Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

What breed is that zebra bird?

She's a Barred Rock, like Sydney.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Elizabeth: March 2019 - September 2021. RIP.
Elizabeth died suddenly today. I am sad and will miss her.
Yesterday she was running around happily exploring the long grass.
This morning she was fine, though maybe a but a bit less perky than normal. By 5pm she was clearly not long for this world - her comb was turning cold and blue and she was only semi-conscious, and by 6pm she was gone.
You may remember she had been having trouble putting solid shells on her eggs for quite a while in spite of lots of extra calcium. It wasn't that she laid soft shelled eggs (though she did once) but more that the shells were so thin they would crack on impact. So I imagine the cause of her death was something reproductive.
Being thankful for small mercies, it was at least quick.
Hopefully you don't mind me posting some pictures here as a quick tribute to the lovely Elizabeth.

Baby Elizabeth at the top of the ramp with her bff Maggie (Diana is below)
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Inspecting roofing material for the soon-to-be-constructed Chicken Palace
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Just chilling
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The three sisters
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Looking for snacks
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Snow!
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On alert in the long grass
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Admiring herself
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Picking the best grass seed
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Alert while sunbathing
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Hanging out with her bff Maggie
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Ice cream!
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Selecting the best bug
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Looking back at these pictures I think she had a good chicken-life albeit too short.
Farewell Elizabeth, you brought me happiness and were well loved.
Rest in peace.

I just read this post today. I am sorry to hear that Elizabeth has passed. It’s always a sad day when this happens.
RIP Elizabeth

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Well, I guess it's time to make a update I was praying I wouldn't have to make. Henrietta is gone. She had started hiding her eggs again about a week before I got sick with covid so I suspected she was trying to go broody again. A few days after I was when I was miserable and unable to make it outside my dad had mentioned to me he had not seen her and suspected she was setting again. Roughly a week after that was when Drummie was killed and I knew I had a problem. I was still holding out hope that she was alive just hidden somewhere and I was missing her coming off the nest as I did with momma hen this last time and she would show back up with chicks in tow. Drummie will be gone 3 weeks this Wednesday, which means if she was setting this past week she should have showed back up. She didn't, which can only mean she was the evil coyote's first victim and not Drumstick. So in total before I knew what the culprit was and still blaming hawks I lost 4 chickens to it. Henrietta, Drumstick, Clover and Pumpkin. After we killed that big male last Sunday have not saw any signs of anymore, but we are still watching and hunting. I have noticed a change in my flock again as they are once again relaxed and comfortable in the yard where the attacks were happening and back to spending most of their time there. It also makes Raven and Blueberry even more special to me. Raven is the only Henrietta daughter I have now and Blueberry is the granddaughter of both Henrietta and Toothless.

I only just read THIS and other sad updates this morning, as I have been out of touch.
I am sorry you have had yet another loss.
I hope you can get rid of that coyote!
RIP Henrietta

 

[BY Bob]

Wow - that series of videos is adorable, fascinating and sad all at the same time. In the first video Phyllis seems to want to get in there with them in the worst possible way. But Sydney does seem to be the most natural Mom.
I wonder if you could arrange alone time for them with Phyllis indoors with mealy worms.

I am considering adding Phyllis to the run with them outside to see what happens. I also thought about letting Sydney in with them to see if she really is mothering them.

There is risk though as you never know what could happen when they can touch and the chicks are so small.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I've been Keeping Something from You All

Please forgive us but @RoyalChick and I have plotting behind everyone's back. The breeder where she got the roadrunners has Polish as well. She has obtained 2 Candy Corn Polish for me. Here is what they look like fully grown.

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@RoyalChick has picked them up and she is driving to meet me half way so we can exchange these little darlings.

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I will explain more and update everyone on our adventure once I get them home.
I'm so excited.

I am so excited for you!!!
This is great news!
I am just catching up on all the news from the last week and a half !
I was hoping something like this would come along!

 

[RoyalChick]

I am considering adding Phyllis to the run with them outside to see what happens. I also thought about letting Sydney in with them to see if she really is mothering them.

There is risk though as you never know what could happen when they can touch and the chicks are so small.

True. Though I imagine you would stand by. Also, not so small any more. Remember my fear that they were so tiny? Compared to that they are monster-sized!

 

[BY Bob]

I am so excited for you!!!
This is great news!
I am just catching up on all the news from the last week and a half !
I was hoping something like this would come along!

We were very sneaky.

 

[BY Bob]

True. Though I imagine you would stand by. Also, not so small any more. Remember my fear that they were so tiny? Compared to that they are monster-sized!

They are growing so fast. They really only use heat at night right now. It's really surprising.

 

[RoyalChick]

They are growing so fast. They really only use heat at night right now. It's really surprising.

That was my experience with the Roadrunners. I looked back and I had put them outside at a couple of weeks of age with temperatures down in the 50s at night.
They spent their days actively running around and only slept under the plate.
Interestingly they slept under it for a long time. I think it was a comfort thing because they slept there even after I unplugged it.

 

[rural mouse]

We finally settled on a name for 2IC. Featherhead will love this. As she is a Partridge Rock, (andthe only of that coloring) she's been dubbed Pear.