Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[TopazMaster91]

Duct tape around the bottom. I did that with some fence I used. It will buy you a week. After a week I don't think 8 square feet will be enough.

SO, we got everything set up in the run, the cage is secure, has food, water, shavings, and a nest box; we carried Yuki (the perpetual broody) INSIDE the nest box, set it down in the cage, then waited a minute. Then we stuck the chick down near her tail. Yuki woke up, pecked behind herself a few times, somehow turned herself around completely, seemed to fall asleep. Then she woke up, preened for a few minutes, fell back asleep again. Couldn't see well, but pretty sure the chick is under her; it was quiet, not peeping anymore. We shall see how this turns out, hopefully the pecking was an instinctual "what is touching me, in the dark!" reaction and she bonds to the chick overnight + in the morning. She has been broody for around a month and a half with no signs of stopping, so she should accept the chick, it's only MAYBE 24 hours old at this point.
I set an alarm for 5am, going to wake up early to go out by the run and watch/listen in case I have to intervene. Hoping for the best!

 

[HudspethsHens]

Hackle feathers are on a roosters neck. Here is Jabberwocky all grown. He has hackle feathers on his neck. They are pointed.

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[HudspethsHens]

Sadly this beautiful chicken who I was hoping was a hen starting crowing the other day. Next week I have to re-home him.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

The Video I Always Wanted

I always pictured a Barred Rock with chicks walking across my side yard as the ultimate idyllic chicken video. Here they are.

Extremely idyllic Bob.

SO, we got everything set up in the run, the cage is secure, has food, water, shavings, and a nest box; we carried Yuki (the perpetual broody) INSIDE the nest box, set it down in the cage, then waited a minute. Then we stuck the chick down near her tail. Yuki woke up, pecked behind herself a few times, somehow turned herself around completely, seemed to fall asleep. Then she woke up, preened for a few minutes, fell back asleep again. Couldn't see well, but pretty sure the chick is under her; it was quiet, not peeping anymore. We shall see how this turns out, hopefully the pecking was an instinctual "what is touching me, in the dark!" reaction and she bonds to the chick overnight + in the morning. She has been broody for around a month and a half with no signs of stopping, so she should accept the chick, it's only MAYBE 24 hours old at this point.
I set an alarm for 5am, going to wake up early to go out by the run and watch/listen in case I have to intervene. Hoping for the best!

I hope it works out for you and them

 

[LozzyR]

A Very Sweet Gift

Someone we all know sent a very sweet gift to me for Eve. It was totally unnecessary but they felt the need. I am so very grateful. Thank you so much @LozzyR .

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You are more than welcome, thank you for the lovely T-shirts, they are my new favourites. I hope Eve enjoys the books.

I wanted to share a little video; an Australian theatre group did a play of Diary of a Wombat. I took my son to see it a few years ago and it was wonderful. The video talks to the author Jackie French and shows bit of the play.

 

[BY Bob]

SO, we got everything set up in the run, the cage is secure, has food, water, shavings, and a nest box; we carried Yuki (the perpetual broody) INSIDE the nest box, set it down in the cage, then waited a minute. Then we stuck the chick down near her tail. Yuki woke up, pecked behind herself a few times, somehow turned herself around completely, seemed to fall asleep. Then she woke up, preened for a few minutes, fell back asleep again. Couldn't see well, but pretty sure the chick is under her; it was quiet, not peeping anymore. We shall see how this turns out, hopefully the pecking was an instinctual "what is touching me, in the dark!" reaction and she bonds to the chick overnight + in the morning. She has been broody for around a month and a half with no signs of stopping, so she should accept the chick, it's only MAYBE 24 hours old at this point.
I set an alarm for 5am, going to wake up early to go out by the run and watch/listen in case I have to intervene. Hoping for the best!

Boy I hope this works.

 

[BY Bob]

Sadly this beautiful chicken who I was hoping was a hen starting crowing the other day. Next week I have to re-home him.

That's tough. I'm sorry.

 

[RoyalChick]

I am just loving bribery by live meal worm!
This morning I woke up 6 tiny meal worms from the fridge and headed off to the Chicken Palace. The little Princesses did not squeal and panic on my approach. They didn't rush towards me like the big girls do, but they stood there watching me carefully, and when I put my hand in their brooder-Mansion with a meal worm on it they dived towards my hand to get the worm.
6 meal worms should be 3 each. However, Minnie (the small one) is by far the most adventurous and so she got there first for 5 of the 6.
Her way of keeping the worm away from Dotty is to grab and run. With one worm she made a tactical error by running out of the brooder-Mansion and onto the ladder and then dropping the worm.
It landed like manna from heaven for Diana who happened to be passing by. I think Diana may have had a religious conversion as she had never seen a meal worm before!
The score is: Minnie 4; Dotty 1; Diana 1; meal worms 0.
The big winner though is me as I am definitely slowly taming the baby Princesses.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Just a quick note, my phone is not working and I don't have internet at home, so I'll be MIA for a bit.

I went kayaking on the river yesterday and I unintentionally took a swim 3 times.

My phone also took a swim. Now it won't recognize the sim card. It's been in rice, but I have the extended warranty on it, so it should be fixed soon.

Happy 4th of July to all my US friends!

 

[HudspethsHens]

That's tough. I'm sorry.

I am pretty sad about it and not sure how I will transport him. I have a good size box and only have to go 6 miles.
I am also concerned with how the others will do with him gone. I watch them at dusk and he is always the one up in the coop last after making sure the rest have gone up. Time will tell.