Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Kris5902]

I've heard you on this before & not arguing because I am sure you are right but nearly everyone here has mixed flocks without things getting as extreme as @BY Bob is experiencing. Some of us have some very odd looking hens indeed. I'm wondering what has made his situation so extreme? I have Lavender, who is definitely the oddest looking hen I own & an absolute klutz to boot but it will never be Lavender being bullied. She is also a single. My Aracaunas, my other really odd lookers, are a pair who don't hang together, even to roost, but are pretty well tolerated by everyone else. Granted While everyone is still able to hop their fence they are pretty much free ranging @ will so have plenty of space.

As I've said before I was hopping to gradually move my flock to just a couple of different breeds but I am having so much trouble acquiring my breeds of choice I'm likely to continue to have a pretty mixed flock so managing that well becomes a priority & I am very curious to know how everyone gets their flock to get along without dramas.

One thing I think may be worth Noting, Aurora is an Easter egger. Which is an Ameraucana (Edit) cross, not a pure Aracauna (I think your Australian lines are very different from North American ones) or Araucana cross of some sort, like Jabber and Chickie Hawk essentially. The Ameraucana was carefully line bred to eliminate a fatal genetic flaw in the Chilean Araucana stock. My Easter Eggers, Chickie Hawks daughters, and Hawk himself, are some of my most assertive (to put it politely) chickens. I have also read quite a few threads on BYC about Easter eggers in particular being bullies towards other chickens. I think it may be a bit of a common personality trait in the “breed”...

 

[BY Bob]

Given that the girls woke me this morning just after 5.30 and after I let them out, couldn’t go back to sleep, I’ve just had a nap on the couch whilst lying under a cat-blanket!

Best blanket ever!

 

[BY Bob]

Yes, I find in my more diverse flocks it isn’t quite so bad... but I have definitely got some concerns about some of my own planned winter moves here because of just this.

I want to take Bob in for Sausage (Sorry @BY Bob but he just isn’t being nice to his ladies anymore!) and move Barney into his place, but I hesitate to integrate Barney’s 6 girls with the 8 daughters of Hawk and two Barnvelder ladies that are already there. They would work better for Breeding purposes in with Hawk, and the numbers might be more even... but I think they like Barney and don’t want to unsettle them too much. Plus those red feathered girls can be bullies and I just integrated my three newest (red) rescues in there.

If I do this I could theoretically just build out a big plywood sleeping coop and re-integrate Sammy with Dean and Cass, and with all the extra girls in there hopefully they will be more sheltered and less antagonistic over winter here. I basically want to have everyone behind solid walls (no tarp shelters) at night for this winter.

I like the plan of everyone being behind solid walls. I think that will be much easier for you.

Don't feel bad about Bob. If he's a jerk then he must go. I have a different rooster named after me and a hen that used to be named after me. At least Bob won't be going to waste. He will provide nourishment for someone.

 

[BY Bob]

One thing I think may be worth Noting, Aurora is an Easter egger. Which is an Ameraucana, not a pure Aracauna (I think your Australian lines are very different from North American ones) or Araucana cross of some sort, like Jabber and Chickie Hawk essentially. The Ameraucana was carefully line bred to eliminate a fatal genetic flaw in the Chilean Araucana stock. My Easter Eggers, Chickie Hawks daughters, and Hawk himself, are some of my most assertive (to put it politely) chickens. I have also read quite a few threads on BYC about Easter eggers in particular being bullies towards other chickens. I think it may be a bit of a common personality trait in the “breed”...

Is hard to look at Aurora and not think of Maleficent and their relationship. Aurora was a mean cuss as a pullet but once Maleficent started laying first and passed her in the pecking order, Aurora became a much nicer hen. If Mal was still here this would not be going on.

 

[Ribh]

One thing I think may be worth Noting, Aurora is an Easter egger. Which is an Ameraucana, not a pure Aracauna (I think your Australian lines are very different from North American ones) or Araucana cross of some sort, like Jabber and Chickie Hawk essentially. The Ameraucana was carefully line bred to eliminate a fatal genetic flaw in the Chilean Araucana stock. My Easter Eggers, Chickie Hawks daughters, and Hawk himself, are some of my most assertive (to put it politely) chickens. I have also read quite a few threads on BYC about Easter eggers in particular being bullies towards other chickens. I think it may be a bit of a common personality trait in the “breed”...

EEs are a *breed* I've never run into out here. My Aracaunas are quite timid & gentle except when taking food from my hand. I don't know what they'd've been crossed with to bring out that aggressive streak???

 

[BY Bob]

EEs are a *breed* I've never run into out here. My Aracaunas are quite timid & gentle except when taking food from my hand. I don't know what they'd've been crossed with to bring out that aggressive streak???

Over here EEs are a bit of a mutt. There is no real cross breeding standard so every breeder's can be a little different.

 

[micstrachan]

It’s Still Friday (in the US)

Happy Fluffy Butt Friday! (or Sassy Butt Saturday)

 

[BY Bob]

It’s Still Friday (in the US)

Happy Fluffy Butt Friday! (or Sassy Butt Saturday)

View attachment 2393453

What a beauty! She was worth waiting for.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

I'm happy to report that Scooby is feeling much better!!

The swelling is almost gone and he's eating much better. He's still extra snuggly too, which makes me happy.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm happy to report that Scooby is feeling much better!!

The swelling is almost gone and he's eating much better. He's still extra snuggly too, which makes me happy.

View attachment 2393497

Ah Scoopy!