Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

Driving Tour of Hershey

It was 78°F (25.5°C) Today in Hershey, PA. Mrs BY Bob was off work today so we piled in the convertible and went to town for lunch. As we were heading into town I thought, this would make a great "look at where we live" video. So I flipped on the video camera and narrated a 7 min drive through town. The sun interferes at the end but overall I think it will give you a little idea of where we live.

Thanks for the tour, Bob! Hershey looks like a lovely town. Why were there so many school buses? On the note of cars... remember my light blue XJ? We donated it and Kars-4-Kids came to get it today. Here is its empty spot. LOL.

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks for the tour, Bob! Hershey looks like a lovely town. Why were there so many school buses? One the note of cars... remember my light blue XJ? We donated it and Kars-4-Kids came to get it today. Here is its empty spot. LOL.
View attachment 2407867

Thats great. Somebody will take it and fix it up I'm sure. Good for you.

As for the school buses, I have no idea. The town used to be full of them as everybody took field trips to Hershey. That no longer happens because of COVID. It was 1:30 so it would be an odd time for a dismissal. Frankly, I can't explain it. Not having children in school anymore it is a mystery to me.

 

[BY Bob]

@BY Bob Your stories have a nice pace and you write them honestly, with your own "voice". Really great to read! I love these pictures too. Sansa inquisitively looking you over, and Phyllis popping up. The way she suddenly appeared on my screen was perfect as I scrolled to read - Hey, there's Phyllis, her wonderful head with the spray of feathers looking right at me, just as it happened to you! Scrolling a bit further revealed you ARE indeed a Chicken Fashion Photographer, as there's a nice picture of Phyllis, in a bold confrontational stance, as if saying, "Hey Rooster BY BOB, what gives? Are you okay today"?

Your chickens might sense you're feeling bad, feeling different than usual, that something is not right. Why wouldn't they? They are highly attuned to each other, the body language, voice, everything. Why not to you also? My Buckeyes gauge and react to my every move. They can spot a gnat from several feet away. A slight change in our expression or the way we hold our body should be easy!

I am a chicken newbie, but we have had a long string of cats in this house, strays of all sorts and cats raised from kittens, and a grand old Golden Retriever dog too, so my stance generally is: we do what we can for the animals we care for, and we try to keep them out of harm's way, for their own good, but for ours too. Yes, I know Calvin Kitty wanted to go out late at night and get into all sorts of fun mischief, but who was gonna take him into town and spend the day with him at the vets because he got his little kitty butt kicked by some brawny stray he wasn't counting on meeting? Who's gonna be cleaning that abscessed wound? (Well he could help with that part!)

This is why for me, this beginning time with chickens, feels fraught with danger, as I do feel an obligation to at least get the basics right for them, to get them started in a reasonably safe and favorable environment. Not put them in a cartwheeling run!

All we can do is try to provide a good basic environment for them to do their natural thing in. But we do have to co-exist, so our human needs get taken into consideration too. I thought your ideas about modifications to your coop or the living arrangements, temporary or otherwise, were very reasonable to *consider*. But, yes, there's a point where we can't really control what they do despite our efforts, and there is a limit to our efforts that we each must decide on, and then accept. After that, that's just the way it is. The situation may last for a time, or may and likely will change soon enough.

Maybe you, Rooster BY BOB, have already changed the dynamics a little, because the extreme coop shenanigans finally, really and truly upset you. Maybe your chicken community noticed.

This is such a wonderful sweet post I am not sure how to respond. Let me do it paragraph by paragraph.

First, I am really pleased that you enjoy my style of stay telling. It is not something I can change and it is nice to know that you appreciate it.

I am sure that the chickens can tell what I am feeling, in some way. I have had too many appropriate responses from them over the years. I do believe they can sense or understand, to a point, how we are feeling.

The cata analogy is a good one. Prior to Isabel all of my cats had outside privileges and I lost many. I was able to significantly lengthen their life spans by not letting them go out. It was a hard decision but these cats I have now, have never asked to go out. That video of Davis outside was the first time he had ever been out since we got him from the barn.

So it translate to how do we create a reasonably safe environment for the chickens to exist in. Without confining them to the coop (house in the cat analogy) there is always going to be a certain amount of risk. So yes, stop the run from cartwheeling about the yard. The other piece of advice I have for you is to not rely on yourself. Take advantage of the experience on this and other threads and post your questions, ideas, and use photos if needed. You will likely get several different responses from which to choose. All of which are reasonable paths. The important thing is you don't have to be perfect, you just need to ask. Hopefully that can relieve some of beginner stress.

As for whether I have changed the roosting environment ot not, check out my new post. I may have accidentally done so. Perhaps it is better to be lucky than good.

 

[BY Bob]

Roosting on 11/11

I was a little worried about the date format and then I realized it did not matter today!

Yes, I know. Not another roosting post. Doesn't he know that we are sick of his roosting troubles. Maybe I'll just skip this one and what for someone fun to post like @WhoDatChick

Perhaps there are solutions being developed. At least this looks promising.

As you can see Phyllis is roosted in Daisy's, the greatest hen ever, spot. This is usually where Hattie is roosted. If you have beenfollowing along a home, it also where I put Phyllis when I mover her from the big run. I normally have to poke Hattie down to make room for her. In fact, I was standing by the coop last night when I heard Phyllis being poked at. I opened the door and it was Hattie. She saw me and shuffled down the roost and left Phyllis alone. No poke was needed. Now tonight Phyllis has that spot on the roost. Maybe Hattie has ceded it. Time will tell.

Of course something else gives me pause here and that is Sansa in the nest box (lower left). That is likely the result of Aurora concentrating her efforts on Sansa tonight. So maybe Phyllis is on the roost because Aurora was otherwise occupied. I did not film roosting tonight.

 

[RoyalChick]

Roosting on 11/11

I was a little worried about the date format and then I realized it did not matter today!

Yes, I know. Not another roosting post. Doesn't he know that we are sick of his roosting troubles. Maybe I'll just skip this one and what for someone fun to post like @WhoDatChick

Perhaps there are solutions being developed. At least this looks promising.

View attachment 2407888

As you can see Phyllis is roosted in Daisy's, the greatest hen ever, spot. This is usually where Hattie is roosted. If you have been following along a home, it also where I put Phyllis when I mover her from the big run. I normally have to poke Hattie down to make room for her. In fact, I was standing by the coop last night when I heard Phyllis being poked at. I opened the door and it was Hattie. She saw me and shuffled down the roost and left Phyllis alone. No poke was needed. Now tonight Phyllis has that spot on the roost. Maybe Hattie has ceded it. Time will tell.

Of course something else gives me pause here and that is Sansa in the nest box (lower left). That is likely the result of Aurora concentrating her efforts on Sansa tonight. So maybe Phyllis is on the roost because Aurora was otherwise occupied. I did not film roosting tonight.

I am finding this exhausting! The biggest excitement in The Chicken Palace at roosting time is who gets to get Maggie's spot squished up against the wall. And that is solely determined by who goes to bed first. Hang in there Bob, I have to believe it will settle down eventually!

 

[featherhead007]

Just you wait... lol!

it won’t be as bad as the “stuff them under the deck coop” you rescued your girls from, I promise, but I basically just dragged an eyesore out from the forest edge and planted it front and center near the driveway! Between my island friend who has three trailers for his birds, my abode, and now this temporary housing I’m thinking I should change my business name from “Kristen’s Pastured Poultry” to “Kristen and Wayne’s Trailer Park Chickens”

 

[featherhead007]

I Have Lost Control

They are like feral animals right now. I could not catch one of them if my life depends on it. Maybe I have just become too cautious. I coaxed Lilly into the big run. I did not think to close the big door. I figured I could just scoop her up.

Nope

That one legged hen was quicker than me. I reached for her and she took off out the big door. I did not want to chase her to make her run on the bad leg so away she went. It can't be that bad as she was using it to get away from the terrible human.

So now I am soaked to the skin for no reason.

I really must have done something to Sydney. I could not get her out into the big run. She is terrified of me. ☹

I'm going to go work on my car tonight. At least it can't run away from me..............Hopefully..............

Everybody has days like that! It just happens.

 

[BY Bob]

Everybody has days like that! It just happens.

Thanks. I do feel like they have beaten me right now.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Roosting on 11/11

I was a little worried about the date format and then I realized it did not matter today!

Yes, I know. Not another roosting post. Doesn't he know that we are sick of his roosting troubles. Maybe I'll just skip this one and what for someone fun to post like @WhoDatChick

Perhaps there are solutions being developed. At least this looks promising.

View attachment 2407888

As you can see Phyllis is roosted in Daisy's, the greatest hen ever, spot. This is usually where Hattie is roosted. If you have beenfollowing along a home, it also where I put Phyllis when I mover her from the big run. I normally have to poke Hattie down to make room for her. In fact, I was standing by the coop last night when I heard Phyllis being poked at. I opened the door and it was Hattie. She saw me and shuffled down the roost and left Phyllis alone. No poke was needed. Now tonight Phyllis has that spot on the roost. Maybe Hattie has ceded it. Time will tell.

Of course something else gives me pause here and that is Sansa in the nest box (lower left). That is likely the result of Aurora concentrating her efforts on Sansa tonight. So maybe Phyllis is on the roost because Aurora was otherwise occupied. I did not film roosting tonight.

This is very interesting. Exactly how trainable are chickens, in general? They learn things they are naturally inclined to pretty quickly it seems to me. Is your teaching them roosting places (by poking to the spot where they "should" be, showing obvious displeasure when there is hassling, putting them where you want them) something a rooster would do? I think you have written about one of your hens - was it Mal? - doing that? Maybe it won't take long for peace to reign in the coop! Hoping this is a trend!

 

[WhoDatChick]

@BY Bob Your stories have a nice pace and you write them honestly, with your own "voice". Really great to read! I love these pictures too. Sansa inquisitively looking you over, and Phyllis popping up. The way she suddenly appeared on my screen was perfect as I scrolled to read - Hey, there's Phyllis, her wonderful head with the spray of feathers looking right at me, just as it happened to you! Scrolling a bit further revealed you ARE indeed a Chicken Fashion Photographer, as there's a nice picture of Phyllis, in a bold confrontational stance, as if saying, "Hey Rooster BY BOB, what gives? Are you okay today"?

Your chickens might sense you're feeling bad, feeling different than usual, that something is not right. Why wouldn't they? They are highly attuned to each other, the body language, voice, everything. Why not to you also? My Buckeyes gauge and react to my every move. They can spot a gnat from several feet away. A slight change in our expression or the way we hold our body should be easy!

I am a chicken newbie, but we have had a long string of cats in this house, strays of all sorts and cats raised from kittens, and a grand old Golden Retriever dog too, so my stance generally is: we do what we can for the animals we care for, and we try to keep them out of harm's way, for their own good, but for ours too. Yes, I know Calvin Kitty wanted to go out late at night and get into all sorts of fun mischief, but who was gonna take him into town and spend the day with him at the vets because he got his little kitty butt kicked by some brawny stray he wasn't counting on meeting? Who's gonna be cleaning that abscessed wound? (Well he could help with that part!)

This is why for me, this beginning time with chickens, feels fraught with danger, as I do feel an obligation to at least get the basics right for them, to get them started in a reasonably safe and favorable environment. Not put them in a cartwheeling run!

All we can do is try to provide a good basic environment for them to do their natural thing in. But we do have to co-exist, so our human needs get taken into consideration too. I thought your ideas about modifications to your coop or the living arrangements, temporary or otherwise, were very reasonable to *consider*. But, yes, there's a point where we can't really control what they do despite our efforts, and there is a limit to our efforts that we each must decide on, and then accept. After that, that's just the way it is. The situation may last for a time, or may and likely will change soon enough.

Maybe you, Rooster BY BOB, have already changed the dynamics a little, because the extreme coop shenanigans finally, really and truly upset you. Maybe your chicken community noticed.

Very well said