Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

Not Quite to Alice's level
Hattie appears to holding on to some feathers. She is quite rumply though.
View attachment 2346213

You can tell where she roosts at night. She still loves the Daisy spot.
View attachment 2346214

Speaking of roosting, I have noticed that Phyllis always goes to bed before everyone else. I know nothing funny there. But lately up to an hour before everyone else and that sparked my curiosity. So I checked on her last night.
View attachment 2346216

It seems she goes in and roosts on the high roost until Lilly comes in and tosses her off. This is happening every night. I wonder what she contemplates while she sits up there alone.

She's thinking, "it's very comfy up here. Such a soft breeze on my leggies and my hair. Wait. .what was that?? No. Nothing. And again... What was that?? No. Nothing. Very comfy up here. Am I hungry? No. I like Mr Squirrel. He's funny."

 

[RoyalChick]

Here it is:

http://www.backyardpoultry.com/wiki/index.php/Chicken_Breeds_Chart

If it doesn’t work again, just type backyard poultry into yòur search engine and go to their wiki page.

THANKS!

 

[RoyalChick]

Any of your Heritage Breeds should be OK. It's the high production breeds & Hybrids that have inbred problems & so many people on BYC seem to have them ~ though I suspect a lot don't know until the problems start. Your common backyard mutt is usually really hardy too ~ one reason I think Shad's hens do so well. He's not interfering with their breeding & has ended up with strong genetics.

Smuggling one of @Shadrach's chickens back home with me is beyond tempting!
But practically it is very confusing. Maggie is a Rhode Island Red which is described as a 'Heritage Breed' (unlike ISAs), but then the vet says RIRs have been bred to 'production standards' (shudder). So I think you need 'heritage breeds' that are also not bred for production. Or, barnyard mutts which is more where I lean. I am wondering if next time I have room for new chicks I see if I can persuade @CrazyChookChookLady to part with a Ned or Lucky offspring!

Or maybe the farm guy near me where I got the Young Ladies is actually breeding real chickens not production chickens in which case that will be easy.
Thank you all for hearing me out. Still fuming

 

[RoyalChick]

Not Quite to Alice's level
Hattie appears to holding on to some feathers. She is quite rumply though.
View attachment 2346213

You can tell where she roosts at night. She still loves the Daisy spot.
View attachment 2346214

Speaking of roosting, I have noticed that Phyllis always goes to bed before everyone else. I know nothing funny there. But lately up to an hour before everyone else and that sparked my curiosity. So I checked on her last night.
View attachment 2346216

It seems she goes in and roosts on the high roost until Lilly comes in and tosses her off. This is happening every night. I wonder what she contemplates while she sits up there alone.

Oh dear - poor Hattie, she is quite a mess. But she doesn't look as miserable as Alice did so I am able to look at her!

 

[Ribh]

Smuggling one of @Shadrach's chickens back home with me is beyond tempting!
But practically it is very confusing. Maggie is a Rhode Island Red which is described as a 'Heritage Breed' (unlike ISAs), but then the vet says RIRs have been bred to 'production standards' (shudder). So I think you need 'heritage breeds' that are also not bred for production. Or, barnyard mutts which is more where I lean. I am wondering if next time I have room for new chicks I see if I can persuade @CrazyChookChookLady to part with a Ned or Lucky offspring!

Or maybe the farm guy near me where I got the Young Ladies is actually breeding real chickens not production chickens in which case that will be easy.
Thank you all for hearing me out. Still fuming

I can't speak for what America does in that Area. I just don't know. Out here you're pretty safe with a heritage breed.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Smuggling one of @Shadrach's chickens back home with me is beyond tempting!
But practically it is very confusing. Maggie is a Rhode Island Red which is described as a 'Heritage Breed' (unlike ISAs), but then the vet says RIRs have been bred to 'production standards' (shudder). So I think you need 'heritage breeds' that are also not bred for production. Or, barnyard mutts which is more where I lean. I am wondering if next time I have room for new chicks I see if I can persuade @CrazyChookChookLady to part with a Ned or Lucky offspring!

Or maybe the farm guy near me where I got the Young Ladies is actually breeding real chickens not production chickens in which case that will be easy.
Thank you all for hearing me out. Still fuming

Free chicks (or eggs) to any BYC'er!!

 

[BY Bob]

Would legbars be sufficiently genetically diverse for longer life? I don't know enough about genetics, but with three base breeds in the mix, they should do better than production hens.

I have not looked but I will. There is a lot of crossed genes in there. Are you looking for cream legbars like @RoyalChick has?

 

[BY Bob]

All good. It's all just reinforcing that the High Production hybrids have problems & unfortunately short lives. Our very 1st flock ~years ago now~ was rescue ISAs. Never again.

And my leghorns. Same thing.

 

[BY Bob]

She's thinking, "it's very comfy up here. Such a soft breeze on my leggies and my hair. Wait. .what was that?? No. Nothing. And again... What was that?? No. Nothing. Very comfy up here. Am I hungry? No. I like Mr Squirrel. He's funny."

Thank you for making me smile today.

 

[BY Bob]

Smuggling one of @Shadrach's chickens back home with me is beyond tempting!
But practically it is very confusing. Maggie is a Rhode Island Red which is described as a 'Heritage Breed' (unlike ISAs), but then the vet says RIRs have been bred to 'production standards' (shudder). So I think you need 'heritage breeds' that are also not bred for production. Or, barnyard mutts which is more where I lean. I am wondering if next time I have room for new chicks I see if I can persuade @CrazyChookChookLady to part with a Ned or Lucky offspring!

Or maybe the farm guy near me where I got the Young Ladies is actually breeding real chickens not production chickens in which case that will be easy.
Thank you all for hearing me out. Still fuming

Here, sadly, Rhode Island Reds are frequently bred to production standards.

I know that CCL would share. You just have to ask. Maybe Lucky could even hatch them for you.