Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Aussie-Chookmum]

An Intervention

After shooting the roosting video I decided I would observe roosting in person for a while. So each evening for a few nights I sat outside Abe watched how they went to bed from the outside of the coop.

Now my presence does effect how they roost. They will stay up longer assuming I have treats. This tends to draw out the process with Aurora and Sydney starting out until the last possible moment waiting for treats. This will usually have the effect of calming down the roosting with Lilly and Phyllis getting settled early and everyone not having enough daylight to pick on anyone.

Normally, this is my influence on the process.

As you all know I try my best to let them run their own society as best I can. I hate to directly intervene in their organization outside of whatever my presence among them might create.

The other night I intervened in the roosting process. I had to. It was quickly going too far for my comfort.

I watched as first Lilly, then Sansa, and then worst of all Aurora ran Phyllis completely out of the coop. Much like Tsuki's Gandalf move, Aurora was dead set on Phyllis not roosting in the coop. Aurora roosts right by the door and would jump down and chase Phyllis every time she tried to enter the coop. As a result, Phyllis was desperately looking for somewhere else to roost.

The last hen I had that liked to roost outside was Maleficent. It was a result of Lilly doing the same thing to her and Aurora. It cost Maleficent her life. I was not going to let this continue.

So I called Phyllis to me. Like always she came running. Of course Aurora thought I had something good to eat and she came following after Phyllis. I scooped poor Miss Phyllis up and decided to place her on the roost as far from Aurora as possible.

That meant someone had to move. I opened the coop door and there sat poor Hattie all molty. I need you to move Hattie. I want you between Aurora and Phyllis on the roost. She did not want to move.

So I poked her with my finger. Not hard, just a little poke.

Poke Poke Poke

Hattie shuffled down the roost. I put Phyllis on the roost in Daisy’s (the greatest hen ever) favorite spot.

Hattie did not like that. She started towards Phyllis and pecked her to get the spot back.

I was not having it. I poked Hattie again, Poke Poke Poke

She did not like that and shimmied down the roost away from Phyllis and settled.

In the meantime, Aurora had re-entered the coop and assumed her nightly spot at the other end of the roost. Everyone settled on the roost and I closed the door.

All of this solved one night. I pondered what the long term solution might be. I was very concerned because I can't intervene every night and roosting outside is dangerous.

So without a solution and with much trepidation I went back out the next night to observe. What I saw made me very happy. Everyone roosted just like the old days. No chasing, no fuss. Every hen in her spot. No roosting shenanigans at all. They all went to bed quietly, in order. No muss, no fuss.

So did Hattie read everyone the riot act after losing her spot and getting poked?

Or did this establish Phyllis as protected by me and thus inviolate?

I wonder.

Further observation to come.

Wow. That is such a good outcome. I hope it keeps up and they all continue to settle peacefully.

I must try poking Tsuki..

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

This phone has too many features. Even has a way to take my pulse

As long as you don't have to stick it anywhere to take your temperature!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Reassurance needed.
You all know I am sensitive to molting pictures. And that is partly because this is my first molting season.
Maggie is hit badly (nowhere near as badly as Alice was) and I worry.
I am 90% sure this is normal and it is her pin feathers growing but I took a picture of poor Maggie’s not-very-fluffy-butt (sorry Maggie) just to get reassurance from you all - my chicken@-ey friends.
This is normal right?
View attachment 2379580

They look like pin feathers to me.
It's fascinating watching them grow and split open to reveal true feathers. You could take a picture a day to compare them RC!

 

[BY Bob]

The owl that decimated my flocks earlier (7 birds!!!) was a barred owl, a smallish but aggressive and territorial owl, which is an invasive species here and known for driving out other native owl species. It was only a few pounds actually, and had a tiny body under the many fluffy feathers. Nothing that goes on a wanton killing spree like that is allowed to stay here though. I wouldn’t underestimate the hawk, even if they are small. I’ve had a few Hawk stoops, all smaller sharp shinned or Cooper’s hawks (I think... ID’s are hard when they dive that fast) but thankfully my Roosters have been alert, and they aren’t those scary crazy goshawks! As in they didn’t dive under or through the cover my flock was using.

I remember that nasty old owl. I did not realize that it was actually that small.

 

[BY Bob]

Our eagles (when they do decide to “hunt”) usually take baby goats and then drop them off the cliffs here. The noise is quite unnerving. Thankfully,we have no rabbits here. Suggestion of raising rabbits for meat are almost enough to get you run off the island with torches and pitchforks. It’s amazing what some environmentalists, are capable of... in nearby Victoria there is quite the problem with rabbits, doing what they do naturally population wise, and it’s not legal to harvest them from public areas. Because they may be released pets... (we could feed the homeless, reduce the invasive species, and create jobs all at once, but for the delicate sensibilities and cuteness factor

Rabbits are quite delicious. That's unfortunate.

 

[BY Bob]

I didn’t think that word had gotten around so fast! Between the chicken murdering bovines and the deer that attack cars here (and bicyclists of nearby Pender island) I’m surprised there isn’t a beak book PSA warning of them.
View attachment 2379821
note: how the deer on the (ACTUAL) road sign is destroying the car and yet is completely unscathed? We have super deer here!

That is special. You truly have tough deer.

 

[BY Bob]

I should really be getting to some late night chores to prepare for tomorrow Morning... but having looked up several dozen “how to replace an RV toilet” videos, I have decided that I’m probably just going to keep trying to catch up here for a bit. Just Close the lid... check the RV places on the way home, maybe order one off amazon? Considering the pros and cons of building an outhouse vs asking the aunt in law (via my mother or DH) about shipping it to their house if I do order one... yes that’s how my night is going... and just 6 hrs to go until we pack up most of the meat birds for their one way road trip...

I'm glad we could provide some distration for you. I won't ask what happened to your toilet.

 

[BY Bob]

Hi

yep, but they found that out the hard way... the university grounds are teeming with all that free meat! It hasn’t been quite so bad since a really nasty virus came through here and killed of a large portion of the population... but they are rebounding.

They are one of the reasons we have so many hawks now. Plenty of available food.

 

[BY Bob]

Pretty cute. This was mine..strutting her stuff. She knew she had it all too. View attachment 2379852

She sure does!

 

[BY Bob]

I have a bit of catching up to do on the three threads, but hubby saw this on Twitter and I really, REALLY had to share!

View attachment 2379900

I will be sending this to others. It's too funny not to share!