Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Good afternoon everyone! It's a beautiful but chilly day here today! I spent the morning raking up leaves and pine needles in the free range pen! The chickens were such a great help...no, not really...! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

Part of the cleanup crew!
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Enjoying the newly uncovered grass!
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My husband was on the garden side and the whole flock followed him, hoping for a treat...of which he gladly provided for them!
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That is one chicken lineup there. Are they the usual suspects?

 

[BY Bob]

I’d like one too but aren’t Orpingtons broody?

Hattie has never been broody nor show any inclination towards broodiness. I believe this was just Lavender's first broody ever. Anyone else want to weigh in on their Orpingtons?

 

[BY Bob]

It really is an individual thing. I've had several supposedly broody breeds: BRs, Aracauna's & Wyandottes. 1 out of 3 BRs is chronic all summer; 1 out of 2 Aracaunas went broody as soon as she started laying. The other has no inclinations that way; 2 out of 3 Wyandottes are constantly broody. The other one never was. On the other hand Campines are supposedly non~ broody & I've had 1 try twice & another once. My Australorps never went broody @ all.

You wrote that like it was burned into your brain. Have broody issues much?

 

[BY Bob]

I have a trio, 1 boy 2 girls, and they have matured VERY slowly. The girls will not be laying before Spring. I'm ok with that because it gives me extra time to build their coop and run. Right now they are in with Stanley and my layer flock.

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The 2 girls, Lily and Rose, are in the front. Oakley, the boy, is on the far right.

They are beautiful!

 

[BY Bob]

Good luck! Looks like a good plan. That is... as long as there is zero chance your birds can get hurt by either trap?

They cannot get in the have-a-heart and because of that they can't reach the snap trap. It all should be good.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Can’t wait for mine to arrive!

I have ordered this book today!
A Christmas present from Santa, I figure.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I have a trio, 1 boy 2 girls, and they have matured VERY slowly. The girls will not be laying before Spring. I'm ok with that because it gives me extra time to build their coop and run. Right now they are in with Stanley and my layer flock.

View attachment 2430208
The 2 girls, Lily and Rose, are in the front. Oakley, the boy, is on the far right.

I definitely want one of those!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

The Trap is Set

Thanks to @ChicoryBlue I have deployed the Have-A-Heart trap with a snap rat trap inside. Here is the setup.

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I went to TSC and purchased a "short snap" trap so the arm would not have far to travel = less chance of getting caught up inside the trap.

I placed the trap in the run.
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And Hattie had to check out what I was doing.

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Now I can leave them out in the run with the trap. Here's hoping I start to get some results.

That is some good thinking!

 

[RoyalChick]

O No! Did you see where they got in?

Grrrr no! I am working my way systematically round the outside to look for entrances - but it takes a while as I have to leave a camera in a place for a week to feel really sure nobody was getting in at that spot.
Then move camera, rinse and repeat.
It is still possible that nobody is getting in and I still have residents to eliminate, but this one was strange in that it came from the opposite direction from the normal pattern. So I need to hone in on where I saw it coming from (if you see what I mean).
One issue with my approach is that the cameras take a second or so to trigger - and it turns out that mice move really fast! So I don't always catch them at the right point if you see what I mean.
But I have come too far to give up now!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Hattie has never been broody nor show any inclination towards broodiness. I believe this was just Lavender's first broody ever. Anyone else want to with in on their Orpingtons?

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My Buffy is only six months old so she’s probably too young to go broody. She lays eggs regularly though.