Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

You are very sweet to say so.

I think I might have been having a flashback. In the early days of the internet, I was paid to write a sports column for the local newspaper because all of the regular "paper-based" communists thought it was beneath them to write for the internet. The offseason was the worst trying to come up with reasons for columns.

That was pressure.

This is fun. I treasure this and would very much hate to see it die out. However, I am quickly realizing that there will always be something to talk about as these birds are a constant source of surprises. Add to that everyone else's stories, be they hens on strike, roosters learning and gaining their own hens, or hard molts, there will be plenty to talk about. I am very grateful that you have all chosen to share your stories and photos here. I am blessed to know you all if only virtually.

Thank you for that, But, you have never met my fowl rooster! You forgot rooster wrestling and "Wildlife fun"

 

[WhoDatChick]

No, I can't let mine sit either & I can't keep a rooster. They have to be stopped for their health imo. I am so interested in what Bob is doing because I have broodies & will probably never see them hatch a clutch. I am so pleased for him that he is able to do it even if just once.

I was able to stop my bantams from being broody as I have a broody jail that will only accommodate bantams.. so I have left Sunny (BO) and Rosemary (Australorpe) to stay sitting until they are done being broody on their own... it’s been at least three weeks or more by now.. they seem fine and healthy.. Rosemary may be on her way to being done but not quite and Sunny is holding out for sure... I don’t mind leaving them to work it out on their own.. the only downfall to this approach is that they hog some of the nests! I plan to make more for this reason.. even though I do have an adequate amount.,. I do believe that in the future I will no longer use broody jail and just let them sit till done... Shads words got me.. the bit about how they cannot dust bathe ... I didn’t even think of that!

 

[featherhead007]

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

Phyliss has always been a Star Trek fan, didn't you know?

 

[WhoDatChick]

Rooster Dance



If you don't mind @Shadrach I'd like to dive into this rooster dance a little more because I have video of Jabberwocky doing his "dance". It seemed to me that he isolated a hen and then, as I called it, "gave her the wing".

Can you explain how this is a herding shuffle? I very much want to understand the behavior here. Why is he doing this?

This is so interesting! I know very little about roosters but it does appear to be that he is separating/herding them.. did he try to mate with them after this? Or is that all he did..?

 

[BY Bob]

I have read this thread on and off for a while. I am not sure if I have participated before, partly because I don't have chickens, yet. (The incubator is running with chicken eggs, and I have raised ducks, quail, and guinea fowl.)

I enjoy this thread because of the different perspectives here. There's BY Bob with his small hen only city type flock, Shadrach with his free ranging country tribes, and all the other participants with their perspectives from their particular circumstances. It's awesome that everyone here is learning from each other's flocks!

Nice to hear from you. I'm glad that you appreciate what is going on and the conversations here. Please know that you are welcome to comment anytime and we will love to see chick phtots when the time is right!

 

[BY Bob]

I was able to stop my bantams from being broody as I have a broody jail that will only accommodate bantams.. so I have left Sunny (BO) and Rosemary (Australorpe) to stay sitting until they are done being broody on their own... it’s been at least three weeks or more by now.. they seem fine and healthy.. Rosemary may be on her way to being done but not quite and Sunny is holding out for sure... I don’t mind leaving them to work it out on their own.. the only downfall to this approach is that they hog some of the nests! I plan to make more for this reason.. even though I do have an adequate amount.,. I do believe that in the future I will no longer use broody jail and just let them sit till done... Shads words got me.. the bit about how they cannot dust bathe ... I didn’t even think of that!

If I have learned anything through this it is that Sydney is absolutely driven to dustbathe. I'm not sure if drinking comes before it on the priority list or not!

 

[BY Bob]

Phyliss has always been a Star Trek fan, didn't you know?

I was truly unaware.

 

[BY Bob]

This is so interesting! I know very little about roosters but it does appear to be that he is separating/herding them.. did he try to mate with them after this? Or is that all he did..?

He tried to mate with them constantly. Whether they wanted to or not. I'm not certain I could correlate or separate the two events.

 

[featherhead007]

I was truly unaware.

By Bob, You really need to take away that cell phone from Phyllis. Her and my roo BLU, seem to talk for hours on end. I noticed many collect calls on my phone bill. Who is Phyllis trying to fool?

 

[BY Bob]

Day 17: The Battle Rages On

By the time Sydney emerged today the batteries were drained on both of my devices because I had spent so much time on BYC. So no videos exist of what I'm about to describe. Sorry.

First of all, it is even cooler today than yesterday and Sydney was almost 3 hours later than what was usual in coming off the nest. I think starting tomorrow I may try charting the coop temp when she comes out. I have a thermometer in the coop.

Phyllis was back at it today. She tried a surprise attack from behind by leaping into the air with the intent of landing on Sydney's back while Sydney was turned away. This attempt failed. Phyllis got beat up.

I will say this for Phyllis, she is determined. She came at Sydney head on the second time. Sydney saw this coming and it ended with Sydney standing on Phyllis until Sansa came over, launched her own attack, and snagged a feather out of Sydney's back.

The third attack was instigated by Sydney. She saw Phyllis and went full turkey! Wings out and spread, every feather fluffed out, stare down, and then full out assault! Phyllis did not run but she got stood on again for her troubles. As none of the other hens were nearby, it lasted as long as Sydney wanted.

The fourth incident was different. This started with a stare down between the two. They were beak to break. Only Sydney's head was moving. Phyllis was dead still. It looked like Sydney was trying to see under Phyllis' mop top. Frankly I was a little concerned that she might peck Phyllis in the eye. Instead Sydney did wack her on top of the head. It was an interesting technique as she almost struck more from the side than above.

There was no make up time today. They did not groom together.

It has been very hard to let all of this go on without interfering. I keep telling myself this is all natural and needs to happen. What I did do today was keep anyone from interfering with Sydney's dust bath. If any of the other hens wandered over, I politely shooed them away.

Right before she went in for the day I had a device with which I could snap a few shots. Here is the mom to be.