Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

I'm going to have to fight MJ for Phyllis! I need another bird with a topknot to keep Alice company!

We can share the honour

 

[MaryJanet]

Sansa's Roosting Issue

I've posted before about how Sansa likes to sleep on the coop floor some nights. I can't explain why. She likes to sleep under the high roost for some reason. It is still occurring despot my efforts to move her to the roost. Here she is from the other night. She is that little ball on the look, bottom right.
View attachment 2137431

9 nights out of 10 she roosts on the high roost with Sidney and Lilly like this.
View attachment 2137435

I've decided to let her go. She has not migrated to the nesting box. If I see her there she is going onto the roost. I'm going to see if this satisfies her for some reason. The whole time they were in the old coop before moving to the main coop she did not roost despite being top hen. She slept on the floor in a nest. I guess she likes it there. It is not like she is outside sleeping on the ground.

This has become the usual roosting pattern. Phyllis has taken over Daisy and Patsy's prime roosting spot. Lilly has taken control of the high roost, which was built for Phyllis, of course. Hattie has never tried the high roost. Aurora has given up on the high roost and gone back to where her and Maleficent used to roost on the extension. That leaves room on the high roost for Sydney and Sansa (when she wants to roost).

The irony of all of this is that if the high roost is now the prime spot, only my Alpha hen can get there. This has led to much calmer roosting vs the old fights over the spot that Phyllis now occupies.

So 1, 4, 5 occupy the prime spot. 2, 3, 6 are on the main bar. Not what I intended when I added the high roost, but it is working for them.

I've also noticed the chickens like to disrupt my roosting plans.

I wonder if it's warmer down there with no breeze around her ankles.

I've been thinking in the yet to be built big henhouse, i may provide a diverse range of roosts so hens can choose the roost that feels most comfy. Wide and narrow rectangular, wide and narrow round, and natural branches.

 

[MaryJanet]

By the standard measures of space per bird, the Chicken Palace could house 30+ birds, but I believe a Princess needs her space (and the standard measures seem waaay too small to me) so my thought was to expand the flock very gradually maybe add 2-3 a year for the next few years.

I'm doing similar, but every 2-3 years

 

[featherhead007]

I have to wonder if some of the attitude issues are possibly a breed type thing? My Chickie Hawk also has a bit of a temperamental side (to put it mildly)

"To put it mildly" I feel your pain!

 

[BY Bob]

I love Hattie's fluffy pantaloons, and Jabber is such a handsome boy!

Thank you. I hope you enjoy their stories.

 

[featherhead007]

I've also noticed the chickens like to disrupt my roosting plans.

I wonder if it's warmer down there with no breeze around her ankles.

I've been thinking in the yet to be built big henhouse, i may provide a diverse range of roosts so hens can choose the roost that feels most comfy. Wide and narrow rectangular, wide and narrow round, and natural branches.

They will most likely, choose the ones installed the highest up, in the coop!

 

[BY Bob]

I swear I did not participate in that! Well, maybe I did just a little.

I can go find the "encouragement" if you would like.

 

[BY Bob]

Im on the fence about eventually getting a rooster (when I can actually have chickens and not just dream about them XP). We're looking for end for ourselves and tiny dinosaur friends so I'm not sure a roo is necessary.

Of course this is now, who knows what could happen when I get the chicks.

Don't lock yourself into anything yet. It's important to keep your options open.

 

[BY Bob]

Meg in Mt has a rooster called Cheap Shot. I think it's a great name.

That is a great name. I love it!

 

[BY Bob]

@Ali James
I don't know what to tell you about Major without copy and pasting his chapter from my book.
He was the chicken that led me to my obsession with chicken behaviour. His life is a rather sad story of the isolation of being the top rooster. He only had two real friends in his life, Fat Bird and a young pullet called skunk who stayed with him while he was dying. I have the fondest memories of him and his picture hangs on my wall.
He features in the end of this story.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/post-20314661

I need to read that book! It sounds great!