Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

When I put all the other birds in the barn/coop, everybody goes in and finds their perches. Not Jaffar, He waits at the back door of the house, wanting to come in. (nothing I can do) He's a house rooster

 

[BY Bob]

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.

It is an acceptance when they are hanging next to you. They do not hug each other. They stand next to those they care about. They groom with them. I choose to believe that they are hanging with us showing their acceptance of us. It is a human thing to cuddle.

 

[BY Bob]

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 awesome. What stories did they tell you? Can you share?

 

[featherhead007]

It is an acceptance when they are hanging next to you. They do not hug each other. They stand next to those they care about. They groom with them. I choose to believe that they are hanging with us showing their acceptance of us. It is a human thing to cuddle.

Rocks-Ann likes to groom my mustache. (little pecks)

 

[BY Bob]

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.

She tries to get them in 90 min to 2 hours before dusk. She gets more upset the longer it takes. My concern last night was that she kept calling them from inside the coop and the chicks started wandering everywhere.

I may let it play out longer tonight as long as I can stay on top of the chicks and what they are doing.

 

[featherhead007]

She tries to get them in 90 min to 2 hours before dusk. She gets more upset the longer it takes. My concern last night was that she kept calling them from inside the coop and the chicks started wandering everywhere.

I may let it play out longer tonight as long as I can stay on top of the chicks and what they are doing.

Can you really blame the chicks? it's a whole new, big world out there to explore. It's all new to them! Good luck.

 

[BY Bob]

I love history - we have rather a lot of it in the UK - but I am woefully ignorant about the history of the native American Indians. Was a particular tribe found in PA?

At the time of the European arrival in Pennsylvania there was a confederation of native American tribes in the region called the Iroquois Nation. It was made up of many individual tribes as such as the Delaware who were located along what the newcomers would call the Delaware River.

William Penn, who founded the colony, insisted that the natives were dealt with as fairly as could be at the time. There was never any taking of their land by force, only by negotiation and treaty. Pennsylvania mean's Penn's Woods.

 

[BY Bob]

No, he's comfortably sleeping next to me. (he doesn't make any messes) and he has his own sleeping area. What a great little Partridge Cochin he is! Thanks for asking.

I'd love to see a photo of him sleeping sometime.

 

[BY Bob]

When I put all the other birds in the barn/coop, everybody goes in and finds their perches. Not Jaffar, He waits at the back door of the house, wanting to come in. (nothing I can do) He's a house rooster

It's too sweet. What a wonderful outcome from a terrible situation.

 

[BY Bob]

Rocks-Ann likes to groom my mustache. (little pecks)

That is real affection.