Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

My sister sent me a tee shirt for my birthday. It says
THE CHICKEN DAD
The Myth The Man The Legend
printed on the front! I love my sister!

She certainly knows you. That is an awesome gift. Congrats!

 

[RoyalChick]

I know it is pretty popping around here.

I've thought of many things regarding the pool, including just making them live in the coop complex. That would greatly reduce the risks to their lives. Such as:

• Death by hawk
• Death by drowning
• Death by car on the street (I once found Phyllis in the street)
• Death by daytime ground predator (dogs, etc.)

And make my life easier:

• No poop to wash off the deck
• No poop to wash off the patio
• No one stealing my tomatoes from the deck planter
• No poop on my seat cushions
• No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
• No one crushing the flowers in my deck pots
• No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
• No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside

But I would also miss out on:

• No coffee clatch in the morning
• No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
• No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside
• No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
• No watching them as they move across the grass mowing it for me
• No dust pits under the magnolia tree.
• No chickens being chickens

I just feel they should have the opportunity to roam and I always feel bad when they are locked in the complex all day.

I could limit their free range to when I can guard them like a shepherd but that would limit their free range to an hour or so in the evening when I can stand guard. To me that is like recess at a prison. A nice prison but a prison none the less.

I choose to let them free range when I am home despite the risk. I feel it is a better quality of life for them and I try to manage the risk by checking on them and listening for alarm calls. This instance with Ned is the first time no one has called for help when some one has fallen in the pool. I am usually there within minutes if not seconds of someone falling in. The call for help is very distinctive.

This is not the right solution for everyone. It is how I have chosen to let my ladies live. It has cost me several hens, Dolly to a hawk, Elphie and Dusty to the pool, and sweet Maleficent to a predator. But Maleficent would not have been the special hen she was cooped up in the complex day after day.

I have an idea.
How about you set one of the cameras to look over the pool. I got the same brand and you can set them to alert you to movement. May get false positives but you can check the pool immediately on line.
Worth thinking about?

 

[BY Bob]

I have an idea.
How about you set one of the cameras to look over the pool. I got the same brand and you can set them to alert you to movement. May get false positives but you can check the pool immediately on line.
Worth thinking about?

I have done that before. I have put a camera on the whole yard and let it run all day. I did that after I lost Maleficent and I had no idea what had killed her.

That is a reasonable addition. Then I can be a security guard and just check at the camera all day.

I may just go back to this. Thanks.

 

[featherhead007]

I will let her know.

You know Bob, I did actually show BLU those pics. then I gave him a bath (his mop was dirty) I sure love that little roo! Jaffar too!

 

[BY Bob]

You know Bob, I did actually show BLU those pics. then I gave him a bath (his mop was dirty) I sure love that little roo! Jaffar too!

I have never met them but somehow I love them too.

 

[featherhead007]

I know it is pretty popping around here.

I've thought of many things regarding the pool, including just making them live in the coop complex. That would greatly reduce the risks to their lives. Such as:

• Death by hawk
• Death by drowning
• Death by car on the street (I once found Phyllis in the street)
• Death by daytime ground predator (dogs, etc.)

And make my life easier:

• No poop to wash off the deck
• No poop to wash off the patio
• No one stealing my tomatoes from the deck planter
• No poop on my seat cushions
• No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
• No one crushing the flowers in my deck pots
• No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
• No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside

But I would also miss out on:

• No coffee clatch in the morning
• No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
• No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside
• No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
• No watching them as they move across the grass mowing it for me
• No dust pits under the magnolia tree.
• No chickens being chickens

I just feel they should have the opportunity to roam and I always feel bad when they are locked in the complex all day.

I could limit their free range to when I can guard them like a shepherd but that would limit their free range to an hour or so in the evening when I can stand guard. To me that is like recess at a prison. A nice prison but a prison none the less.

I choose to let them free range when I am home despite the risk. I feel it is a better quality of life for them and I try to manage the risk by checking on them and listening for alarm calls. This instance with Ned is the first time no one has called for help when some one has fallen in the pool. I am usually there within minutes if not seconds of someone falling in. The call for help is very distinctive.

This is not the right solution for everyone. It is how I have chosen to let my ladies live. It has cost me several hens, Dolly to a hawk, Elphie and Dusty to the pool, and sweet Maleficent to a predator. But Maleficent would not have been the special hen she was cooped up in the complex day after day.

Once they are allowed to free range, it's harder on them to be stuck in the coop and run all day too. I have tried. (Remember my neighbor)? I refused to pin up my precious birds only for some psycho neighbor!

 

[featherhead007]

I have never met them but somehow I love them too.

You really would love them, I am sure of that!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Was out this evening taking pictures of Nugget and her babies Clover and Bread *don't ask, yes i have a chick named Bread*. Drumstick strolled by and realized I had my camera out and i swear he started posing for me. Here are a few of them, I do believe some chickens know what a camera is and are proud to strike a pose.

 

[featherhead007]

Was out this evening taking pictures of Nugget and her babies Clover and Bread *don't ask, yes i have a chick named Bread*. Drumstick strolled by and realized I had my camera out and i swear he started posing for me. Here are a few of them, I do believe some chickens know what a camera is and are proud to strike a pose.
View attachment 2289470
View attachment 2289471
View attachment 2289472
View attachment 2289473

At least that chicken does know how to strike a pose!

 

[LozzyR]

I know it is pretty popping around here.

I've thought of many things regarding the pool, including just making them live in the coop complex. That would greatly reduce the risks to their lives. Such as:

• Death by hawk
• Death by drowning
• Death by car on the street (I once found Phyllis in the street)
• Death by daytime ground predator (dogs, etc.)

And make my life easier:

• No poop to wash off the deck
• No poop to wash off the patio
• No one stealing my tomatoes from the deck planter
• No poop on my seat cushions
• No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
• No one crushing the flowers in my deck pots
• No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
• No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside

But I would also miss out on:

• No coffee clatch in the morning
• No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
• No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside
• No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
• No watching them as they move across the grass mowing it for me
• No dust pits under the magnolia tree.
• No chickens being chickens

I just feel they should have the opportunity to roam and I always feel bad when they are locked in the complex all day.

I could limit their free range to when I can guard them like a shepherd but that would limit their free range to an hour or so in the evening when I can stand guard. To me that is like recess at a prison. A nice prison but a prison none the less.

I choose to let them free range when I am home despite the risk. I feel it is a better quality of life for them and I try to manage the risk by checking on them and listening for alarm calls. This instance with Ned is the first time no one has called for help when some one has fallen in the pool. I am usually there within minutes if not seconds of someone falling in. The call for help is very distinctive.

This is not the right solution for everyone. It is how I have chosen to let my ladies live. It has cost me several hens, Dolly to a hawk, Elphie and Dusty to the pool, and sweet Maleficent to a predator. But Maleficent would not have been the special hen she was cooped up in the complex day after day.

Could you put the pool cover on when you're not using it, or is that too much of a pain?