Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Louwin]

I love that you are a scrapbooker. I was heavily into scrapbooking when the kids were little, before I sent back to work. I participated on design teams, contests, blogs, etc. I guess when I get into something, I get really into it!
On that note, I’ll be learning a new skill... quilting! I convinced my colleague and friend to take some of us through a virtual quilting class in January. Of course the fabric collection I selected has some chickens involved!

I love quilting. I have my fingers crossed as my classes that were cancelled early last year were due to start again in person on 16th Jan but we have recently gone from 6 weeks of no covid cases in the state to a few cases again so it will be interesting to see if we get to the class.

 

[LozzyR]

I love that you are a scrapbooker. I was heavily into scrapbooking when the kids were little, before I sent back to work. I participated on design teams, contests, blogs, etc. I guess when I get into something, I get really into it!
On that note, I’ll be learning a new skill... quilting! I convinced my colleague and friend to take some of us through a virtual quilting class in January. Of course the fabric collection I selected has some chickens involved!

I started making a patchwork quilt, hand-sewing hexagons together of different scraps of material. Then in the last few years I started machine-sewing it together. I still haven’t finished it!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

This is very helpful.

You can also add saw horse elevation as well. It will help a lot for there to be someplace for Queenie to escape upwards.

You have done well with the tarps to keep the wind off of them.

It is not at all close to pretty I'm afraid. I love the wooden coops on this thread! I like wood a lot. But this does function, and it is moveable once the skirting thaws out. The tarps are attached with reusable zip ties but I used bungee cords in particular places for temperature control if need be.

It is sited where it is now for 1) electric access, 2) wind protection, 3) snow removal for human access, and 4) right within sight of our kitchen /dining area and the living room.

We don't have any sawhorses that I can get all pooey but I could try to buy a kit to make one. I do have some 2x4 worktable legs I can rig together, and an old broken lawn sale chair I got. I also added three perches in two corners last night. The clear side tarps let in sunlight and in the winter it comes in right onto the low log perch. They like that feature, and also dustbathe behind it.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

The

This is where you need to keep track of what is going on and intervene when needed. Also the sooner as we can take down the plastics fence the better.

Thank you Bob! The fence has been down since Queenie flew over it yesterday. I've been observing and it's not much worse than yesterday so far. I brought mash out this morning and let Queenie out about 5-10 mins before I opened the Buckeyes pop door (I wanted to get the icy snow off their coop and run top, anyway). Not sure which is better, she being there already when they come out, or letting her out second, but I think the first because she gets a few minutes of un-harassed eating, then they are totally occupied eating while she hangs around.

After they were done they set upon Queenie as a group but she submitted and kept moving away. They've done that three times, but also Queenie isn't getting trapped yet. They did get her against and under the ladder when I went to get the makeshift sawhorse wood, I saw the end of it, but she seems unharmed so far.

She's been avoiding the small boxy area next to that carrier in the bump-out, which I've been worried about and I'm taking away this morning, so I wonder if she's being smart about her situation, she seems very aware of her exit points, at least in every encounter I see, she's keeping her head low, watching, seeing how far the other hen wants to go, letting it pass if the other hen doesn't persist, and positioning herself to move away if need be. Sometimes she's momentarily pointed in toward a crevice (between the fence roll and the tall waterer) but I see it protects her head, all they can peck is her back and butt, and they don't have long attention spans for this activity. It goes in short bursts.

 

[RoyalChick]

Not only is it no longer 2020, it is also Friday!
Here is Dotty’s fluffy butt. Looks like I need to clean her up a bit tonight.

She also claimed top bunk for her egg this morning forcing Diana down to the lower bunk. I know it is Dotty's egg because as usual it is covered in s**t (I am really hoping she will grow out of that, but I suspect it is an anatomical issue so will probably be with her/me for life).

And just because, here are Maggie and Diana enjoying a corn cob still frozen from the stash I keep in the freezer.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have been known to build a post on my phone and tablet because the pictures are on the phone. You can upload the pictures and the use save draft. When you access on your computer the photos will be there and you can write the post on the computer. Remember you can attach your phone to your home wifi to save on data.

I'll look for the save draft feature! Ah, in that floppy drive icon? (Hmmm, what ages are the web designers? Oh maybe it's an SD card?) I did upload some pics in the app and then did something screwy and couldn't finish the post, thought it was done for, but from the PC it was still there on the website as an unfinished post.

Our home wifi has good download speed (it was 5 mbps and is now 20+ for some reason) and incredibly atrocious upload speed, maybe 1.5 mbps at best. I don't use the phone data very much so I pick and choose and this is fine with me.

 

[BY Bob]

Happy New Year to you too Bob!

Your favorite from my flock also says Happy New Year

It's rainy and overcast here and they are taking shelter in the garden shed.
View attachment 2470864

Happy New Year Tsuki.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm hoping the video is reasonably clear; it looks a bit low-res on my phone, but better quality on my computer. I called it "Tegan's shoelaces are undone".

I just love bearded chickens. Those feathered feet are adorable as well.

 

[BY Bob]

Happy New year everyone! I am still 2000 pages behind, having started from the beginning but wanted to say hi, speed reading my way through as best I can the last 2 days. You all thought you talked a lot the first year year!

The conversation exploded in 2020. I was looking back as well today. Welcome to the club.

 

[BY Bob]

We are definitely converting you; you said ‘Mum’ instead of ‘Mom’!

Yup. I even say it now. I give up.