Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValerieJ]

I am aiming for about 1/2 that number. Another month or so, as we head into cooler weather, I'll be looking to get another few POLs. My older girls have now passed the 2yr mark, though still laying well, & I want to keep egg production relatively high. Hopefully it will then stabalise for a few years until the older girls start passing on.

I do that too. Actually I add about 3 every year so I'll never suddenly realize no one is laying eggs.

 

[Ribh]

Pretty much.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm missing them tonight. I'll see them in person on Thursday. It seems so far away.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm missing them tonight. I'll see them in person on Thursday. It seems so far away.

View attachment 2013595

They look content hunkered down tonight. Sweet girls!

 

[RoyalChick]

They look content hunkered down tonight. Sweet girls!

They look very fluffed up. Cold there tonight Bob?

 

[BY Bob]

They look very fluffed up. Cold there tonight Bob?

Not really. 39°F (3.9°C). Pretty mild for January.

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm missing them tonight. I'll see them in person on Thursday. It seems so far away.

View attachment 2013595

It's very hard to have to be away from them at this time.

 

[micstrachan]

Hinge and Notch got attacked by a Goshawk this evening.
Some really terrible pictures in the link.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/byc-café.948525/page-6281#post-22143585

Oh no! Poor Hinge! How is she?

 

[micstrachan]

She's going to be okay I think Bob.
I don't post many of the accident and emergencies I get here. It's a common occurrence unfortunately. Thankfully many are not fatal. However, they are all stressful which is why I'm still up at stupid o'clock in the morning.
I'm waiting to go and check she's still hanging in there and to squeeze a bit of Metacam down her throat.

Stupid o’clock! LOL!!!

 

[micstrachan]

Wow, just tried to catch up. (I was away for the weekend at X-Games supporting my husband’s 2nd cousin.) Farewell Malificent and I’m sorry about Hinge.

Predators. We have several... hawks, eagles, owls, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and even mountain lions. Only one has gotten to my birds while free ranging and I’m pretty sure it was a fox. Amazingly, nobody was seriously hurt. My run has 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the walls, top, and skirt, but there is no weed where the overlapping panels meet. They are joined by J clips, but I think I’ll reinforce with metal zip ties in some spots. There is a gopher (?) making several mounds around the run, but has not gotten in yet. We had a rat problem for a bit, but I seem to have gotten all those openings closed, as well.

Tattoos. I wanted one when I was younger, but could not think of a single thing I felt connected to enough to have it on my body forever. Really love the feather idea, though. I, too, would likely get something chicken related if I ever got one. Thinking I’m kinda past that point in my life, but you never know!

What else? All three pullets are laying and two hens are squatting again, so they might start up. Did I tell you all I’m trying to focus on flock wellness instead of illness? I suppose I won’t really know if it’s working until the hens come back into lay.

On a different note, is anyone concerned about the coronavirus outbreak?