Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Then depression sets in. The chooks are just not cooperating with me tonight. I really could use a jacuzzi bath right now (can’t, until the birds are safely back in the coop) they are still all over the property, scratching the leaves, and digging holes. They won’t even let me bribe them back to the coop (and I have the best meally worms around)
Rant over!

Everything is better now. Jaffar warmed up to me when I went to close the coop. Then, the littles were quietly waiting on the porch. They didn’t give me any trouble, and soon fell asleep. The water is filling my tub now (so I can relax )

 

[MaryJanet]

Thanks for this discussion, it's something that I think about often as well. I know that I will eventually want to add to my flock and how to go about that is a conundrum.
I have four hens that went broody multiple times this summer, one who was broody five times!
It would make sense to let one of these hens hatch, yet I am not sure about the inevitable cockerels.
I don't have experience with cockerels and am frankly a little alarmed by the many threads about problem males on BYC.
I have an acreage in a rural area, so technically could have a rooster, but I quite like the relationship I have currently with my hens. I know that would change with a rooster in the mix.
My husband thinks that roosters are too loud, so he is not a fan. My son's house is very close to the chickens' area and despite being out of town, I still have neighbours who would be able to hear them.
It is not possible to get sexed chicks locally. They can be ordered and flown up by airplane. That's how I got my original chicks, but I think that starting life with an actual mother versus hatching in an incubator and then travelling in a little box on a plane would be so much better, but then again what about the cockerels?
I don't have an answer for myself yet.

I know, it's something each person has to work out for themselves because there are so many factors to consider and no regulation.

 

[MaryJanet]

I realized that I never broached the idea of male chicks being killed in a horrific way.
That's important to me as well. I don't even eat meat in my home. I may have a piece of bacon once in a while in a cafe, but that's about it.

There's one small farm in British Columbia that I know of that raises all their male chicks either for their breeding program or for soup. They at least get to live on pasture for the time that they get. They would be an option for me to get chicks, but again that means a plane ride to get to my relatively isolated area.

It seems like a good option for you Lexicon.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm still over the moon about Kiko's first egg! It's my first time raising a chicken, so I wasn't sure what to expect! I didn't know I'd get so emotional about her first egg.... I feel like such a proud mama

You should be very proud of both of you.

 

[BY Bob]

Running the Gauntlet

When the littles woke up Saturday morning, they were in the way of Phyllis exiting. I was very concerned over what might happen. Fortunately the littles knew that as well and they decided to get to the other side before Phyllis got off the roost. I caught it on the camera.

This is the reason that tonight I placed them in the nest box and one of the reasons I am considering a roost in the nest box for them. It would be safely out of the way.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Phyllis Chose Wisely

She again roosted in the Cluckle Hut tonight by her choice. View attachment 2876072

The Phyllistines were another matter. I did not diffuse out a new roost for them. This is going to be harder than I thought. So I gave up for today and removed the heat block (they weren't using it anyway) and put them in the nest box.

To be fair to them, they roosted before Phyllis on the main roost. When Phyllis came in to roost, she threw them off.

If Phyllis has settled on this as her house, my next problem will be keeping the littles interested in using it as their house.

I now have 2 options for a roost. I could put one in the nest box for a while until they are big enough to roost with Phyllis or I can put one at the other end of the coop that Phyllis can't reach that I could, in theory, leave in place.

I had an idea, watching the video before of Phyllis reaching down....is there a way to put a horizontal divider between the vulnerable parts of the roosts, such that the lower roost has a ceiling, and the upper roost has a floor (like a poop board arrangement)?

 

[BY Bob]

I had an idea, watching the video before of Phyllis reaching down....is there a way to put a horizontal divider between the vulnerable parts of the roosts, such that the lower roost has a ceiling, and the upper roost has a floor (like a poop board arrangement)?

This is an interesting idea. I need to watch Phyllis get onto the roost so I don't inadvertently block her ability to get up.

 

[micstrachan]

What about putting fertile eggs under a broody hen?

I love this. But until I own the property where I live, I don’t think I can risk roosters. Someday!

 

[micstrachan]

What do we define as a hatchery? I got the Roadrunners and the Philistines from a farm near me. He and his wife breed chickens and they sell chicks (I don't believe they ship anything but eggs). Does the fact that they sell them make them a hatchery? Or is it something about the scale of the enterprise?
I felt I was doing better than going to a commercial hatchery in part because of no shipping by mail, and in part because it is a small family enterprise, and because I like him and his wife and they seem to really care about the chickens. For example he wouldn't let me pick them up on the day of hatch because he wanted to watch them for a few days to make sure they were healthy.
On the other hand, I am sure he disposes of his cockerels. I believe he actually raises them and sells them at the local livestock auction where they presumably get turned into dinner.
I am not vegetarian (though I don't eat much meat) so turning the cockerels into dinner is not a complete no-no for me.
But it is all difficult to think through what is OK and what not.

TaxView attachment 2875572

Great question. When I say hatchery, I mean large, commercial hatchery. But I think it really comes down to having good genetic lines.

 

[micstrachan]

So Sunshine is still having egg issues. I gave her a calcium treat today, but doubt it will make a difference. She is not wanting to jump down from places; she’s very cautious about it. It makes me wonder if she is laying internally, possibly even shelled eggs. I don’t know what to do. I could wait it out. I could have the avian vet give her a hormone implant. Or I could have her euthanized before the suffering sets in. I hate all options.