Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

I've decided that the hens are hugging me when they stand nearby. In other words, they're not waiting for treats, no. They're hugging me. That's all there is to it. Affection. Right? Right.

Social distance hugging.

 

[Ribh]

I've decided that the hens are hugging me when they stand nearby. In other words, they're not waiting for treats, no. They're hugging me. That's all there is to it. Affection. Right? Right.

Right, MJ!

 

[Ribh]

I've decided that the hens are hugging me when they stand nearby.

I went into the run today to do something & all the girls came & stood in a semi circle around me looking up & taking it in turns to *talk* to me. They didn't want anything except to spend time ~ & be noticed. Not to be picked up & cuddled though!

 

[MaryJanet]

I went into the run today to do something & all the girls came & stood in a semi circle around me looking up & taking it in turns to *talk* to me. They didn't want anything except to spend time ~ & be noticed. Not to be picked up & cuddled though!

That's a group hug!

 

[MaryJanet]

Social distance hugging.

Exactly!

 

[Shadrach]

Sydney being Mama

Sydney and the chicks had some adventures today. I did erect a small fence to block them from the pool on the garden side of the yard. It won't work for long but it will buy me a few weeks.

I threw some watermelon rings and strawberries into that portion of the yard for them to enjoy. Here is Sydney showing them the new treasure. This video has zooming in and out. I hope I don't make you nauseous.

Trying to Teach them to go to Bed

How many new parents are frustrated at bed time........All of them at one time or another. Sydney cannot understand why the chicks cannot figure out to go up the ramp to go to bed. Of course it doesn't help that she does not use the ramp herself but rather jumps up. How are they supposed to learn?

I let her try and try but every night I have to gather them up and put them on the porch so they can join up with her.

All the big coops here have ramps and after every hatch I find myself at the coop late dusk helping mum get the chicks in. It takes a few days for them to get the idea.
What is making it more difficult is the chicks can't see their mum at the opening because of the way you have the access routed. I've found a ramp directly into the coop with no further negotiations required works best. You might want to test out mums strategy if she can't get them in. Some hens will just abandon any chicks that won't follow her in. Others will try to encourage them in right up until dark, and then if not successful, come back out and cover the chicks on the ground.

 

[Shadrach]

Some of the Roosters and Cockerels actually like the cuddling.

Sad to mention it has little to do with affection. They think this is mating with the odd hen.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Barney with his klutz breaking of his top spur and his beak damage from the facial bite and swelling had become my new ”lap rooster”

How is Barney's beak Kris? I'm assuming that no news is good news and that it is slowly healing.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

It is indeed! When Bessie and Charlie were pullets they ate all the leaves. Now nobody touches it. I should rip leaves off and mix it through their feed.

Thought so. I have a couple of wormwood bushes growing through the chook wire into the run. I let my girls "self medicate"

 

[Ali James]

None of my girls are cuddly and at the moment none of them tolerate being held, but they do like hanging out with me and most of them will eat from my hand, including River who is super skittish.

Mine are just the same really - will eat from my hand and follow me all round the garden, sit by my feet, but hate being touched. Echo is the only one who squats for us, but I don't count that as her liking being stroked, it is just an instinctive behaviour.