Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Shadrach]

I can see why chicken math happens, no subtraction necessary, just addition! I am learning so much I don't feel ready for more chickens, but I have loved the whole process of caring for them as day-old chicks to now. So sometimes I fantasize about expansion. Just last week Queenie started doing what sounds like an egg song. The classic chicken-picking "bok-bok-bok buh-cawk!" She was leaving the coop after having laid and egg. Now she's also done it before she goes IN, so I don't know what that's all about. Did it for several minutes. Possibly she was waiting on someone else who is just leaving the nestbox. But I loved hearing it! Just stood there and soaked it all up. Started thinking about what it would be like to have a rooster and have a real Tribe.

This is waht that call is all about.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-not-about-the-egg-it’s-an-escort-call.74386/

 

[Ribh]

Moral Conundrum

It is cold and windy here today. The wind chill is 14 degrees F (-10 C). However the sun is shining. ☀

If the ladies stay in their complex today it will be much warmer for them as the wind is blocked and the shower curtains will create a greenhouse for them. They will be active. If I let them out to free range, they will surely run out and hunker down with the apple trees. They will not be active but rather will lay around huddled all day.

I honestly believe that the best thing for them is to not let them out, despite their protestations to the contrary.

My question for all of you is, Is it wrong for me to deny them their own freedom of choice or should I leave them locked in?

Me, I'd leave them in with maybe a little run in the warmest part of the day...???

 

[featherhead007]

SUCCESS! Rocks-Anne laid her egg! Just one, but she’s feeling a lot better now!

 

[featherhead007]

SUCCESS! Rocks-Anne laid her egg! Just one, but she’s feeling a lot better now!

And so am I !

 

[Shadrach]

Moon bush.

 

[Ribh]

Dug out a few older pictures for some over due tax happy sisters sunbathing Alinta and BrennaView attachment 2506485View attachment 2506484trying to keep Alinta from biting me as usual

Those boots are rather special.

 

[Shadrach]

Cillin.

 

[featherhead007]

Cillin.
View attachment 2506549View attachment 2506550

Come on Cillin, you can do this!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

1 chick is out so far and i wish i had a broody hen to stuff the other eggs under and let her deal with it. It hatched early, pipped on day 19 and came out 4 hours ago on day 20. In it's rush to greet the world the yolk had not fully absorbed and their was some blood loss. I used corn starch to stop the bleeding, and gave it drink of save-a-chick. and stuck it back in the incubator on a paper towel. It's perking up some and it's wobbling around. I'll breath a bit if it makes it 24 hours, and feel it should be in the clear if it makes it to 48 hours. I have another egg pipped and chirps coming from a third.
Here's the little girl, fairly confident its a girl. It has no visible comb at all, In the summer when bumblebee hatched he had a noticeable comb at hatch, all the pullets hatched like this one, nothing at all.

 

[BY Bob]

Cold Cruel Night

I did not let them out today. Mean, I know. However no one was the worse for it. I took them a snack of corn before bedtime and of course Phyllis ran between my legs to check out the yard. She was back in 10 minutes. They are all tucked in bed, craws full of corn.

Wind chill is currently 14°F (-10°C) and headed down. But the coop is 29°F (-1.6°C) and their bellies are full.

It is a cold clear night as the wind howls and the moon rises.