Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

You have to see this commercial

It gave me a much needed smile today.

 

[LozzyR]

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

Look at that smile!

 

[LozzyR]

You have to see this commercial

It gave me a much needed smile today.

I’ve seen it before, I love this ad!

 

[micstrachan]

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”...

EE’s are actually fake Ameraucanas. I have one, and she was sold as an “Americana.” (There is no such thing). If I remember/understand correctly, Ameraucanas have specific (feather) colors and lay blue eggs, where EE’s are basically mutts with a blue egg gene and a brown egg gene.

 

[micstrachan]

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.

Aww... sorry, Bob.

 

[micstrachan]

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

Yay, Scoobs!

 

[micstrachan]

You have to see this commercial

It gave me a much needed smile today.

I LOVE THIS!!! I’m pretty sure I saw it a long time ago? Or am I crazy?

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

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.View attachment 2392868View attachment 2392857
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.
View attachment 2392861View attachment 2392863
I moved the egg carton top over to take the picture of the worms... they are congregating there on a slice of zucchini.

That's a brilliant set up Kris. Close to hand so you can check on them easily but not in the way. Do you mind if I copy you?

I was using bran and oats as bedding when I tried doing meal worm farming. I found they did best when I forgot about them . Until a piece of apple went mouldy and killed them off .

What are you using for bedding again? Do the beetles ever escape? How do you go about cleaning them out and restocking worms?

You have inspired me! Sorry for peppering you with questions.

 

[RoyalChick]

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

Awww. Look at his face!!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I'm not surprised. Very sad. One partial solution is to get another to keep her company. I don't think this problem is going to go away. I beleive I said as much when you first got her.
Watching your videos of roosting just left me feeling very sorry for her.
Unpopular though it is here on BYC the view of the old school chicken keepers here is don't mix breeds.
After years and made much worse by Gedit her half sister dying Myth has a very hard life with the mixed breeds. Myth is mostly bantam. The Bantam roosters know it and are constantly pestering her to leave Notch. She could probably swing it with the other bantam hens now that Bluespot is dead but Tribe 3 is her home now, rough, or not.
I've mentioned before, she's not an easy hen to like but I wish I could do something for her. She doesn't get hurt, but she is constantly harrassed by Knock and to a cetain extent by Donk as well. If the tribes here were all confined together her life would be a complete misery.
Family and/or breed, that's how chickens are and so are many other creatures to a greater or lesser extent including humans.

This and as I posted above.
Chickens know who is family, who is the same breed and who can be intimidated.

Looks like you need another Polish ByBob. But introducing a lone hen is problematic, especially if it doesn't work out as you planned.

So what are the options?

1. I can watch them roost every night and intervene like I did last night
2. I could split the coop. Create 2 sides and 2 entrances. Aurora can't block them both.
3. I can try rearranging or adding more roosting spots to make it harder for Aurora to drive them out or satisfy her that she doesn't need to do so.
4. I could remove Aurora, temporarily or permanently
5. I could add a second coop (Put up the old coop) and close it up each night
6. I can finish armoring the entire complex so it is as safe to roost outside as inside. I have to think hard about what this would require. Evaluate everything for weaknesses.

If anyone else has any idea, please post.

Having 2 entrances to the coop may work, although I can just see Aurora running from door to door repelling all borders.

I actually went and held Tsuki in my lap a couple of times until everyone else got settled. It wasn't a permanent solution but it made me feel a bit better at the time.

It has been raining a lot lately and everyone has been in the coop when I lock up. I guess no-one wants to be wet.

@BY Bob: Was it ACM who posted the video of getting cuddly chooks? I couldn't find it again but something she said in the video has me wondering. She talks about the keeper taking on rooster status & choosing his favourite hens ~ which would immediately raise the status of any hen chosen. I'm sure it would take a bit of time & work but I'm wondering if something along those lines would help? Or might it make for even more jealousy? At this point I think I'd try anything that I thought might work. I'm so sorry. I know your present arrangement wasn't your optimal choice but now we need a solution. Not much help I'm afraid but more than prepared to listen.

I watched it and I'm tempted to try and use it on Aurora. I need to do some kind of behavior modification with her and I don't see how it could hurt.

Yep, that was me. Here it is again