Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Cynthia12]

Fun! I got...

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And they are on “my list!”

Here's a bad photo of my girl years ago. Ya'll are thinking by now, what chicken didn't she have? lol...I hatched! Still hatch, but I wanted to see as many different varieties as I could. It was fun. I found out which ones were sturdy, sun or snow. Which ones laid. Which ones went broody. Which ones were more friendly..and not.

Yes, I'm old. Had a few years to find out. Here's my Barny, used a bad camera. My phone does much better now. Her colors were much more vibrant. Not as much as some. Definitely not show quality. They can be, or not. Sweet chicken. They don't lay as well as some. Hardy girl. Friendly too.

 

[Cynthia12]

I got to spend a few minutes with my girls when I got home tonight, Rosue and I inspected the ground under one of the planters in the front yard before they went off to bed and I came in to give my other non feathered dinosaur her bath. work nights are short and full of animals needing attention, including the humans. Anyone ever have those nights you wish there was human kibble available?

Human kibble. Wouldn't that be Mac and Cheese?

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

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.

What a silly question! You know we all say "yes get them!" (as demonstrated by RC below)

You are not seriously expecting any of us to say pass are you?
I assume as you know the guy you know a little about the flock they are coming from and know they are healthy and all that. If so, I would 100% go for it!

If you have room for them and your daughter's lavenders, I think it would be a pity to pass up this opportunity.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

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.

Lovely names Alex.
Is your last one a bit of a Teutonic, staunch warrior type? How about Helga?

 

[MaryJanet]

Lovely names Alex.
Is your last one a bit of a Teutonic, staunch warrior type? How about Helga?

Helga is a great name for a chicken!

 

[Cynthia12]

Hey..Helga, one I haven't used yet! Thanks! .

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

A Cold Frosty Start turns into another Great Day

Saturday dawned with fog, drizzle, and a snow covered deck. The girls were locked in the complex and not happy.

By lunch time the fog had cleared and drizzle had stopped. The snow was melted from the deck. I headed out to chop up the brush left from trimming the butterfly bush and I released the flock.

About 1/3 of the side yard no longer has snow, the portion around the magnolia tree. The girls were digging in it in no time. Of course the snow was not restricting Phyllis.

Watch them dig away.

After I got the brush done, I grabbed a cup of coffee and a book and we spent the afternoon together.

Aurora came and sat in the chair next to me.
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Hattie figured out that enough space had melted for her to explore the entire fence line today.
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The tribe spent the day together scratching away leading to some really muddy feat. Phyllis left footprints on my pants.
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They patrolled the edge of the snow line devouring the grass as the snow receded.
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The sun did make some brief appearances but we still hit 50°F today. Not bad at all.

That's weird. I was posting to let you know that I couldn't open the last 3 photos Bob (they show as jpgs on my screen) but when I quoted your post, there they are!

 

[Ribh]

Beautiful! We call those EE'S here. Here are a couple of photos of what we call Aracanas. Tufted, and rumpless..no tail. . I had a couple years ago. One tuft was longer than one side on one of them. These aren't mine, photos I found.View attachment 2548524View attachment 2548525

The rumpless are pretty hard to get out here. EEs arent really a thing out here. Theyd just be a backyard mix. @Aussie-Chookmum -Chookmum also has an Aracauna. Ours always lay the blue eggs. No other colours.

 

[Cynthia12]

The rumpless are pretty hard to get out here. EEs arent really a thing out here. Theyd just be a backyard mix. @Aussie Chook-mum also has an Aracauna. Ours always lay the blue eggs. No other colours.

I want a blue egg this year. I keep getting the olive or mint green eggs. Not the true blues. Oh well..at least I have some color right now. .

 

[Cynthia12]

Bought some 16 % feed today. When my 18% is gone, the weather should be good enough for them to start free ranging. And, to here should be some green popping up. 16% will be fine then.