Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

I'm glad you were able reach a settlement as they are really good workers and seem to enjoy the work!

I like any opportunity to hold my ladies so I would gladly agree to transport them! I think you won that negotiation.

And I'll bet they work for "chicken feed"

 

[Ribh]

IFLC Agreement
I have reached a negotiated settlement with the IFLC and today they were back at work in the vegetable garden - thank goodness as there is a lot of weeding to get on with!

The terms of the agreement include that I transport them to the work site, and at the end of the day let them walk back in their own time so they can stop for snacks.
Transportation to the worksite is a bit of a pain. I carried Maggie on one trip and then returned with Elizabeth and Diana (one under each arm). I take this as further proof that the IFLC has been in contact with the hens that live with @Shadrach - clearly Fat Bird is the IFLC union rep.
I wonder if tomorrow I should put all three of them in the wheelbarrow (sort of a school bus for hens). I don't see why not really.
Separately, does anyone else think Maggie looks a bit moth-eaten? Could she be molting just as we go into summer? I can't decide if her comb is pale. She seems just as feisty and energetic as normal. Maybe she is just losing some down insulation (which would make sense as the temperatures are now up in the 80s).View attachment 2169255

It looks like Maggie is having a bit of a moult to me. They need to replace their old feathers periodically. Mine usually do it in winter ~ but not always.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

A Party Without Me

While I was slaving away at my desk yesterday apparently Mrs BY Bob was having an invitation only party in the rest of the house. There was only 1 invitee apparently.

Phyllis

She has achieved what both Maleficent and Aurora never could, full access to the big coop.

I got this text while working.

View attachment 2167786

Apparently their were snacks, movies (apparently Phyllis is a Star Trek fan), and good conversation.

And I was not invited!

It is clear that I have lost all control of the situation. She is back in the big coop this morning!

Day 18: My Cutie has a Mean Streak

Sydney came off the nest about 40 minutes later today. It is cooler out today after the storms last night. I wonder if that had anything to do with it? Any thoughts on that @Shadrach or others?

She came running out as usual, took a big drink and started scratching for food. Phyllis came over as she did yesterday but her posture was much different. Phyllis extended her neck very high.......now sometimes she does this to see something but her posture was wrong for that.......Phyllis maneuvered herself directly in front of Sydney......... this is when Sydney first took note.........and then Phyllis attacked.

While Sydney was not quite ready, she did not back down. A rumble ensued and the end result was Sydney standing on Phyllis.

Never one to let an opportunity go uncapitalized, that is when Lilly struck at Sydney's back from behind. There was a flutter of wings and everyone separated.

I had hoped things were decided but Phyllis was not deterred.

Sydney went to dust bathe and Phyllis went over towards her. I started the camera to catch what was going to happen next. Pecking order fights are never easy to watch but I think you will find this interesting. Watch for Lilly again, right at the end.

Lilly's last attack resulted in this.
View attachment 2167972

Forgotten & Forgiven

And just as quickly as it happened, apparently it was forgiven. Phyllis returned later and they hung out together for over 20 minutes. No signs of aggression from either party.

Amazing animals.

View attachment 2167985

Being invited into the big coop has given Phyllis ideas above her station!

I can just see you and Mrs ByBob in a few weeks watching Star Trek of an evening with a chicken in each of your laps

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Say Goodbye to Easy Worms

Today was the final day for them to have access to the garden. They took good advantage to the final visit.
View attachment 2169221

I am relatively sure that we are done with snow for the year, So the garden is finally planted.
View attachment 2169227

No more chicken access.

That's a lovely chicken barrier fence Bob.

IFLC Agreement
I have reached a negotiated settlement with the IFLC and today they were back at work in the vegetable garden - thank goodness as there is a lot of weeding to get on with!

The terms of the agreement include that I transport them to the work site, and at the end of the day let them walk back in their own time so they can stop for snacks.
Transportation to the worksite is a bit of a pain. I carried Maggie on one trip and then returned with Elizabeth and Diana (one under each arm). I take this as further proof that the IFLC has been in contact with the hens that live with @Shadrach - clearly Fat Bird is the IFLC union rep.
I wonder if tomorrow I should put all three of them in the wheelbarrow (sort of a school bus for hens). I don't see why not really.
Separately, does anyone else think Maggie looks a bit moth-eaten? Could she be molting just as we go into summer? I can't decide if her comb is pale. She seems just as feisty and energetic as normal. Maybe she is just losing some down insulation (which would make sense as the temperatures are now up in the 80s).View attachment 2169255

Oh thank you for that understanding. I thought molting was triggered by shorter days and/or colder temperatures, but if that is not the case then indeed you are right I have no idea. I hope it isn't heavy like Alice, that would upset me as you all know.
You may be right on the wheelbarrow idea - I might give it a go anyway, though you are right it is fun being the chicken carrier of choice.

Maggie's chest is looking a bit disheveled. Hopefully it won't be as heavy as Alice's moult, but if it is at least your weather is warming up and a heavy moult seems to be fast!

 

[LozzyR]

That's a lovely chicken barrier fence Bob.




Maggie's chest is looking a bit disheveled. Hopefully it won't be as heavy as Alice's moult, but if it is at least your weather is warming up and a heavy moult seems to be fast!

I have to ask you about Alice’s moult ACM; how was she with eating? I gave Charlie some beef mince and shredded cheese tonight as I think she’s pretty much only eating grass. She’s not really interested in eating much of the wheat grain and she’s even turning her beak up at sardines! I don’t think she’s eating much of the layer feed, there were some pretty watery poos today. I’ll worm them soon too.

 

[Shadrach]

Well I learned something new about my cameras. Without paying for an upgrade I cannot do continuous video recording. It looks like they max out around 30 min. My plan now is to do it while I'm at my desk Monday and record several hours in 30 min increments. Will that work @Shadrach ?

Probably not Bob. No worries. Just go and sit in the coop for a couple of nights and take notes.

 

[Shadrach]

Do your roosters ever interfere in hen fights or do they just let the ladies work out out on their own?

It would seem to depend on the participants in the dispute and what the dispute is about. They probably know while I often don't.
It also depends on the level of violence.
But, in general yes, the roosters help keep the squabbling between the hens in their tribe to a minimum. If it's a dispute with a hen from another tribe the roosters tend to make it worse by joining in. They are very like humans in more ways than some may find comfortable to acknowledge.

 

[Shadrach]

It has been very different between Sydney and Maleficent. Everyone has taken on Sydney. And she has been very clucky and puffed out. Only once did anyone try Maleficent. In that instance she stared down both Lilly and Hattie at the same time, otherwise they gave her a wide berth.

Now Mal was 3 out of 4, not 5 out of 6 but she was also a very different personality than Sydney. Maleficent would have been alpha at some point. I do not see Sydney ever being alpha hen. It just doesn't matter enough to her.

Don't even think about it!
View attachment 2169012

This is similar to a hen that lived with Tribe 2 called Mini Minx. You just didn't mess with her even though she wasn't top hen. Same with Dink, even the roosters didn't mess with Dink. I've seen Dink fight two roosters and a hen at the same time and hold her own.

 

[Shadrach]

There's been a shift in the pecking order with Sydney out of the picture. i'm betting Phyllis is pitching to move up the rankings.

I think there is much misunderstanding about the so called pecking order and like many observations reflects more of the observers view than of the reality of the situation.
Some assume that climbing the pecking order is the natural desire/drive of any chicken. This isn't what the evidence demonstrates. It seems to stem from the belief that chickens are primarily competitive. The evidence doesn't bear this out either.
Stability is what I see as being most important in the chicken world. In all the tribes the most senior in position is the most senior in age. Getting to be senior has very little to do with aggression or competitiveness from what I've seen. Fat bird couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag yet she is undoubtedly the senior hen. She has earned the right to peck at the juniors and nobody challenges this.
Ruffles used to do Fat Birds fighting so this is cooperation rather than competition. If chicken society was as competitive as some would have us believe chickens would have died out long ago. One can imagine in a group of ten hens for example it would be a constnat battle by each individual to get the most food, the best roost position, etc etc. It isn't in fact like that. The level of violence is minimal. The pecks that one sees in many of these confrontations hardly disturb the feathers of the receiver. This should be obvious because if the pecks made contact or were intended to do damage after a nights roost squabbles the hens would end up covered in blood. But, people like to believe what they like to believe despite the evidence.
Even for the lowest ranking chicken, better in the tribe at the bottom than constantly fighting to elevate their position and in extreme conflict, expelled from the tribe. Nobody wants to live with an Attila.
I've written a bit about this in the book. I'll lash up a version and post it.

 

[Shadrach]

IFLC Agreement
I have reached a negotiated settlement with the IFLC and today they were back at work in the vegetable garden - thank goodness as there is a lot of weeding to get on with!

The terms of the agreement include that I transport them to the work site, and at the end of the day let them walk back in their own time so they can stop for snacks.
Transportation to the worksite is a bit of a pain. I carried Maggie on one trip and then returned with Elizabeth and Diana (one under each arm). I take this as further proof that the IFLC has been in contact with the hens that live with @Shadrach - clearly Fat Bird is the IFLC union rep.
I wonder if tomorrow I should put all three of them in the wheelbarrow (sort of a school bus for hens). I don't see why not really.
Separately, does anyone else think Maggie looks a bit moth-eaten? Could she be molting just as we go into summer? I can't decide if her comb is pale. She seems just as feisty and energetic as normal. Maybe she is just losing some down insulation (which would make sense as the temperatures are now up in the 80s).View attachment 2169255

Hens do have partial moults through the year so it is possible.