Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Round 1 of hatching is over thankfully. 5 happy little black fluff balls. The final one hatched last night and it gave me grief. After the 4th one hatched Friday night my mother became convinced that the final egg was a dud. A argument ensued over if it was viable or not, she was afraid it would explode and was bad because she couldn't hear anything inside it and it was impossible to candle. I told her to leave it alone for another 48 hours, well, she caught me outside and decided it was bad and wanted to do a eggtopsy. She cracked a small hole near the air sack and nope, not a dud, just a chick that hadn't internally pipped yet. Thankfully she didn't damage any blood vessels and she stuck it back in the incubator and i spent the next 24 hours trying to keep the membranes moist. Yesterday morning the egg was rocking and could hear chirping so i was hoping it would finish hatching on it's own but had to intervene about 9 last night. It ended up becoming horribly shrink wrapped, and after assisting it out it was super weak but alive. I left it in a bowl in the incubator overnight and honestly thought i'd wake up to a dead chick. Nope, active little one who'd managed to climb out of the bowl. I just put it in the brooder with its siblings and it is wobbly but eating so that's a good sign. There are 9 more eggs in the incubator due in 2 weeks. This time after explaining that they can take up to 23 or 24 days to hatch due to possible hot and cold spots mom promises not to call one a dud right away. This has been a learning experience for both of us, and honestly, its soo much easier to let the hen do the job, but also rewarding when you get to watch them hatch out.
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The last little one to hatch.
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https://www.facebook.com/100003915274138/videos/pcb.2028339460639877/2028334870640336/

(Incubator) I gots to get me one of those!

 

[BY Bob]

That’s a beautiful memorial Bob.

Thank you. They all deserve to be remembered,. It was difficult to find a picture that I knew was Dolly. It feels especially good to have her memorialized.

 

[BY Bob]

(Incubator) I gots to get me one of those!

You could be hatching right now with one.

 

[Shadrach]

Cillin had a much better day today. I got his foot done earlier than usual and bombed him out the door.
Both Mel and Fudge appeared without Treacle and Mel spent some time with Cillin before wandering back to join the others. Fudge got into the house nest box to lay and egg and broke two.I bombed Fudge out as well and set about cleaning out the nest box.
Fudge, having been evicted before she layed her egg being somewhat pissy at the eviction started to shout the house down. Cillin was close by and got there first but Treacle arrived very quickly ad chased Cillin away and headed up to the tribe coop with Fudge. Guess where Cillin went.

Treacle is busy and was busy with Fudge for an hour or so.

All the hens will follow Cillin and here he is guarding while they dust bath. At the back of the picture you can see Notch. Since Cillins confidence crisis Notch has driven Cillin away as soon as he sees him. He tried again today while Tribe 1's hens were dustbathing. Cillin stood his ground and when Notch made a run at him, turned to fight. Notch backed off and that's him just after he had tried to intimidate Cillin.

Treacle arrived to rejoin the hens and drove Cillin away, but not very far and Treacle couldn't collect all the hens leaving Cillin with Tap and later Fat Bird and Tackle.

Treacle have problems herding the hens.

I looked for them all a while later wondering if Cillin and Treacle had got inot a fight. Cillin was back with the hens and no sign of Treacle.

I found Treacle at the front of the house guarding Fudge while she had a bath.

It wasn't until supper time that Treacle went for Cillin and drove him well away from the hens. Cillin until then had been just a few metres away from Treacle and Treacle didn't try to drive him away.

 

[Ribh]

A Snowy Day Project

I new that I would be mostly locked in the house today so I planned a chicken project. I have been wanting to memorialize the chickens that have passed on somehow. Yesterday I finally found a frame suitable to the task. Today I selected and printed the photos and devised the words. I think it came out pretty well.

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The sentiment is based upon a Ronny Millsap song. Here are the words.

Our paths will never cross again
Maybe our hearts will never mend
But we’re glad for all the good times
Cause you've brought us so much sunshine

We wouldn't trade one memory
Cause you meant so much to we
Even though we lost you all
We wouldn't have missed it for the world

What a lovely memento!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Cillin had a much better day today. I got his foot done earlier than usual and bombed him out the door.
Both Mel and Fudge appeared without Treacle and Mel spent some time with Cillin before wandering back to join the others. Fudge got into the house nest box to lay and egg and broke two.I bombed Fudge out as well and set about cleaning out the nest box.
Fudge, having been evicted before she layed her egg being somewhat pissy at the eviction started to shout the house down. Cillin was close by and got there first but Treacle arrived very quickly ad chased Cillin away and headed up to the tribe coop with Fudge. Guess where Cillin went.
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Treacle is busy and was busy with Fudge for an hour or so.
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All the hens will follow Cillin and here he is guarding while they dust bath. At the back of the picture you can see Notch. Since Cillins confidence crisis Notch has driven Cillin away as soon as he sees him. He tried again today while Tribe 1's hens were dustbathing. Cillin stood his ground and when Notch made a run at him, turned to fight. Notch backed off and that's him just after he had tried to intimidate Cillin.
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Treacle arrived to rejoin the hens and drove Cillin away, but not very far and Treacle couldn't collect all the hens leaving Cillin with Tap and later Fat Bird and Tackle.
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Treacle have problems herding the hens.
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I looked for them all a while later wondering if Cillin and Treacle had got inot a fight. Cillin was back with the hens and no sign of Treacle.
View attachment 2510533
I found Treacle at the front of the house guarding Fudge while she had a bath.
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It wasn't until supper time that Treacle went for Cillin and drove him well away from the hens. Cillin until then had been just a few metres away from Treacle and Treacle didn't try to drive him away.

Sounds like Cillin is getting his mojo back. Lucky tribe to have two such vigilant roosters!

 

[BY Bob]

Cillin had a much better day today. I got his foot done earlier than usual and bombed him out the door.
Both Mel and Fudge appeared without Treacle and Mel spent some time with Cillin before wandering back to join the others. Fudge got into the house nest box to lay and egg and broke two.I bombed Fudge out as well and set about cleaning out the nest box.
Fudge, having been evicted before she layed her egg being somewhat pissy at the eviction started to shout the house down. Cillin was close by and got there first but Treacle arrived very quickly ad chased Cillin away and headed up to the tribe coop with Fudge. Guess where Cillin went.
View attachment 2510491
Treacle is busy and was busy with Fudge for an hour or so.
View attachment 2510496
All the hens will follow Cillin and here he is guarding while they dust bath. At the back of the picture you can see Notch. Since Cillins confidence crisis Notch has driven Cillin away as soon as he sees him. He tried again today while Tribe 1's hens were dustbathing. Cillin stood his ground and when Notch made a run at him, turned to fight. Notch backed off and that's him just after he had tried to intimidate Cillin.
View attachment 2510518
Treacle arrived to rejoin the hens and drove Cillin away, but not very far and Treacle couldn't collect all the hens leaving Cillin with Tap and later Fat Bird and Tackle.
View attachment 2510530
Treacle have problems herding the hens.
View attachment 2510531
I looked for them all a while later wondering if Cillin and Treacle had got inot a fight. Cillin was back with the hens and no sign of Treacle.
View attachment 2510533
I found Treacle at the front of the house guarding Fudge while she had a bath.
View attachment 2510536
It wasn't until supper time that Treacle went for Cillin and drove him well away from the hens. Cillin until then had been just a few metres away from Treacle and Treacle didn't try to drive him away.

Am I wrong or are things improving for Cillin with Treacle? It feels like he is on his way back into the tribe. Certainly Treacle needs the help.

 

[BY Bob]

What a lovely memento!

Thanks. I need to find a place to hang it now. At least one that is acceptable to Mrs BY Bob,

 

[Ribh]

Thanks. I need to find a place to hang it now. At least one that is acceptable to Mrs BY Bob,

If it were me I'd be hanging it in the office where I could see it all the time. Such a nice sight in the midst of work drudgery.

 

[BY Bob]

If it were me I'd be hanging it in the office where I could see it all the time. Such a nice sight in the midst of work drudgery.

That's not a bad idea. The original idea was to hang it with all the other photos in the dining room but it is so large it would dominate the space.