Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

This is what they are - I didn't realize they were such a pest so now I am doubly happy that the chickens eat them. Weirdly I have never seen one outdoors - only in the house.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_marmorated_stink_bug

Yup, mine will have nothing to do with those. No interest at all.

 

[RoyalChick]

Why yes the do. What else are you good for?

Count yourself lucky @featherhead007, I remember when I got the little baby Princesses they had projectile poo and I swear they could aim it.
They would lift their pretty little fluffy butts and BAM - there I was splattered.

 

[BY Bob]

And mine went down to 8".
I can't pay chicken tax because it is so hard to get to the Chicken Palace across the ice and when I am there I do all my chicken chores and keep forgetting my phone.
I did give them a bed-time corn snack as it will be cold tonight. I may have made a mistake as the 3 older Princesses seemed to really like having food 'served' while on the roost. I hope they don't start to expect that every day!

A foot is now possible for us. This forecast keeps going up. I'm getting concerned.

Chicken tax

 

[RoyalChick]

Do yours eat those? Mine do not.

Oh yes - especially if they are moving (which as you know they do rather slowly). But they will eat dead ones too.
Now I have a lot of dead ladybugs (also a house infestation issue) and am curious to see if the ladies like them. I realize you probably all are forming some unpleasant opinions about my living arrangements with all these bug invasions!

 

[featherhead007]

Count yourself lucky @featherhead007, I remember when I got the little baby Princesses they had projectile poo and I swear they could aim it.
They would lift their pretty little fluffy butts and BAM - there I was splattered.

I have two rules I enforce the chickens to abide by.
1: Always stand firmly on both legs. (No one leg balancing)
2: No projectile pooping!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Are they citrus bugs? We have those and I don't think the girls show any interest in them.

Our stink bugs are like JRR Tolkiens' Ents. They move very, very slowly, one foot and then the other. Like a sloth actually. Slow-motion. Easy to catch, but they will let fly a stink!

 

[LozzyR]

Yup, mine will have nothing to do with those. No interest at all.

Mine neither. One particularly windy day, they all came down out of the lemon tree and hung around the trunk. The girls could have absolutely gorged themselves, but completely ignored them.

 

[TimberLine Homestead]

I have two rules I enforce the chickens to abide by.
1: Always stand firmly on both legs. (No one leg balancing)
2: No projectile pooping!

AGREEDED!!!!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Looks like the pecking order is well established.

I just love that pop of color that Queenie brings to your flock. Those Buckeye feathers are very pretty in their variety even though at first glance they all look the same.

I want to get something that will take better photos, and focus well closeup, just for that. The second picture lower right feathers came out pretty well, but generally it's hard to tell how delineated they really are. Upon closer examination the feathers are quite outstanding. Hazel has some dark green sheen-type (like marans?) feathers in her hackles I would love to capture in a picture.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

This is what they are - I didn't realize they were such a pest so now I am doubly happy that the chickens eat them. Weirdly I have never seen one outdoors - only in the house.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_marmorated_stink_bug

No, ours are not that bug. They are longer and look more like crickets. I'll try to find out what they are.