Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Cynthia12]

Cloudy all day. Now as the sun starts to set, there is sun peeking through to the top of our tallest mountain in our county. From my front window again. Mount Timpanogos.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Kindred Spirits

We have had serious melt the last two days and beautiful skies with lots of sunshine. This morning was so nice that I went out and had coffee this morning with the flock as I sat in my chair under the magnolia tree. Of course we had a corn feeding frenzy. Why not?! We are celebrating the arrival of Spring.

Sansa Update
As you can see, Sansa was eating from my hand. She seems to be back to her own self.
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So this got me thinking that maybe the confinement itself was driving her behavior. I never really checked to see if Wyandottes bear confinement well. So I went out and started checking. Here is a quick summary of what I found.

Suitability to Backyard Life:​

Cold Hardiness: Hardy in winter
Heat Tolerance: Not especially heat hardy
Bears Confinement: Bears confinement well
Especially Docile: Yes
Setter/Broody: Yes
Personality: Generally easygoing with a tendency toward domination

Now I know these are general characteristics that I rail against because each chicken is an individual. I think that Sansa again proves these wrong.

So supposedly they bear confinement well. I do not believe that Sansa is normal in that way. I think her and I are kindred spirits in that we need to be "out". I really believe that she was upset by all of the time she was locked into the complex.

She is herself today. Even to the point of asking me for her secret walnuts. She certainly was not running from me but rather towards me. She even squatted for me. I really have not done that much to "win" back her affection. It has to be all the time that she was confined. I am wearing the same clothes as always, no lime green coat.

"Hey, where are my walnuts?"
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You might be right, when the winter "traps" them in the complex and there's no snow-free outside available. I wonder if it is the easy escape routes she has when in the snow-free yard, a sense that she can move away if need be. Also, here you are sitting quietly, and not standing. I don't remember - was she avoiding you when you sat quietly in the complex with them, or were you standing in the complex?

Queenie sometimes avoids me and other times comes right next to me. So far my best theory is it's the spatial relationship she perceives between me, the other hens, and nearby objects or walls. I think she likes to have room to move away if she wants to.

I've been busy and am once again catching up!

 

[BY Bob]

She was named Cornelia Roberta but...that's a mouthful! Anyway, this version fits.

That is hysterical!

 

[BY Bob]

What is the difference between a Dominique and a Barred Rock?

It will be some research i do. I will let you know.

 

[BY Bob]

Fun! I got...

View attachment 2547810

And they are on “my list!”

I think that makes 2 of you now. Lovely birds.

 

[Ribh]

You have pure Aracanas? The ones with tufts..not muffs?

I had 2 Splash Aracaunas ~ Australian varieties, not American. Ours have tails.
This is Beatha. She has a tuft & a beard. She's a bit of a loner.

This is Mhari. She was my 2nd & very beautiful. I lost her unexpectedly last year. Her crest is tiny but she did actually have one. No beard.

I posted a link for WhoDat on how there's almost no difference between an Aracauna & an EE. One was accepted by the APA, the other was not.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Here you go... me and Claire this evening! View attachment 2546918

Look at those pretty feathers! She is a fine looking hen!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Ok Fluffy Butt Friends, I need some advice. My sawdust guy delivered a load of sawdust for me yesterday and presented me with a problem or opportunity. Depends on how you look at it. He's a wonderful old man who likes chickens as much as I do and will stand around and talk horses and chickens all day long. This June he has 17 Beifielder chicks coming, and in order to make room for them he's offered me 5 or 6 hens for free. Was initially in the process of saying no when he showed me the pictures and told me to look and think again. THEY ARE BLUE MARANS. 2 years old and gorgeous. He knows my obsession with Marans, and has remembered that I also want blues, well, ok every color. I have until the new chicks show up to decided, but if I really want them in about 3 weeks when the next load of sawdust arrives they can hitch a ride with him. I WANT THEM, I think I'm going to say yes. Keep 3 of the best looking ones and let Maddy next door have the others to take to her papaws as they are wanting more hens and love the 2 Marans I gave them. That would still allow me to get a few Lavender chicks for Rosie. I think anyway, that plan would push me at or over 20 chickens, which I sorta want to keep under so as not to drive the neighbors crazy. But then, the neighbors love my chickens, 3 of them bring over kitchen scraps to them and since I've had a egg explosion they are loving the fresh eggs i've been giving them. Ok advise please, take them, or pass on them.

Really? You have to ask?
TAKE THEM!!! Of course.
(If you don’t you will kick yourself later).

 

[BY Bob]

Knock and Donk have been laying eggs in an outside nest. I spotted Donk going up that bank in the picture. I hate that hen some days. No way I can follow her up that!
However, this morning I waited for Knock to slide off to her nest site and I tagged along behind trying to look as if I was interested in other things.
I watched Knock climb up the bottomof the bank and thought she was going to head up to the top where I had seen Donk. Instead she slid out of sight for a moment and then I saw her settle low on the bank. I was about 30 metres away so quite lucky to keep track of her.
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Here's her nest. It's not a good spot. It's too close to the track and too easy to spot from the ridge.
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Step back a bit onto the track and you can just make out where her nest is. Look at the middle of the picture and go left.
The track is where I stood when I took this picture.
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They do challenge you so.

 

[BY Bob]

Okay, chick names.
I have five littles. Names subject to changes, with personality traits
1. Coco
2. Shanny. ( Shenandoah )
3. Xzit (the chick named herself, pecking at my iPhone)
4. Bo-Peep ( Bo, if she’s a he)
And many colorful adjectives for the last one (such a stubborn little brat)
I’m hoping you BYC friends agree.

I love them all but I can't support calling one "zit". It just feels mean. I will call them "exit".