Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Chicken tax (Hen-Rietta) and Jaffar. Two pictures requested for the tax

 

[Ribh]

Phyllis Update

I took Phyllis off of the nest and got was she mad. She pecked me several times. From the amount of poo she dumped, she definitely had not left the nest.

Here she is just off the nest.

And then, more important than eating, the dust bath!

When I took her off the nest, Hattie was in box 2 to look at her egg. With Phyllis gone, Hattie was frantic to get in and lay her egg in the best nest box.

She was off the nest at least an hour. During that time Aurora went in the side door and tried to lay in her nest. Then Phyllis returned and I closed her back in.

View attachment 2760938

I'm relieved you took her off but poor Hattie! I feel for the girl.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

The way I check the bottoms of their feet is by holding them like a football with their face under my armpit. I grasp their legs with the hand on the arm holding the football, leaving my other arm free to inspect feet, part feathers, trim, etc.

This is how I ended up by accident with Hazel when I got her to wash her fluffy butt. She's much more flighty than Butters (who got washed first). I had her in a forward facing hand scooped under her position with my other arm over her, and Hazel would not settle, and walking toward the house we were suddenly doing a scramble of my hands, her chicken legs and wings, and then she ended up there and immediately stopped struggling, though she probably got hot & tired. I wasn't clamping her much though I had a firm grip on her legs, supporting her with that arm. She fit my body really well that way.

 

[BY Bob]

At least she tried, best she could!

True. She was determined!

 

[BY Bob]

I'm relieved you took her off but poor Hattie! I feel for the girl.

Desperate to get to that Nesting Box. It is that much better.

I could not let Phyllis go any longer. She was not coming off of the nest at all. I find it scary right now so I will intervene.

 

[BY Bob]

Flockservations

Since I was out supervising Phyllis' release today, I got a chance to observe their interactions.

1. I watched Sansa, Sydney, and Phyllis all grooming together peacefully for a while today and I thought, that is what I hoped for when I added the three of them. Of course after a few minutes both Sydney and Sansa decided that Phyllis needed pecked, I guess because she is broody, or maybe just because she is Phyllis. Either way the illusion quickly shattered.
2. Sansa and Sydney were both the most interested in punishing Phyllis. At different times either one or both were actually stalking Phyllis.
3. I think Aurora has a soft spot for Mums. I remember her actually being sweet to Sydney and protective of her chicks. I saw the same thing today. Her and Phyllis shared some meal worms with no moves to peck or run Phyllis off as she normally would. They groomed together and Aurora never made any move to chase or peck her.
4. The obsession with nest box #1 is real. I had to run off Sydney, Sansa, and Aurora. Aurora actually snuck past me twice and into box 1 where she laid her egg very quickly the second time. It was also Aurora who came running when I moved Phyllis to the right side of the wire in the coop and she squawking loudly making the distress call.

 

[featherhead007]

Flockservations

Since I was out supervising Phyllis' release today, I got a chance to observe their interactions.

1. I watched Sansa, Sydney, and Phyllis all grooming together peacefully for a while today and I thought, that is what I hoped for when I added the three of them. Of course after a few minutes both Sydney and Sansa decided that Phyllis needed pecked, I guess because she is broody, or maybe just because she is Phyllis. Either way the illusion quickly shattered.
2. Sansa and Sydney were both the most interested in punishing Phyllis. At different times either one or both were actually stalking Phyllis.
3. I think Aurora has a soft spot for Mums. I remember her actually being sweet to Sydney and protective of her chicks. I saw the same thing today. Her and Phyllis shared some meal worms with no moves to peck or run Phyllis off as she normally would. They groomed together and Aurora never made any move to chase or peck her.
4. The obsession with nest box #1 is real. I had to run off Sydney, Sansa, and Aurora. Aurora actually snuck past me twice and into box 1 where she laid her egg very quickly the second time. It was also Aurora who came running when I moved Phyllis to the right side of the wire in the coop and she squawking loudly making the distress call.

I appreciate the coop scoop. Thanks Bob.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Flockservations

Since I was out supervising Phyllis' release today, I got a chance to observe their interactions.

1. I watched Sansa, Sydney, and Phyllis all grooming together peacefully for a while today and I thought, that is what I hoped for when I added the three of them. Of course after a few minutes both Sydney and Sansa decided that Phyllis needed pecked, I guess because she is broody, or maybe just because she is Phyllis. Either way the illusion quickly shattered.
2. Sansa and Sydney were both the most interested in punishing Phyllis. At different times either one or both were actually stalking Phyllis.
3. I think Aurora has a soft spot for Mums. I remember her actually being sweet to Sydney and protective of her chicks. I saw the same thing today. Her and Phyllis shared some meal worms with no moves to peck or run Phyllis off as she normally would. They groomed together and Aurora never made any move to chase or peck her.
4. The obsession with nest box #1 is real. I had to run off Sydney, Sansa, and Aurora. Aurora actually snuck past me twice and into box 1 where she laid her egg very quickly the second time. It was also Aurora who came running when I moved Phyllis to the right side of the wire in the coop and she squawking loudly making the distress call.

If Phyllis accepts the chicks she will fiercely protect them, but, it couldn't hurt to have Auntie Aurora as back up to defend her and them. If she really does have a soft spot for chicks it wouldn't surprise me to see her eventually go broody at least once as well.

 

[featherhead007]

Do new hens start out laying smaller eggs than regular "medium, or large "? Does ANYBODY know the answer? My five new BR's are laying now (but are the same size as my five year old "Rocks-Ann" but their eggs are small?

 

[RoyalChick]

Flockservations

Since I was out supervising Phyllis' release today, I got a chance to observe their interactions.

1. I watched Sansa, Sydney, and Phyllis all grooming together peacefully for a while today and I thought, that is what I hoped for when I added the three of them. Of course after a few minutes both Sydney and Sansa decided that Phyllis needed pecked, I guess because she is broody, or maybe just because she is Phyllis. Either way the illusion quickly shattered.
2. Sansa and Sydney were both the most interested in punishing Phyllis. At different times either one or both were actually stalking Phyllis.
3. I think Aurora has a soft spot for Mums. I remember her actually being sweet to Sydney and protective of her chicks. I saw the same thing today. Her and Phyllis shared some meal worms with no moves to peck or run Phyllis off as she normally would. They groomed together and Aurora never made any move to chase or peck her.
4. The obsession with nest box #1 is real. I had to run off Sydney, Sansa, and Aurora. Aurora actually snuck past me twice and into box 1 where she laid her egg very quickly the second time. It was also Aurora who came running when I moved Phyllis to the right side of the wire in the coop and she squawking loudly making the distress call.

#3 wow!