Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

Fat Bird.
View attachment 2395192
Fat Bird and Treacle.
View attachment 2395193

They look happy!

 

[Ribh]

The Tally

The conversation, I'm no longer sure on which thread, regarding the chickens lost by @Ribh and @featherhead007 couple with it being the 5 year anniversary of Elphie's passing had me thinking of all the chickens that have come and gone at Fluffy Butt Acres. Here are the sad totals. We have been in the chicken business since 2013, over 7 years now. We have not been real food at this apparently.

Killed by Predators

• Dolly: Hawk, 2014
• Maleficent: Likely a weasel, 2020

Drowned in the Pool

• Elphie, 2015
• Dusty, 2020

Medical Issues

• Trisha: Cloacal Prolapse, 2015
• Daisy (the greatest hen ever): Salpingitis, 2018
• Patsy: Old Age?, 2019

Removed from the Flock

• Jabberwocky, 2019

Not counting Jabber, that's 1 chicken lost a year. Doesn't make me feel like I'm doing a great job. I don't know that I would trust my chickens with me.

Some losses are harder to bear than others. I think you are a great chicken keeper. I'd belong to your flock any day!

 

[micstrachan]

Here’s a pic of Beethoven-Hen. (Notice her spurs) that’s about as close as I can get to her with a camera phone
View attachment 2394774

Beautiful girl!

 

[micstrachan]

We actually had trick or treating tonight. Here was our setup. I sat to the right of the tree. The candy bowl was 8 feet in front of us. This is Mrs BY Bob's favorite holiday. Sadly for the children we were 1 of only 4 houses handing out candy on our street. We let every child take 2 pieces of candy and still only gave away half of our usual amount.
View attachment 2394907

You guys are so cute! I bet the kids loved it!

 

[BY Bob]

Some losses are harder to bear than others. I think you are a great chicken keeper. I'd belong to your flock any day!

You are kind. It was staggering to total what we have been through on the this journey. I feel we are doing better each year. I think Lilly would agree.

 

[HappyClucker7]

It's November 1st....
View attachment 2395996
It is snowing...


At least all the chooks are snug and warm in their coops!!

It snowed here on Oct. 29. It melted right away at my house, but up on the mountain (about 5 minutes from my house) the trees and the ground were covered with snow.

 

[Kris5902]

The Tally

The conversation, I'm no longer sure on which thread, regarding the chickens lost by @Ribh and @featherhead007 couple with it being the 5 year anniversary of Elphie's passing had me thinking of all the chickens that have come and gone at Fluffy Butt Acres. Here are the sad totals. We have been in the chicken business since 2013, over 7 years now. We have not been real food at this apparently.

Killed by Predators

• Dolly: Hawk, 2014
• Maleficent: Likely a weasel, 2020

Drowned in the Pool

• Elphie, 2015
• Dusty, 2020

Medical Issues

• Trisha: Cloacal Prolapse, 2015
• Daisy (the greatest hen ever): Salpingitis, 2018
• Patsy: Old Age?, 2019

Removed from the Flock

• Jabberwocky, 2019

Not counting Jabber, that's 1 chicken lost a year. Doesn't make me feel like I'm doing a great job. I don't know that I would trust my chickens with me.

Well this is a time of year for remembrance of our passed love ones. Since I have joined BYC I have lost 10 chicks, Tippie, Puffy, Bitchy, new Girl, moltie, lil peeps, Mr Eyebrows, Hoppy, old Lady, the old barred rock, her friend, Missy, Zeta, and 5 more To the owl...

 

[Ribh]

You are kind. It was staggering to total what we have been through on the this journey. I feel we are doing better each year. I think Lilly would agree.View attachment 2396115

Knowing what i know about how most chickens spend their lives, i'd rather take my chances with any one of us here! Yes, we make mistakes, but we love & care for our flocks & do our very best.

 

[micstrachan]

Crazy Encounter!

We were outside on the patio watching a movie, with a separate speaker going. My dog’s ears perked up and she was looking at the fire pit, where I had a jack-o-lantern sitting. (A rat had chewed on it the night before, so we all figured the dog heard a rat.) I ran inside and grabbed a bright flashlight. I could not see the rat, but figured I’d throw out the jack-o-lantern right then before I forgot (the movie was still going). I headed for the waste bins with flashlight in one hand and pumpkin in the other and just as I was about to step off the patio, my flashlight illuminated a mountain lion 50 feet away, just sitting there behind my neighbor’s vehicle. I quickly told my family, “There’s a mountain lion. Get inside.” We shined a light on it again and it turned its head and just looked at us, not at all bothered by our presence. We went back inside. Several minutes later, my husband went out with a flashlight again. Our neighbor came out with a flashlight, as well. It just laid there in the field with two bright lights on it and humans calling out to each other across the yard. It finally retreated, but I find it worrisome that it would come into the yard while people were outside watching a movie, and then not run off once we obviously saw it. The waste bins in between us and the cat? That’s where I was headed with my jack-o-lantern. The cougar was literally 20 feet from the bins before it retreated to the field in the video. With daylight savings, the chickens won’t have free range time after work this week. I’m ok with that!

The video is poor quality, but still!

 

[micstrachan]

Here is the story link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-22424389

Oh, I’m so, so, so sorry, Bob. That is heartbreaking. I wish I could say something that would make you feel better about it, but as a fellow chicken lover, I know there probably isn’t anything that can be said. Please know that we feel your pain and think you are a wonderful chicken human.