Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Hurricane Chickens

For once I am going to dedicate a post to someone else's chickens. You may have picked up that my brother lives in Gulf Breeze, FL where the northeastern eye wall of hurricane Sally passed this morning. Here is a video of the wind in front of his house, looking out his front door. I believe that's his lemon tree.

He has lost at least one tree so far. Winds are over 80 mph (129 kph).

He also has chickens. They have been out of the coop throughout the storm, other than roosting at night. I love this picture because it shows the winds blowing the bush in the background. Something about how he built and positioned his coop has kept the worst of the wind from them.

This is Shelly having a snack.

Here are three of them scratching around.

My brother's chickens are tough. Not even a category 2 hurricane can slow them down.

He just texted me that the eye just passed over them and the other side of the storm has kicked up. It should not be as bad but they have some hours to go.

 

[RoyalChick]

It will be fine. The crossbreeding will help. Hopefully you get that super leghorn personality.

Oh. Is the ‘leg’ in Legbar from Leghirn ancestry (I did say I didn’t know about breeds!)?

 

[BY Bob]

Oh. Is the ‘leg’ in Legbar from Leghirn ancestry (I did say I didn’t know about breeds!)?

Yes it is a cross of a Plymouth (barred) Rock and a Leghorn. The chicks have different colorings at birth so you can tell boys from girls.

 

[Shadrach]

Better genes, I take it?

They are never going to live to a great age because of the terrible things we've done to them.
But, the Leghorns here and in Italy that free range get to 5 or 6 years old apparently. The battery Leghorns, of which there are many don't live long.

 

[Shadrach]

I agree with Bob.

If you have quite a few chickens, picking a theme can make it easier to come up with names.
Shadrach seems to favour hardware for names eg Hinge, Bracket and Tap. I personally like plant names. Herbs, flowers and trees like Sage, Violet, Willow or Aspen.
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Hmmm, but none of mine are named after plants unless you count Pepper...

It may seem like that but in fact isn't so.
Hinge and Bracket for example are a singing comedy duo.
Tap is called Tap because she taps my leg like her mother Mel when she wants something.
Block, Tackle and Twine were got their names due to their eating habits when the were young.
Block used to work his way around the bowl, blocking his sister out. She got called Tackle because she would dive underneath him to get to the food. Twine had a habit of getting caught up in my boot laces.

 

[Shadrach]

How awful! A nice warm bath. I truly am the face of evil.

They will tell you given the opportunity that their label says "dry clean only".

 

[RoyalChick]

They will tell you given the opportunity that their label says "dry clean only".

Well played (as Bob would say)! I snorted out loud on a conference call and had to pretend I had allergies! Hilarious.

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes it is a cross of a Plymouth (barred) Rock and a Leghorn. The chicks have different colorings at birth so you can tell boys from girls.

Yes the guy at the farm I got them from told me they were definitely girls and you could tell from the color. But then I panicked when Minnie was so assertive and seemed to be growing her comb faster (though now I think Dotty is ahead in that department).
I haven't had time to edit the clips but I have been recording the young ladies as they try out their new voices. They are almost there. Minnie got quite a hen-like 'Bawk' going and seemed so pleased with herself she ran around bawking at everyone until Maggie pecked her and it became a honk!

 

[Shadrach]

There are not going to be any pictures from me for a while. I'm surrounded by bits of computer linked together in an impossible mess.I need some bits which I have but are in the UK. I've also got a complete small form PC which I'm getting sent over as well as the bits. It's going to be a week at least I imagine.
A major computer fail is a disaster for me. I've had both PCs die in the last couple of weeks.
I don't have a land line, r a mobile. The pigeons here don't seen the slightest bit interested in flying anywhere useful and the park wardens start having heart attacks if I light bonefires and try to send smoke signals I could try writting letters to you all I suppose given how you all like a good read.....

 

[Ribh]

There are not going to be any pictures from me for a while. I'm surrounded by bits of computer linked together in an impossible mess.I need some bits which I have but are in the UK. I've also got a complete small form PC which I'm getting sent over as well as the bits. It's going to be a week at least I imagine.
A major computer fail is a disaster for me. I've had both PCs die in the last couple of weeks.
I don't have a land line, r a mobile. The pigeons here don't seen the slightest bit interested in flying anywhere useful and the park wardens start having heart attacks if I light bonefires and try to send smoke signals I could try writting letters to you all I suppose given how you all like a good read.....

You're right. That is a disaster. How am I supposed to get my Shad chicken fix if you're on the blink? Just don't be as slow about fixing this as you have been about the book or there will be a lot of us in withdrawal & in need of serious help.