Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Shucks!......Darn it!.........Drat!..........Argh!...........no those aren't right..........

RATS!

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I finally caught the bugger on camera! They do not come by at night. So I left the camera on today during the day. I caught the nasty little thing. I can't tell if they live here or are coming by to snack. There is a passage into the run that i have found that extends outside the perimeter fence. It was the first clue that i had a problem. I have not closed it because I have baited it.

It hurts me to kill any living creature and I feel bad that I have to do it. But they cannot stay. I will close off the entrance once I have eliminated some vermin.

I will be extra vigilant on Phyllis' roosting for sure until things are closed back off.

Oh yes indeed. Sounds like you know the way in so that is a good start. I am still trapping in the Chicken Palace (though it seems to be all mice now). Good luck!

 

[LozzyR]

I'm joining you in your new rule.

I’m loving the serious discussion about government and taxes with gratuitous chicken pictures!

 

[Kris5902]

Sadly, I have been forbidden the Highland Giant Land Chicken. I keep trying though, because they look like little teddy bears when they are babies! I am thinking about attempting to invoke some sort of Cultural Rights Movement, or an argument based on my Ancestral heritage, but as the Forbidding party is also of similar descent I have made little headway on this front. Sigh. Their arguments against consist of 1: Horns are scary and 2: they are a smaller and far more slow growing Beef Cattle Breed. And yet this genetic anomaly cropped up this year

I say this is an anomaly because we have a polled pure bred red Hereford herd primarily, with 3 recent “Hereford” additions of (very) questionable breeding, one Short Horn/red Angus x, and two Hereford black angus x. Our black Angus bull also definitely carries some Red Angus genes. Black is a dominant coat colour, and polled (hornless) is also a dominant gene, as is the white face of the Herefords. I really wish I had been doing the cows last year, as then We would know who the mother of this little guy is. But alas, Family Drama. In short our herd should all have black coats (nope) not have any horns ( ) and should all have white faces (got this one mostly right at least)

 

[drstratton]

Hi everyone...I am almost 60 pages behind...why does life have to get in the way of my BYC time...

 

[drstratton]

Every species they study they find is way more intelligent than we humans have believed. The most recent I read was octopus which upsets me as I confess to being partial to octopus and now I have to examine my conscience on eating octopus or not (mind you, I only do so 1-2x per year!).

I'd still eat it...

 

[drstratton]

RC vs Wildlife (apologies for this long post - I have been obsessed for days and need to share!)

In good news, I think I am winning on the raccoon front. These two videos from two nights earlier this week. No visits since.

I rather like that it is deterrent rather than damaging - I was a bit disturbed at the thought that I might be injuring them - but seems like it is a nasty experience rather than dangerous.

The mice and rats are more complicated.
First up is an example of a rat digging down to the seam in the hardware cloth - where the vertical wall of hardware cloth meets the horizontal skirt to prevent digging predators. You can see that to fix any gaps in the seams I have to work deep down, sort of under the 'foundation' - so I spent Saturday lying on my belly trying to patch gaps.

This morning's trap inspection reveals 3 traps licked clean of peanut butter but not sprung, and one trap successfully sprung.
Rodents 3: RC 1
I am going to try the scratch on peanut butter trick tonight.

And because we recycle, here is Diana dealing with the body of the mouse just as dawn is breaking. RIP mouse, I am sorry, but you had to go, and you are now being recycled into eggs.

And finally, I realize this is a long post with only one chicken so here is a gratuitous chicken picture from yesterday.View attachment 2411965

And a pretty girl she is!

 

[drstratton]

That would have been a great Friday picture. Look at those beautiful Fluffy butts.

Maybe I'll have to sneak it in again...shhhh... don't tell anyone...

 

[drstratton]

Ok I first read this and thought there was some kind of home school chicken learning environment.

I just love these flock photos. You have been holding out on us.

Hahaha....I was just paying my tax...

 

[drstratton]

That rock is truly awesome! I would be taking photos there all the time.

It's my favorite area in the free range pen!

 

[drstratton]

Saturday Drive

We had another successful drive in the 85 convertible with the Alfa club yesterday. With fully functioning heat for Mrs BY Bob.
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I would not normally say more than that but the destination I think might be of interest to a lot of you. We wound up at Elizabeth Farms. A new (or old) kind of pig farm. Especially you @CrazyChookChookLady I think Anna might find this place kind of cool. It would be a great day trip for you.

At Elizabeth Farms they raise heritage Mangalitsa pigs, a breed that originated in Hungary and was on the verge of extinction just over a decade ago. Developed in the mid-19th century for Hungarian royalty, they are best identified by their thick, wooly coat of hair. The pigs have over 200 acres of forest, pasture and mud to roam. They live outdoors all year and happily spend their days in the sun foraging, and digging for grubs.

Here are some pigs just roaming the countryside.
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The really exciting thing was the "hay" ride to go see the piglets. There had been 36 piglets born in the previous 24 hours. I took some video.

Here are the piglets playing and chasing each other.

And here are piglets not even a day old feeding. Mom oinks at them so they know they are supposed to feed now.

It really was wonderful to see pigs in a natural environment like this. Of course we supported the farm by purchasing beverages at their bar, mulled wine, and food, pork burgers with bacon, and even brought some products home.

It was a beautiful day as well, tailor made for a November day of driving.

Also spotted at the farm, some poultry!
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Looks like you had a lovely day!