Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Aussie-Chookmum]

In the end it is up to them. We shall see. They are already super cute. I hope they don't use their cuteness for evil.

“With great cuteness comes great responsibility “

 

[featherhead007]

“With great cuteness comes great responsibility “

Should I send Bob a T-shirt that says “Best chicken daddy in the world “? I could arrange that!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Should I send Bob a T-shirt that says “Best chicken daddy in the world “? I could arrange that!

Definitely

 

[Scrambles83]

Vale Deana November 2015 - September2021

My Rhode Island Red, Deana, died Thursday night/ Friday morning. She was almost 6 years old and the last of my second batch of hens.
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She took up residence in the old "little" coop her last week were she was given a bottom clean, fresh litter and fresh food and water every day.
More often than not her visitors ate her food though.
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I have lost some confidence in my vet regarding the chooks and felt that if they were just going to recommend euthanasia, considering her age, I would rather she passed at home amongst her flock and in familiar surroundings.

She ruled calmly and from a discreet distance. (Tsuki was the enforcer.) Only ever needed to give one or two admonitory pecks if someone thought they could eat before her.

I have buried her in a sunny spot near the run and planted sunflowers over her.
R.I.P. sweet girl

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I’m so sad to hear this, ACM, Deanna was a beautiful lady
The way you let her play out her time was a good choice, staying with her sisters. After Bok and the vets, I don’t know if I’ll euthanise again, circumstance dependant I guess.

 

[MaryJanet]

It was knowledge I wanted to have. This will influence how I do the integration now.

From here, for you it'll be easy.

 

[MaryJanet]

Well If it could go wrong with Holly setting this time around it did. I gave her 8 eggs when she went broody. She did everything right but a week in had terrible rains and flash flooding, her nest got wet. She refused to move so I rebuilt the nest for her. 2 1/2 weeks in had a egg explode under her. My god the stench was terrible and it got all over her and the remaining eggs. Cleaned the eggs as best I could, stripped and rebuilt the nest again and this time had to clean Holly. She did NOT appreciate it at all but after 30 minutes got all the goo and stink off of her. She had 2 chicks start hatching but die under her before they finished. Upon examination they never absorbed the yolk sacks and it looked like blood vessels got hit and they bled out. She had 2 chicks successfully hatch and she came off the nest with them yesterday. Did eggtopsies on the 3 that were left. 1 never started to develop but the other 2 I think the chicks died around the time the egg exploded under her. The 2 that made it are very strong and healthy. Again these 2 were Clover eggs that hatched and 1 has clean legs and 1 with feathered legs.
Introducing Frick and Frack.
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Little darlings

 

[Lexicon]

Phyllis will not want them passing her in any pecking order. I was not surprised that she started already. Maybe a little disappointed in my heart but not surprised.

I will be really interested to see how you do this. I have heard of a system of integrating whereby you create some small holes that the chicks can fit through, but not the hens (a bolt hole of sorts). Apparently they can be integrated quite young, by 4-5 weeks old) using this system.
Then again, I totally understand why Phyllis wants to protect her spot in the pecking order, but seeing her reaction made me wonder if that system of early integration would work as well as advertised.
I am just thinking ahead to my first integration which is likely years away. I have a stable flock of ten 15 month olds currently, but I do like to have a plan in mind!

 

[LozzyR]

You're supposed to check pockets...especially those of little boys (DH is worse than the boys)...expect to find lizards, frogs, spiders, snakes...why not mice too?

I LOL’d at this, and Master 10 was indignant at the thought of keeping a mouse in his pocket!

 

[Shadrach]

Rebock is sorry she’s such a scruffy little chicken. She tried her best to fluff up her scrawny little butt for a picture. She hopes it is acceptable she says.
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Tell her she's more than acceptable!

 

[Shadrach]

Phyllis Myth Debunker

If anyone has ever told you that molting hens don't lay eggs,do not believe them. Phyllis in the midst of her molt just laid an egg this morning.
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I took it to show the new ladies. They were unimpressed.

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My laying molter.

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It's just one more of those myths that still gets posted with great authority and even greater ignorance.