Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

We just need to tag team sometimes! Sometimes it just takes multiple perspectives to transfer the information.

It's funny, I have been so sick that I have not even seen the ladies for days. It got warm today and I am finally feeling a little better so I went out with some walnuts and sat on the deck. 4 of them gathered around me. Hattie stood off and Phyllis waited to jump in. Once I brought out the walnuts it was pandemonium. I actually think that Sydney got more than Aurora. I had a terrible time getting any of them to Phyllis.

After the frenzy was over, I was wistful. This time last year I had my crew trained to take turns with treats. The 4 would arrange themselves and as I called their name they would each take their piece. That group included Aurora!

I have to take some blame that I have not trained them but 6 just seems to be a lot more to handle than 4.

I am sorry you are feeling so poorly Bob - you mentioned you had a cold but I didn't realize you were really off your feet. Get well soon. I am thinking your attitude to your chickens will change when you feel better.

 

[RoyalChick]

You have plenty of space for some more no matter what. I did not say get 40 chickens!

Ha! Indeed not 40. It is between 0 and 3. I will wake up one morning and know the answer. Until then I will try and not be a pain to everyone as I agonize over it.

 

[Ribh]

Ha! Indeed not 40. It is between 0 and 3. I will wake up one morning and know the answer. Until then I will try and not be a pain to everyone as I agonize over it.

You might want to consider changing that number to 4. @BY Bob believes in keeping numbers even. For myself I prefer if every new hen I get starts out with a running partner no matter what friendships emerge later.

 

[featherhead007]

I am sorry you are feeling so poorly Bob - you mentioned you had a cold but I didn't realize you were really off your feet. Get well soon. I am thinking your attitude to your chickens will change when you feel better.

Same here. (He did mention it kinda hinting around yesterday) But it didn't register in my brain. Sorry Bob.

 

[RoyalChick]

You might want to consider changing that number to 4. @BY Bob believes in keeping numbers even. For myself I prefer if every new hen I get starts out with a running partner no matter what friendships emerge later.

And so it goes! 2 became 3 became 4!
I was hoping that 3 brooded together would be friends even if they are of 2 different breeds and that hopefully the Legbar when grown up would either stick with her 2 brooder-buddies or join her fellow road runners.
Meanwhile, Maggie continues as a solo.
Oh this is all too complicated! Particularly as they will no doubt have their own views of all this which will simply prove I got it wrong (whatever I do)!

 

[Ribh]

And so it goes! 2 became 3 became 4!
I was hoping that 3 brooded together would be friends even if they are of 2 different breeds and that hopefully the Legbar when grown up would either stick with her 2 brooder-buddies or join her fellow road runners.
Meanwhile, Maggie continues as a solo.
Oh this is all too complicated! Particularly as they will no doubt have their own views of all this which will simply prove I got it wrong (whatever I do)!

Which is why it is so important you understand how you want your flock. I broke my rule early on & paid for it. I've tried really hard not to do it again, so even though I have lost birds & now have a number of *onelies* they have become singletons after they have an established place in the flock & formed other friendships as well. This time I stuck hard to my rule even though it meant buying more birds than I really wanted. So though I lost 1 Vorwerk the remaining one is ok in the hierarchy.

 

[BY Bob]

I am sorry you are feeling so poorly Bob - you mentioned you had a cold but I didn't realize you were really off your feet. Get well soon. I am thinking your attitude to your chickens will change when you feel better.

I love and miss my chickens. They haven't ticked me off in weeks. This is a good as it gets with this group.

 

[BY Bob]

Ha! Indeed not 40. It is between 0 and 3. I will wake up one morning and know the answer. Until then I will try and not be a pain to everyone as I agonize over it.

You are not a pain. You like expanding my coop, I like helping you pick out how many new chicks. I recommend pairs, 0-4.

 

[BY Bob]

You might want to consider changing that number to 4. @BY Bob believes in keeping numbers even. For myself I prefer if every new hen I get starts out with a running partner no matter what friendships emerge later.

I agree.

 

[BY Bob]

Same here. (He did mention it kinda hinting around yesterday) But it didn't register in my brain. Sorry Bob.

No worries Alex. All good. I'm getting better.