it down.

They will love you for it. Plus it is very helpful for them.

 

[BY Bob]

I like posting pictures of the chickens here. If nothing else it gives people some idea of what their lives are like. I've got thousands of pictures. I hope nobody minds if I post a few random pictures, some with comment.
You could appreciate the omnivorous nature of chickens better perhaps by the look of Mel.
View attachment 2007306

Even in her less threatening posture she looks the part.
View attachment 2007307
Tap, Moon and Tyle as chicks.
View attachment 2007308

Mel looks every bit the carnivore.

Those 3 on the shelf are just too cute. Can't grab cans to fast in your house. Wait that's not a can of tomatoes!

 

[BY Bob]

Do you cut the meat into chicken bite sized pieces?

I always do. In order to make it easier for them to eat.

 

[RoyalChick]

Do you cut the meat into chicken bite sized pieces?

Well I haven't tried it yet. I think I am going to cut it into human-sized chunks maybe even big chunks because those chickens will tear it apart very easily particularly once it is cooked. I was going to try cooking it tonight but the venison is frozen and I have to go into work tomorrow so it will have to wait until later in the week. The Princesses had a lovely day today sunbathing in Chicken Palace run #2. They were keeping the guys company while they worked on the roof. It was 20 degrees at the warmest (-6 C) but very sunny and I think the oak leaves are quite cozy so they really spread out and soaked up the rays!

 

[mixedUPturk]

@mixedUPturk
A couple of things that got some coverage in PhD papers based on the Brazilian research I linked to.
The first three days after the hen sets the eggs are critical. Something that incubators do not replicate well is the hens ability to turn the eggs frequently enough or place in correct orientation. A hen can stand an egg upright in a well made nest apparently.
One great seemingly advantage of having a nest box in this house is I can observe it from most points. A disadvantage is I can also hear it. I've timed a few hens turning eggs here. I can hear them quite clearly from my bed and given how quiet it is here.......well, sleep became a problem and I had to resort to wearing earplugs for the durations.
Anyway, they turn eggs every twenty minutes on average. What I don't know is how many get turned each time.
The paper I recall had all eggs turned each hour.
The last three days the eggs should not be turned or disturbed as I believe most know.

Thats all very interesting. Im having a hard time absorbing much though so not really able to go look just book marking.

Yall. My uncle is dying. He had an aneurysm from his heart down to his groin. Were gonna loose him. Ive been crying so much and tryn to take my mind off of it w the site. Tryn to boil and peel the 600 eggs too. I tried to go on a trip up to them in Branson Missouri but theres just no way. As i was preparing i realized it just cant be done. Would put way to much hardship on my mostly very young family members.

Ill still be here clicking away but if im not emotional then im kinda numb and cant absorb anything.

 

[RoyalChick]

My best chook friend does this. I’d like to try too, I just need to set things up first.

Once I decided to get organised it really didn't take me that long and you sort of get into a routine. Put on kettle, rinse grains, pour kettle on tea etc.