Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

At least she’s eating something! Have you tried cooked beef liver? Most of mine go crazy for it!

I've got to up my game with more choices, but I am more ready now. I think Butters is next, we'll see how it goes with her. She's acting standoffish today and yesterday, less willing to get in with the others in any activity, and resting more under the lilac bush when the others are still foraging. She has not squatted for me in over a week. Whereas Peanut and Popcorn both come over for a pet, Butters, although she has come over to say hi (or see if I've got anything good), she avoids my hand if I reach toward her. And I swear she has this worried, or "not happy" look in her expression/ demeanor, she sort of wants to join in but really can't do it with the gusto she had. Hazel looked a little like that. Maybe Butters is having an off day or two, or more likely the beginning of molting. Peanut hasn't molted at all either that I can tell. Popcorn had a very short molt where she exploded fluff feathers. Maybe she'll do more. Still watching Hazel's poops, but she is willingly eating lots of things now, just not the regular feed. She was pecking in either the oyster shell or the grit cup late today (couldn't see around the corner to see which).

 

[MaryJanet]

I thought Oxalis was meant to be toxic for chickens? I downloaded a plant list (I think from BYC) but I can't find it.

I hope not because they looooove it.

 

[MaryJanet]

Nope - oxalis is wood sorrel which is known to be loved by chickens. I knew that but did not realize that it had tubers and that they are the yummy part.
I just looked it up and apparently they are good for people too.
Feels like we should all be growing it!

The hens eat the leaves too but apparently the tubers are exquisite and worthy of high pitched squeaking and running off with one in your beak so your friends can't get any of it.

 

[saxgoddess25]

I just had the funniest experience. While I was keeping an eye on the chooks and ducks this evening, my mom took the opportunity to clean out my coop. She put a nice thick layer of new bedding in...and it has apparently ruined my chickens' lives.

I went out to collect the eggs at about 6:30 and it was getting pretty dark, yet every single chicken was out in the run. I didn't think much of it as I was getting the eggs, but as I walked out the coop door, one of my lavender orps walked in, took about four tentative steps into the shavings and then FREAKED OUT. She squawked and went flapping out the pop door. I was laughing so hard. Then I walked out in the run and tried to herd them to the pop door. They were just standing there looking at it like "We're not going in there!!" So I stuck one of my RIRs in there, but she came back out again. I put one of the buff orps and the lavender orp back in there and wouldn't let them come out. It was a game of chicken trying to walk back out and me gently pushing them back in. *Then* the automatic door starts coming down (slowly). The lavender orp is still trying to stick her head out, even as the door is getting closer and closer to closed.

Finally, the door decides that oops, there's still something (my arm) in the path and opens back up again. Meanwhile, I think the buff decided to flap up to the roost. After playing push the head back in with the lavender for a few more seconds, she decided oh hey, she can roost too. Once those two weren't trying to escape, it was a matter of putting in a chicken at a time and keeping her in there until she went to the roost. I was laughing so hard the entire time. Then I went in and told my mom about how she ruined their chickeny little lives by giving them too many shavings.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Before you open it? Ours mostly gets used up before then.

Yes, it had changed in the carton without exactly decomposing in the traditional sense. It was several cartons of single-serve chocolate milk in a pantry area away from the kitchen and I had forgotten about it. The first carton smelled more or less okay when I opened it, nothing bad, no off-gassing. BUT I should have poured it out first and looked and then tasted a tiny bit, if it looked OK old ) I did not, and it did not. I had the jones for chocolate milk and I tossed it back to drink. Gaaaaaah! It had become a lumpy soupy off-tasting / tasteless mess. Luckily our kitchen sink easily converted to a hazardous materials safety eye wash mouth wash station.

Tax to come...

 

[featherhead007]

I've got to up my game with more choices, but I am more ready now. I think Butters is next, we'll see how it goes with her. She's acting standoffish today and yesterday, less willing to get in with the others in any activity, and resting more under the lilac bush when the others are still foraging. She has not squatted for me in over a week. Whereas Peanut and Popcorn both come over for a pet, Butters, although she has come over to say hi (or see if I've got anything good), she avoids my hand if I reach toward her. And I swear she has this worried, or "not happy" look in her expression/ demeanor, she sort of wants to join in but really can't do it with the gusto she had. Hazel looked a little like that. Maybe Butters is having an off day or two, or more likely the beginning of molting. Peanut hasn't molted at all either that I can tell. Popcorn had a very short molt where she exploded fluff feathers. Maybe she'll do more. Still watching Hazel's poops, but she is willingly eating lots of things now, just not the regular feed. She was pecking in either the oyster shell or the grit cup late today (couldn't see around the corner to see which).

I don’t push my chooks. If they are not feeling well they will usually let me know. I just watch them closely. And sometimes I pretend to ignore them. (They come around) and soon enough, they are in my lap. 12 chooks with so many different personalities, it’s hard to keep up with it sometimes.

 

[micstrachan]

I've got to up my game with more choices, but I am more ready now. I think Butters is next, we'll see how it goes with her. She's acting standoffish today and yesterday, less willing to get in with the others in any activity, and resting more under the lilac bush when the others are still foraging. She has not squatted for me in over a week. Whereas Peanut and Popcorn both come over for a pet, Butters, although she has come over to say hi (or see if I've got anything good), she avoids my hand if I reach toward her. And I swear she has this worried, or "not happy" look in her expression/ demeanor, she sort of wants to join in but really can't do it with the gusto she had. Hazel looked a little like that. Maybe Butters is having an off day or two, or more likely the beginning of molting. Peanut hasn't molted at all either that I can tell. Popcorn had a very short molt where she exploded fluff feathers. Maybe she'll do more. Still watching Hazel's poops, but she is willingly eating lots of things now, just not the regular feed. She was pecking in either the oyster shell or the grit cup late today (couldn't see around the corner to see which).

You’re doing a great job with your observations. I think you’re right; Butters might be next!

 

[MaryJanet]

I just had the funniest experience. While I was keeping an eye on the chooks and ducks this evening, my mom took the opportunity to clean out my coop. She put a nice thick layer of new bedding in...and it has apparently ruined my chickens' lives.

I went out to collect the eggs at about 6:30 and it was getting pretty dark, yet every single chicken was out in the run. I didn't think much of it as I was getting the eggs, but as I walked out the coop door, one of my lavender orps walked in, took about four tentative steps into the shavings and then FREAKED OUT. She squawked and went flapping out the pop door. I was laughing so hard. Then I walked out in the run and tried to herd them to the pop door. They were just standing there looking at it like "We're not going in there!!" So I stuck one of my RIRs in there, but she came back out again. I put one of the buff orps and the lavender orp back in there and wouldn't let them come out. It was a game of chicken trying to walk back out and me gently pushing them back in. *Then* the automatic door starts coming down (slowly). The lavender orp is still trying to stick her head out, even as the door is getting closer and closer to closed.

Finally, the door decides that oops, there's still something (my arm) in the path and opens back up again. Meanwhile, I think the buff decided to flap up to the roost. After playing push the head back in with the lavender for a few more seconds, she decided oh hey, she can roost too. Once those two weren't trying to escape, it was a matter of putting in a chicken at a time and keeping her in there until she went to the roost. I was laughing so hard the entire time. Then I went in and told my mom about how she ruined their chickeny little lives by giving them too many shavings.

I've seen that behaviour too!

 

[saxgoddess25]

They always find new ways to crack me up!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

These! Are what they want!
I’m pretty sure.View attachment 2864852

She is looking at you like you are teasing her with the clear cello window, "Well, are you going to open it now or are you just going to show them to me like this? You know I can't peck through that!"