Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Shadrach]

Would it be Disloyal......

First, I have to say that I know I am coming to the wrong group with this but I am hoping that you all could be honest with me.

Has anyone ever heard of a White Legbar?
View attachment 2343705

Just look at it. Isn't it gorgeous. I never knew they even existed. It looks so much like my beloved white leghorn, except it has a toupee. I love toupees!

Of course how do I learn about these gorgeous chickens? Someone approached me knowing I have been talking about legbars with an opportunity to maybe be able to provide me with one or two chicks from a very late in the season hatch.

There is danger here.

• With chicks, always the chance of a rooster. Not that he would be hard to rehome or sell, just look at these beautiful birds. But it would have to be dealt with.
• The weather. They would have to stay inside our house for quite a while. Then I could be integrating new hens in the winter with snow on the ground and limited space. No free range time to help the integration if there is snow
• Technically, do I have space? The coop and run are technically big enough for 10 birds but not if I need to lock them in the coop for any extended period of time like I did when Maleficent was killed and I had to upgrade security everywhere or when it drops way below freezing.
• Is it fair to Lucky? I sent Lucky with Ned because I could not bear to split them up. Would I have kept them both if they were both hens? I'm afraid I might have. Clearly I am weak when it comes to chickens. Is it Disloyal to bring in others now.
• I know these beautiful hens exist now. I'm sure I could get some another time, right? Or is this a one time opportunity?
• If there is only 1 available I would have to get at least one other chick to go with it. How would I do that! That also means that I am adding at least 2 hens to my flock bring it back to 8.
• Blue Eggs!

I need everyone to look at this seriously and help me to decide. I really want to hear your thoughts. Especially if you see a positive or negative that I have missed.

I admit I am weak and just the pictures of these chickens has me longing for my dearly missed leghorn friends (especially you know who). Plus with Blue Eggs a little price of Mal as well, sort of, in a way, ironically.

View attachment 2343738

The first picture looks very much like Dink. I'll post a pic when I'm less tired and better organized. I've got bits of files all over the place.

 

[Shadrach]

War indeed!
I have been waiting to report in on my electric fence experiment but as it might help you I will go for it now.
First it is not that hard to set up. Not as easy as described(!) but definitely doable. But the fascinating thing is the impact it has had on the visiting wildlife - the raccoons and the foxes. I have had the fence up for 10 days and not a single one has visited. Normally I get a couple of visits almost every night.
I can't explain it except that they somehow know it is an electric fence and stay away. Worth a try!

Any electric current flowing along a wire produces an magnetic field. It's my belief that most other creatures can feel the magnetic field. The donkeys won't try to breach the electric fences here while they are on. As soon as there is no current flowing the seem to know and the walk through the fence dragging out the posts on their way.

 

[Shadrach]

Here they are.
I’ll go pecking-order wise.
Melody, the fat sassy mean BO.View attachment 2344188View attachment 2344189
Pepper, one of the Dominique twins:View attachment 2344190
Salt, the other twin:View attachment 2344192
June Bug. An EE.View attachment 2344204View attachment 2344218
Nutmeg, a SS. View attachment 2344220
And Vanilla, the sweetie. No eggs yet. EE.View attachment 2344221

Like the names and they're a lovely looking lot.

 

[RoyalChick]

Any electric current flowing along a wire produces an electric field. It's my belief that most other creatures can feel the magnetic field. The donkeys won't try to breach the electric fences here while they are on. As soon as there is no current flowing the seem to know and the walk through the fence dragging out the posts on their way.

I am pretty convinced this must be true. I did a natural experiment by forgetting to turn it on last night, and low and behold I had my first racoon visitor in almost 2 weeks.
I think I should probably finish up the fence so it can enclose the whole of the Chicken Palace grounds because I am thinking the bear may not be quite such a softy regarding the electric field. But so far it looks like racoons and foxes just avoid it when it is on.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Like the names and they're a lovely looking lot.

Thanks!
Vanilla started laying. A beautiful pale azure. I'm so happy.

 

[LozzyR]

Just as well I’ve got no plans for today.

 

[BY Bob]

You can frequently find eggs per year info. I'm guessing the lower the number in a heritage breed the longer lived they might be ?? I'm also guessing any hatchery breed bird is going to be geared towards production

I was told there wouldn't be math

Another kind of chicken math

More eggs/year = production hen + laying issues which leads to shorter lifespan.

 

[BY Bob]

"Upstate" New York State, in the northern foothills of the Catskill mountains, about 4 hours from New York City. Rolling hills and fertile valleys, it is a beautiful area. We are up on a hilltop at about 2200 feet and on a clear day we can see north across the Mohawk Valley to the faint outlines of the southern Adirondack mountains.

It's beautiful up there.

 

[BY Bob]

There! Made it just in time. Now I've got to think about just who's fluffy butt that is.
I think it's Tackle.
View attachment 2348178

I am so happy to see a post from you. This made my day. Welcome back my friend.

 

[WhoDatChick]

I don't think anyone ever stops hurting from grief, but you can adjust to living with it. So it becomes part of you, but not the main you, ideally. Here's my flock of 4 Buckeyes, they are coming up on 12 weeks old.

I'm wondering about putting a colored band on their legs to tell them apart; as they've molted they have really changed! I know Butters and Hazel(nut) by sight. And they are the boldest, especially Hazel who is like a sewing machine eating out of your hand ("Mealworms? Make way, pardon me, coming through!"). Butters leads in exploring out and about, but Hazel rules the food area. But I can only tell Popcorn and Peanut apart by Popcorn's voice. She is a little raspy, it happened one evening when they were young, during their bedtime yelling routine. And Peanut is the shyest of them and doesn't cram in for food, she hangs back. She must be lowest in the pecking order. I often use two hands with treats, and stretch one hand out to her in the back, so she gets some. At least until the others discover that second pile....

I am having trouble loading a picture. I will see about it - is 5 megs too big? It keeps stopping and then is crossed out...OK got it!View attachment 2347590

That is a great pic!!