Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

All roosted

 

[BY Bob]

I love that you two have such a mug about the place

It works.

 

[BY Bob]

I took this video of Scooby last night. It's a bit dark, but you can see how laid back he is.

There perfect cat's cat! I love it!

 

[goldenfingers]

All roosted

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Whew! I'd still be pretty jangled inside if I'd watched my hens in a battle like that. Hopefully you can calm down a bit now.

 

[RoyalChick]

Aurora has injured her left foot

I am out sitting with them in order to observe roosting live. She is standing one legged and favoring it when she walks.
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I noticed that at the end of the video. It didn't look too disastrous and maybe it will make her slow down a bit while she recovers.
Do you think this could all be down to Aurora trying to challenge Hattie for the #2 slot?

 

[RoyalChick]

You can see her limping when the fight stops.

Should have read ahead again!

 

[micstrachan]

3 Rounds of Out and Out Brawling

I am beside myself right now and I definitely need some advice. I have no idea what is going on but all out warfare broke out today between Hattie and Aurora. That's right Hattie. I can't believe it.

They went 3 rounds that I have seen. Lilly broke up the first two by wading into the fight. I filmed the 3rd one in which Lilly was actually involved as it broke out. No joke, they looked like roosters going at it. I have never seen anything like this.

Here is the video of the 3rd bout. I'm putting most of this behind a spoiler. I did not intervene. I need to know if everyone thinks that is the right policy moving forward. They are each wounded. The wounds are not serious, they are their combs up by their beaks. I will also put photos of the wounds behind spoilers.

Patsy and Jabber never fought like this. It is quite vicious.

Spoiler: Hattie and Aurora fight

Spoiler: Wounded

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About 30 minutes after the fight, this is how the flock is grouped.
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I'm looking for anyone with experience with something like this or even just common sense. @Shadrach I am guessing that roosters don't let this happen but maybe not. Any thoughts?

Sorry, Bob. I think you did right not intervening. I’ve seen small boughts of this here or there, but only in full force twice:
1. Margo attacked Rusty after she had been indoors for an extended period of time for illness.
2. Buttercup pecked a chick and Cashew best the crap out of her.

My inclination is to not stress too much and let it be. It might not continue or escalate. I felt bad for Aurora being odd hen out, however. I’d be keeping an eye on her for signs of illness. Do you know who started it?

 

[RoyalChick]

A near miss
Bob, to take your mind off the stress at Fluffy Butt Acres I am sharing a near miss at the Chicken Palace today.
I was doing some digging to bury the ground wire for the electric fence before the ground freezes hard. In passing I dropped off some cabbage as a treat, but the three older Princesses rushed me at the door and were out in a second frantically digging up the lawn and the pachysandra and as usual generally trying to interfere.
Here is Maggie destroying the pachysandra and showing off her newly re-fluffed butt.

I was feeling old and tired and after the digging really wanted to go inside and have a cup of tea so I went to gather in the Princesses to pop them safely back into the Palace. What I had not remembered is that since Maggie laid a lash egg she no longer squats for me, and she had no interest in coming in however much I begged.
So, instead of going in for tea I sat just inside the door of the servant's quarters on my little stool. I could see Maggie and Maggie could see me, but I was invisible to anyone or anything else in the backyard or the field.
I was so engrossed in the Hattie-Aurora fight video that I almost didn't notice Maggie making the 'alarm trill'. Fortunately I just caught it and rushed out to see a fox only about 20 feet away with its eyes glued to Maggie in the Pachysandra. The fox and Maggie were just staring at each other.
I ran at the fox yelling and it rather reluctantly moved off about 10 feet but then turned again to stare at Maggie. I didn't want to run too far from Maggie (maybe the fox had a friend nearby) and I didn't want to turn my back on the fox. It was all quite stressful.
Eventually I managed to back up to Maggie and scoop her up and take her into the Palace.
What with Hattie and Aurora and Maggie and the fox I am emotionally drained.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

A near miss
Bob, to take your mind off the stress at Fluffy Butt Acres I am sharing a near miss at the Chicken Palace today.
I was doing some digging to bury the ground wire for the electric fence before the ground freezes hard. In passing I dropped off some cabbage as a treat, but the three older Princesses rushed me at the door and were out in a second frantically digging up the lawn and the pachysandra and as usual generally trying to interfere.
Here is Maggie destroying the pachysandra and showing off her newly re-fluffed butt.
View attachment 2420336

I was feeling old and tired and after the digging really wanted to go inside and have a cup of tea so I went to gather in the Princesses to pop them safely back into the Palace. What I had not remembered is that since Maggie laid a lash egg she no longer squats for me, and she had no interest in coming in however much I begged.
So, instead of going in for tea I sat just inside the door of the servant's quarters on my little stool. I could see Maggie and Maggie could see me, but I was invisible to anyone or anything else in the backyard or the field.
I was so engrossed in the Hattie-Aurora fight video that I almost didn't notice Maggie making the 'alarm trill'. Fortunately I just caught it and rushed out to see a fox only about 20 feet away with its eyes glued to Maggie in the Pachysandra. The fox and Maggie were just staring at each other.
I ran at the fox yelling and it rather reluctantly moved off about 10 feet but then turned again to stare at Maggie. I didn't want to run too far from Maggie (maybe the fox had a friend nearby) and I didn't want to turn my back on the fox. It was all quite stressful.
Eventually I managed to back up to Maggie and scoop her up and take her into the Palace.
What with Hattie and Aurora and Maggie and the fox I am emotionally drained.

Oh goodness!! Thank God everyone is safe!

 

[RoyalChick]

Oh goodness!! Thank God everyone is safe!

Thank you yes. I just saw the fox walk by the Chicken Palace on the cameras so he is clearly very interested. I have to go out and turn on the electric fence. I forgot in all the drama.