Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Thank you! It has been helpful to hear impressions from others, thanks!

 

[micstrachan]

I am really loving these brown leghorns 21 weeks old, , such color in their feathers, great temperament. The red leghorns 20 weeks old, have a deep, dark red, very nice, and are very calm and sweet, a small bird, the white orpington gray legs are kind of freaky looking to me heheheh, their sound is different, a bit muffled,



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I love Brown Leghorns! Thank you for sharing. If I could find them bred properly, I’d want them again someday.

 

[micstrachan]

This is the hen I'm most worried about. She's growing new feathers, I assume from feather pecking before she got here. Her back around her preen gland looks pretty raw. I think she's moulting as well.
One problem I have is that most of my chicken care kit I left in Spain. I'm having to get stuff and some of it is hard to find. Decent mite treatment is difficult to get. I've just ordered Coccidia treatment and a vitamin supplement. Not a hope in hell of getting antibiotics. I've got one course left which I did bring with me.
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Most of the Ex Batts are getting the idea of foraging now. They were all out for a couple of hours yesterday. Some stick close to the coop and run. There is one that heads straight out and makes a B line for either the geese or an escape route.View attachment 2850976
This area which is adjacent to one of the run sides was a mass of stinging nettles. The area you can see the hens foraging is an area I've cleared by pulling the stingers and bindweed out. It's been cut with a strimmer before and of course that just encourages further growth.I'll work my way past the bushes and the little apple tree, right back to the fence in the background.
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I have no idea which breed the grey hen in the picture is. She's the only one and keeps herself a bit apart from the others.
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This is Henry The Second and his partner. They roost where you see them overnight side by side. They are not in the coop although they are under a roof that is attatched to thhe coop.
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Supper time. Haddock and a good quality 17% protein feed. There is no obligation for the feed manufactures here to give a proper analysis of the feed they sell. I'm looking into this because I want to know exactly what it is I'm feeding them.View attachment 2850984

Shad, I love them hanging around your feet. Oh gosh, the poor first dear. I hope she feels better soon.

I think the gray one could possibly be a Hattie (lavender orpington.) Is she pretty fluffy? White legs without feathering?

Edited to add: Did we already discuss the possibility of getting hardwood ash for mites?

 

[micstrachan]

You may not need to put so much effort into clearing the nettles - I think the chickens may eat them and not be bothered by the sting. I remember as a child seeing ducks waddling happily through a big clump of stinging nettles - I remember it clearly because I followed them into the field (I mean they were ducks - who could resist?) and that is how I learned that stinging nettles sting. The ducks weren't bothered at all. Now I know a duck is different from a chicken but it seems possible the chickens will be fine with the nettles.

I actually thought I read somewhere stinging nettle is beneficial for chickens? I could easily be remembering wrong, and it might have been a stupid source.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Look, you are being so helpful that you are backing me into a corner I don't want to be in.

I give up! I admit it!

I don't want to give them up yet. They are my buddies and once they go outside they will meet new friends more like them and they will leave me behind. I'm not ready yet.

OK. Set up a cot in the run next to the Cluckle Hut. Keep the extension cord out there so that you can have a heating pad if you need it, or a reading lamp (if that's not solar).

Seriously, I would be hesitant too, I loved loved loved having the chicks in the house! It was withdrawal when they went outside and it became so quiet with no peeps or pecking or scrambling around sounds Also, you are looking at a big integration situation with Phyllis, and you want her to take over care, yet that means possibly some rough patches and stress for your lovely buddies. It does mean though that you will be many hours with them out there helping them all through this. Phyllis needs you too!

I'm with you on all of this!

 

[micstrachan]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405654519300125

 

[RoyalChick]

I actually thought I read somewhere stinging nettle is beneficial for chickens? I coupd easily be remembering wrong, and it might gave been a stupid source.

Well they have lots of calcium and magnesium so it wouldn't surprise me if they were good for chickens. They are good for people too - once they are wilted they don't sting and people make tea, soup or just use them as 'greens'.

 

[RoyalChick]

Shad, I love them hanging around your feet. Oh gosh, the poor first dear. I hope she feels better soon.

I think the gray one could possibly be a Hattie (lavender orpington.) Is she pretty fluffy? White legs without feathering?

Edited to add: Did we already discuss the possibility of getting hardwood ash for mites?

Oh sort of - I had talked about ash because of the link to that thread from Beekissed that I think you inserted where she dusts for mites with wood ash.
Shad weighed in that it should be hardwood but I had not seen that - everything I had read said any wood ash as long as not contaminated with paint and glue and the like.
Does it really need to be hardwood? I think mine is a mix of oak and pine.

 

[RoyalChick]

OK. Set up a cot in the run next to the Cluckle Hut. Keep the extension cord out there so that you can have a heating pad if you need it, or a reading lamp (if that's not solar).

Seriously, I would be hesitant too, I loved loved loved having the chicks in the house! It was withdrawal when they went outside and it became so quiet with no peeps or pecking or scrambling around sounds Also, you are looking at a big integration situation with Phyllis, and you want her to take over care, yet that means possibly some rough patches and stress for your lovely buddies. It does mean though that you will be many hours with them out there helping them all through this. Phyllis needs you too!

I'm with you on all of this!

I do think the obvious answer is for @BY Bob to camp outside with them. It is getting chilly at night but nothing a good sleeping bag couldn't cope with.

 

[AfiafiAfi]

I was going down to the coop to do some pep talk with lil and she crunched on my finger!