Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[drstratton]

A good rooster eats last feeding his ladies first. He may not have seen such bounty, to where he felt OK stuffing himself, in a long time.

Roosters are stunning.

My ladies tend to have pink combs when not laying. You can really see the pink in Sydney's comb but Hattie's is also much lighter than normal. This happens when mine are not laying in the winter. The first sign I'm going to start getting eggs in the spring is the redding of their combs. It may just be that. Stress will also pink up combs.
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Such pretty girls! I need to look at the combs on my girls and see if they have lightened up since they quit laying...that's interesting!

 

[drstratton]

I think these Orpingtons are not a year old yet, at least the rooster doesn't have a spur grown on him yet. How long does that take?

Here is one of my Orpington Roosters, he was 7 months old in this picture, he's now 9 months old. I'll have to try and get a picture of him later! His spurs aren't very large here, but I think they are larger now!

 

[drstratton]

Clearing the Ratacombs

Last week before I went away I cleared out where the rats were entering the run and the complex of tunnels they had built under the bricks surrounding the run. I can tell the flock is getting back to normal because they were in my business. And of all things, it wasn't Lilly or Aurora or even Sansa leading the charge. It was Hattie.

The change in Hattie post fight is real. She is more confident and is curious again. Less sentinel work and more leading the flock around. Hattie has been in my business like she has not been before. Watching everything i was doing when covering the run and pitch in shower curtains and of course wanting to know what was up with the Ratacombs.

Here she is leading the squad into cleaning up the rats mess. By the way, it was still warm enough for worms and bugs. Lots of worms and bugs.
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Sansa the Sentinel
I am seeing more of this as well, Sansa taking over Sentinel duty from Hattie.
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They look so happy scratching around!

 

[Shadrach]

It's no good. I've got to fez up. I've been in denial. I've got as near to a house rooster as makes no difference.
Treacle visits the house every day. I let them all out of their coops in the morning, Treacle spends between half an hour and an hour with the tribe or the ducks and then arrives at my house. He doesn't march straight in. He waits outside until I appear.
Once I'm in the house (I usually am because I go in to have breakfast around then) Treacle comes in. He's not after food it seems. He just wants the company.
If I leave, as I have for most of the day recently, he often waits in the house. The door is open so he can come and go as he pleases. When he does go back outside and I arrive, he rushes at me like I'm a hen, his wings spread out and full tilt run. He gets right up to my feet and stops dead.
If I go back to the house he follows me.
The strange thing is, when the rest of Tribe 1 arrive; it's usually after 3.30 pm, he mixes with them as normal. They generally stop in the house until supper time, 5pmish. Then they all go off to their coop together.
I'm having to carry him out some days just to make sure he gets some outside time.

 

[MaryJanet]

It's no good. I've got to fez up. I've been in denial. I've got as near to a house rooster as makes no difference.
Treacle visits the house every day. I let them all out of their coops in the morning, Treacle spends between half an hour and an hour with the tribe or the ducks and then arrives at my house. He doesn't march straight in. He waits outside until I appear.
Once I'm in the house (I usually am because I go in to have breakfast around then) Treacle comes in. He's not after food it seems. He just wants the company.
If I leave, as I have for most of the day recently, he often waits in the house. The door is open so he can come and go as he pleases. When he does go back outside and I arrive, he rushes at me like I'm a hen, his wings spread out and full tilt run. He gets right up to my feet and stops dead.
If I go back to the house he follows me.
The strange thing is, when the rest of Tribe 1 arrive; it's usually after 3.30 pm, he mixes with them as normal. They generally stop in the house until supper time, 5pmish. Then they all go off to their coop together.
I'm having to carry him out some days just to make sure he gets some outside time.

The beginnings of Tribe 4!

 

[featherhead007]

In my experience, frequently I am not good at making others comfy

Maybe you are right, and the others are not?

 

[featherhead007]

It's no good. I've got to fez up. I've been in denial. I've got as near to a house rooster as makes no difference.
Treacle visits the house every day. I let them all out of their coops in the morning, Treacle spends between half an hour and an hour with the tribe or the ducks and then arrives at my house. He doesn't march straight in. He waits outside until I appear.
Once I'm in the house (I usually am because I go in to have breakfast around then) Treacle comes in. He's not after food it seems. He just wants the company.
If I leave, as I have for most of the day recently, he often waits in the house. The door is open so he can come and go as he pleases. When he does go back outside and I arrive, he rushes at me like I'm a hen, his wings spread out and full tilt run. He gets right up to my feet and stops dead.
If I go back to the house he follows me.
The strange thing is, when the rest of Tribe 1 arrive; it's usually after 3.30 pm, he mixes with them as normal. They generally stop in the house until supper time, 5pmish. Then they all go off to their coop together.
I'm having to carry him out some days just to make sure he gets some outside time.

I see no problem with Treacle's actions or behavior at all! He's a good rooster!

 

[MaryJanet]

Maybe you are right, and the others are not?

A bit of both I daresay.

 

[LozzyR]

Here is one of my Orpington Roosters, he was 7 months old in this picture, he's now 9 months old. I'll have to try and get a picture of him later! His spurs aren't very large here, but I think they are larger now!View attachment 2456252

Ooh, have you got a salmon Faverolle? (Apologies if that’s already a known fact).

 

[LozzyR]

How gorgeous is my Nyssa?!