Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Debbanne]

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I have been wanting to do this for some time now. I knew once I started doing this there would be no going back. So I am now diving in and I hope you all enjoy coming along for the ride.

First of all let me tell you how we view our flock as that will help you to understand why we treat them like we do.

Our birds are our pets and we treat them as such. We do not care if someone is not laying eggs. They are welcome to stay at Fluffy Butt Acres until they pass naturally. (Now don't go telling them that! I would hate for word to get out) We do thoroughly enjoy the fresh eggs.

I plan to tell stories from the past as well as from today. I hope you all enjoy and will share stories of your flocks as well.

Terrific idea in sharing our stories as it really helps a lot and hoping to share some of our flock too and b

View attachment 1633786

I have been wanting to do this for some time now. I knew once I started doing this there would be no going back. So I am now diving in and I hope you all enjoy coming along for the ride.

First of all let me tell you how we view our flock as that will help you to understand why we treat them like we do.

Our birds are our pets and we treat them as such. We do not care if someone is not laying eggs. They are welcome to stay at Fluffy Butt Acres until they pass naturally. (Now don't go telling them that! I would hate for word to get out) We do thoroughly enjoy the fresh eggs.

I plan to tell stories from the past as well as from today. I hope you all enjoy and will share stories of your flocks as well.

Truly amazing birds and so cute the names and it is wonderful hearing others stories!

 

[LozzyR]

Beethoven-Hen strikes again! Setting tile, and grout, she had to see what it was in my bucket. (I can’t leave things out while the birds free range, or they will be all over my projects. I had to take a break and go entice them into the run.)

I was painting the individual tractor panels on top of the trampoline in preparation for Bessie and Charlie. Lucy and Chickie hung out with me, mostly under the trampoline. One day, Chickie flapped her wings furiously to get herself topside four times to see what I was doing. I had to keep lifting her down as I didn’t want her licking any chemicals!

 

[Shadrach]

I can't help wondering if because of the Covid crisis and people being at home more and posibly spending more time than usual with their chickens, that behaviour that goes on day to day unnoticed is being seen now.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

If anyone's interested, I did a member interview and it's just been published.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/byc-member-interview-maryjanet.1429950/

Finally got to read it properly. Why is real life always interrupting?
Great interview MJ, I really enjoyed learning more about your chicken journey.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Ok, and since I’ve just added three pages of comments, I’ll find some chicken photos!

How about a tribute to those I’ve lost, in order.

Rusty
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Happy Cheeks
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Margo
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Bagheera
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Those are some good looking chickens micstrachan. They look happy too.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

No, this was just one of my girls when they were babies...I actually was taking a picture of the chick behind & this one jumped in my hand for a fluffy butt photo bomb...

So sweet! I'll bet you were chuffed about that.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Nobody was in a hurry to leave their coops this morning. Once out they headed for the nearest dense bush or into the bamboo.
Mel had a comfortable night. Breakfast was prawns and chopped walnuts. She did eat a little commercial feed.
Her wounds are scabbing up nicely and she doesn't seem to have any stiffness in her wings. She drank a lot of water in the past 12 hours which is good. She's under my chair now and not showing any signs of wanting to rush outside.
As soon as she looks like she wants out, I'll let her join the others but will probably bring her in again tonight.

So glad that Mel seems to be on the road to recovery. Keep it up Chicken Whisperer!

(I was going to say "bucket boy" but it seemed just a tad disrespectful considering the sterling job you are doing. )

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

The article is done except for the plans. I am awaiting my daughter updating them to match the final coop. She gave me a delivery date of today.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

But I actually have an under-the-deck chicken run/pen, and it doesn't stink. 8 X 10 foot space with only 3 chickens might be why it doesn't stink, though. I was worried about it when I set it up, but I've been very pleasantly surprised at how well everything has worked. That's not say that I'm really going to try to stuff a cow in the basement, though!

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Woops! . No criticism meant goldenfingers.
Your coop looks well maintained and roomy. Having the girls out and about would limit the poo build up too.

Now, if you kept a cow in there you might have trouble keeping it smell free!

When I saw her post that comment I thought you might remind her.

Just so everyone understands the difference between this set up and what Patsy & Lilly were enclosed in I need to say this. These hens do not need rescued. They are living quite well in a very clever coop/run. Patsy, Lilly and around 10 other hens lived in a space under a deck with about 2 feet of clearance. It was about 4 feet deep and maybe 12 feet wide. There were no roosts and just a dusty dirt floor. It was on the north side of the house so sunlight was limited if at all present. It was a completely different environment than @goldenfingers set up. I think that this under the deck set up is very clever.

Yes, I was thinking of Patsy and Lilly when I posted.

@goldenfingers coop is of an entirely different order. It looks much more civilized than what you described ByBob. The chooks get free range time too!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Mel got through four and a half ounces of mashed cod, shrimp and commercial feed today.
That's excellent for a hen of her size.
The mix is roughly 30% protein and less than 1% fat.
She didn't show any sign of wanting to leave until Tribe 1 came round for supper and even then it was a bit half hearted.
She's in with me again tonight.
If she'll stay one more day and night eating like this and resting, I'll feel a lot happier.
She looks a lot happier this evening. If she wasn't moulting I would have taken her home this evening.

Today. As you can see, the door is open and Cillin was here much of the afternoon.
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Supper in bed.View attachment 2419893View attachment 2419894

You are giving her the 5 star treatment Shad. No wonder she doesn't want to go home!