Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I'm just wondering if the ladder can be converted to a ramp by attaching a plank of wood under the rungs. Might give her greater confidence during her nighttime forays.

I will say that once Hattie left the roost to eat she did not go back up. She slept on the floor of the coop. I think once she is down she will stay down.

 

[MaryJanet]

They like the cushion on Mrs BY Bob's chair as well.

Now they've worked out how much they like the chairs, I wonder if they'll hop up onto the chairs while the two if you are sitting there?

 

[RoyalChick]

I will say that once Hattie left the roost to eat she did not go back up. She slept on the floor of the coop. I think once she is down she will stay down.

Yes. She didn’t come back up. It is the ladder i am worrying about. None of them have any issue with it in the day and it gets lots of use not just to go to bed. But you can see in the video she is very unsure of her footing in the dark.

 

[LozzyR]

Yes. She didn’t come back up. It is the ladder i am worrying about. None of them have any issue with it in the day and it gets lots of use not just to go to bed. But you can see in the video she is very unsure of her footing in the dark.

Can you put some rungs in between so she’s not having to reach down so far?

 

[MaryJanet]

Can you put some rungs in between so she’s not having to reach down so far?

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking when I suggested placing a plank under the rugs. Her feet would have something to rest on.

 

[BY Bob]

Now they've worked out how much they like the chairs, I wonder if they'll hop up onto the chairs while the two if you are sitting there?

Ned used me as a superhighway today. Hopped up on the footstool walked up my leg across my lap and onto the little table. He then took a nap next to my arm.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I have seen people freeze fruits in a block of ice and give it to chickens to cool them down. They peck the ice to get at the fruit. You might want to try that as well. I think I'm going to do it this week to try and cool mine down.

Yep, I have put fresh fruit, sultanas and even bits of bread in 1 litre ice blocks for the girls. I put the blocks in a tray to serve so when the ice melts the hens can dabble their feet in the cool water too.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Another Way Back Journey

Mr. Peabody, set the way back machine for July 8 to 11, 2017. It was 3 years ago that we built the big coop. Here are some photos.

This is the old coop with the connector to the big run removed. That is Patsy under the nest box and Lilly just poking out from behind the bush.
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In this shot you can see down the old coop. You've got Lilly in the foreground and Patsy and Daisy, the greatest hen ever, dustbathing on the rotted floor of the old run extension.

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This is my Dad cutting the hole in the back wall for the nest box entrance. You can see the front wall lying on the ground in the background.

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Here are the front and back walls assembled.

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This is a shot of the assembled coop looking down the front with the window in and all the walls on.
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Here is Mrs BY Bob painting the front and side the next day.
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This is a shot of the porch area before I constructed the removable porch top and finished the connector to the big run. You can see Daisy and company swinging by for an inspection.

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Just after it was painted and the paint had dried, and before I could complete the run connector and porch, a thunderstorm came through. The coop survived its first test and we got the rainbow seal of approval.
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That's for coming along on this this short trip in the way back machine. Mr. Peabody, please set the way back machine to take us back home.

Thanks for this ByBob.

I've been planning to make a sleeping coop for my girls but have had trouble visualising what to do. Thanks to you and the Way Back Machine I was able to point at the frame of your coop and say to hubby "That's what I want to do"

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Night walker
I think this is Elizabeth (a tad difficult to tell in the dark) and it is well before dawn. The poor girl can't see the rungs of her ladder and it is too steep. They run up and down it all day long and have no problem but I think I need to rethink its design if she is going to be stumbling about in the dark a lot.
When she gets to the bottom she just stands there. Presumably because it is still too dark to see what else to do!

Perhaps put more rungs on the ladder so the steps aren't as far apart?

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

That is MY Chair!

BY Bob has lost his seat this afternoon.
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Just as well you looked before sitting down!

They are adorable. I just want to snuggle them under my chin!