Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I think she is already not Queen Bee - she is just Mean Bee.

Yes Mean Bee. That is a better descriptor. She is just doing to them what Lilly did to her. I am sure that there is a learned behavior to this.

 

[BY Bob]

You haven't lived until you have dust-bathed with your chickens!

I think I'll pass.

 

[BY Bob]

Happy Friday

Here is one from January of 2016. Lilly and The Greatest Hen Ever.

 

[RoyalChick]

Maggie has skills!
It is another awful cold rainy day (and tonight it will go below freezing). Everything feels waterlogged except the inside of the Chicken Palace.
This morning as I went into the Palace all the Princesses mobbed me for treats except Maggie who is definitely off food and treats (which of course worries the hell out of me).
I opened the door to the Palace runs and Maggie charges out straight to one of the uncovered runs (that are both being soaked by the rain pouring down off the roof of the adjacent covered run) and before I can even grab my phone to snap a picture she is pulling a great long worm out of the mud. I swear it was at least 8" long. How did she know it was there? She didn't even spend a second searching. It was like she could see (or maybe hear) exactly where it was underground. Is that possible?

 

[BY Bob]

Maggie has skills!
It is another awful cold rainy day (and tonight it will go below freezing). Everything feels waterlogged except the inside of the Chicken Palace.
This morning as I went into the Palace all the Princesses mobbed me for treats except Maggie who is definitely off food and treats (which of course worries the hell out of me).
I opened the door to the Palace runs and Maggie charges out straight to one of the uncovered runs (that are both being soaked by the rain pouring down off the roof of the adjacent covered run) and before I can even grab my phone to snap a picture she is pulling a great long worm out of the mud. I swear it was at least 8" long. How did she know it was there? She didn't even spend a second searching. It was like she could see (or maybe hear) exactly where it was underground. Is that possible?

I would surmise that she saw it. Chickens have amazing eyesight. While the worms are coming up for air they are very lethargic because it is so cold. The worm was probably poking its head out and she was able to grab it because it could not withdraw quickly like usual.

Hattie has also been off of any treats right now. I suspect it is because of her molt which is starting to wind down. I see this a lot with my ladies through. They go through phases where certain treats drive them crazy and they turn their beaks at others. Right now I am giving a little corn morning and night to warm them up because of all the damp. Lilly wasn’t eating any for a long time and then on Wednesday she started chowing down keeping everyone else away from it so she could have it all. I would not read too much into Maggie wanting to eat worms over treats.

Are the rest of the Princesses laying eggs still?

 

[RoyalChick]

I would surmise that she saw it. Chickens have amazing eyesight. While the worms are coming up for air they are very lethargic because it is so cold. The worm was probably poking its head out and she was able to grab it because it could not withdraw quickly like usual.

Hattie has also been off of any treats right now. I suspect it is because of her molt which is starting to wind down. I see this a lot with my ladies through. They go through phases where certain treats drive them crazy and they turn their beaks at others. Right now I am giving a little corn morning and night to warm them up because of all the damp. Lilly wasn’t eating any for a long time and then on Wednesday she started chowing down keeping everyone else away from it so she could have it all. I would not read too much into Maggie wanting to eat worms over treats.

Are the rest of the Princesses laying eggs still?

That is reassuring on the treat front. Thank you.
I am not sure it can have been sight alone. I wish I had video but she marched with single-minded purpose down the long ladder, across one run, jumped through the door to the next run, made a 90 degree turn, jumped through a little chicken door and then grabbed it. There was no looking to right or left, no hesitation, it really was like she knew there was a worm sitting there waiting!
In terms of eggs, the Little Princesses haven't started laying yet and I am not sure whether they will before spring, the other two are laying most days but beginning to skip a day more often. I wish they wouldn't lay so much, but they do seem to be very healthy at least for now and I am grateful for what they give me.

 

[BY Bob]

That is reassuring on the treat front. Thank you.
I am not sure it can have been sight alone. I wish I had video but she marched with single-minded purpose down the long ladder, across one run, jumped through the door to the next run, made a 90 degree turn, jumped through a little chicken door and then grabbed it. There was no looking to right or left, no hesitation, it really was like she knew there was a worm sitting there waiting!
In terms of eggs, the Little Princesses haven't started laying yet and I am not sure whether they will before spring, the other two are laying most days but beginning to skip a day more often. I wish they wouldn't lay so much, but they do seem to be very healthy at least for now and I am grateful for what they give me.

I have been holding on to this information but I think knowing this might help you now. Until this happens, Maggie is fine and you should relax and try not to fret too much.

Here is what you need to watch for.

The lash egg is the result of inflammation in her egg track. The inflammation typically leads to scarring which results in a blockage of the track. This means that eggs she tries to produce cannot progress down the track. This then results in a build up of liquid in her abdomen. The first visible symptom of this fluid build up will be difficulty breathing. I noticed it with Daisy, the greatest hen ever, on the roost cam. Usually their breathing is slow and steady while they are at rest. Daisy's was clearly not. It was easy to see. There is a chance that somewhere i have video of her breathing. If I can find it, I will post it but it was obvious.

Until you see that, I would not worry. You will likely not notice anything different until then. Please try to not be anxious and enjoy your time together. You could likely have all winter. That is my most fervent prayer for you.

 

[BY Bob]

Calling Phyllis

I got requests for video of Phyllis coming when called. They are already quite a ways back so I quoted the post below.

I’d love to see a video of Phyllis coming when she is called!

I've always wanted to get this on film. So here is my little sweetie responding as requested. Don't blink, she's fast. I love how Sydney runs when Phyllis starts running but never comes all the way. I guess she figured out I wasn't calling her!

 

[Kris5902]

I request pictures of your meal worm farm set up please Kris!

Sure can! I’ve been keeping them for about a year now, and I’ve kept my population levels fairly steady... mostly through neglect. I forget they are there sometimes and a week or two will go by before I get them a fresh veggie water source. Please as always excuse the mess... I screwed the top of the organizer into some 2x4’s to suspend them below the skirt of the coffee table edge. So the table now weighs whole a lot more, but it was what I had to hand when I was setting it up and suddenly realized I needed to drop the organizers down to be able to open the top drawers.
I was using a screened bottom in a drawer (missing) but have given up on that and am now just letting the beetles live in the exact same set up as the worms. I need to find one of the regular drawers to replace it. I know it’s somewhere outside, as I have a third organizer I don’t have room for in the trailer and just use the Spare drawers for sifting.

I moved the egg carton top over to take the picture of the worms... they are congregating there on a slice of zucchini.

 

[Shadrach]

I do think non-white chickens are pretty as well. I'm not that obsessed.

That's not what the others say...