Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

HOT

Here is the coop thermometer at 7 PM tonight. The top two numbers represent the coop.

And 2.5 hours later at 9:30 PM

Its nearly 11:00 pm and it's still over 88°F out there.

 

[RoyalChick]

I put the sprinkler on in the run when it gets hot here. It wets down the coop and the shrubs that they like to sit under. Once the sprinkler is off they will sit under the shrub and get dripped on.

When I freeze a one litre block of ice with fruit in it, it lasts for a couple of hours even on the hottest days. The girls can then paddle in the cold water to reach the fruit. They really liked tomato.

Mine like tomato too - I made myself a huge tomato salad and I gave the Princesses the pieces you cut out where the stalk is frozen in a block of ice. That was popular - but they didn't paddle in the cool water.
I am going to try sprinkling some water around tomorrow.

 

[BY Bob]

Poor Hattie.

That must have been so uncomfortable with all that backed up! I'm glad she has sorted it out now.

What story did you read to her Bob?

I wish i had a better answer. She was in my youngest daughters room so there were great choices such as The Rough Faced Girl or Madeline but I grabbed this.

 

[BY Bob]

I put the sprinkler on in the run when it gets hot here. It wets down the coop and the shrubs that they like to sit under. Once the sprinkler is off they will sit under the shrub and get dripped on.

When I freeze a one litre block of ice with fruit in it, it lasts for a couple of hours even on the hottest days. The girls can then paddle in the cold water to reach the fruit. They really liked tomato.

They were confused by the frozen blueberries at first but then they got excited. They wound up being a big hit!

 

[BY Bob]

Oh my! Please take care Bob. It is so easy to get heat stroke on those hot days.

Take a big flask of water with you whenever you are outside and take big swigs regularly.

I won't be outside except to help them over the next few days. I'm not smart enough to take good care of myself.

 

[RoyalChick]

I could do with some advice on the baby Princesses.
They are definitely growing up and now roost at night on the fire-escape rather than sleeping all cuddled up on the floor of the brooder. Adorable! I suspect the heat may have something to do with that change in behavior.
So the issue is that I eventually need them to roost on one of the big roosts because I will remove the fire escape and store it in the barn until I get new chicks again (maybe next year).
Do you think they will eventually just go onto the big roosts on their own? Or do you think I should move them over in the middle of the night? Or maybe I should put a roof on the fire escape so it isn't so comfy to roost on.
I was hoping as they got bigger they would find the fire escape less comfortable and would move off on their own. The fire-escape is made of 1x2s on edge so only 3/4" wide so not a great roost for a grown hen.
Any advice anyone? Thanks!

 

[BY Bob]

I could do with some advice on the baby Princesses.
They are definitely growing up and now roost at night on the fire-escape rather than sleeping all cuddled up on the floor of the brooder. Adorable! I suspect the heat may have something to do with that change in behavior.
So the issue is that I eventually need them to roost on one of the big roosts because I will remove the fire escape and store it in the barn until I get new chicks again (maybe next year).
Do you think they will eventually just go onto the big roosts on their own? Or do you think I should move them over in the middle of the night? Or maybe I should put a roof on the fire escape so it isn't so comfy to roost on.
I was hoping as they got bigger they would find the fire escape less comfortable and would move off on their own. The fire-escape is made of 1x2s on edge so only 3/4" wide so not a great roost for a grown hen.
Any advice anyone? Thanks!

I would move them three nights in a row and then remove the fire escape. They then know the alternative roost before you pull their current one. That's what I do when integrating before I take down the old coop.

 

[MaryJanet]

I would move them three nights in a row and then remove the fire escape. They then know the alternative roost before you pull their current one. That's what I do when integrating before I take down the old coop.

I'd give them another month to grow and see if they switch of their own accord and then do the roosting by hand as Bob suggests.

 

[RoyalChick]

I would move them three nights in a row and then remove the fire escape. They then know the alternative roost before you pull their current one. That's what I do when integrating before I take down the old coop.

Thanks. Very helpful. I don’t think I am quite ready to do that yet because they still need the protection of the fire-escape.
I will need to make some low level hidey-holes for them to escape the big Princesses before I remove the fire-escape.
So far the big Princesses have been rather indifferent to them but the littles are very timid and one glance from Maggie and they rush to the protection of the fire escape!
Mind you, Maggie can look pretty scary. Here she is studying the littles.

 

[MaryJanet]

Thanks. Very helpful. I don’t think I am quite ready to do that yet because they still need the protection of the fire-escape.
I will need to make some low level hidey-holes for them to escape the big Princesses before I remove the fire-escape.
So far the big Princesses have been rather indifferent to them but the littles are very timid and one glance from Maggie and they rush to the protection of the fire escape!
Mind you, Maggie can look pretty scary. Here she is studying the littles.
View attachment 2253234

Ok now I'm terrified.

That is a very steely glare!