Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Mixing it Up

The tribe is going to be locked in the complex all day today.

Together

I believe that there are plenty of things to protect the littles but there are corners. They need to be smart and not panic.

Here is an early video of them enjoying their day until Sydney comes by. Then Hattie comes around.

I will be back shortly after dark so I will be able to correct any roosting issues.

 

[BY Bob]

Some of mine would sleep in the boxes when they were younger. Once they started to be closer to laying age, we blocked off the boxes for a few weeks.

Very occasionally Pingu will spend the night in a box now too. I let her be bc she is bottom ranking and I figure she had a bad day

Mine will sleep in the nest box from time to time but it's rare. A night here or there but nothing consistent. I don't want the Phyllistines to learn a habit they will need to unlearn but it is the easiest way to separate everyone.

I have an idea on a place to put a roost Phyllis can't reach. I can add one across the endow low that she won't be able to get to just above the window sill I put in for them. That might be the best solution.

 

[RoyalChick]

This is my problem as well. Of course no one will be laying eggs for months so I have use of the box. Unfortunately, I would also be training them to sleep in the nest box which eventually will be a bad idea.

What to do? What to do? What to do?

It is a bit hard to tell from the camera angle - but could you just move the low roost to the other side so they are able to avoid her (in spite of her acrobatic abilities.

 

[RoyalChick]

Mixing it Up

The tribe is going to be locked in the complex all day today.

Together

I believe that there are plenty of things to protect the littles but there are corners. They need to be smart and not panic.

Here is an early video of them enjoying their day until Sydney comes by. Then Hattie comes around.

I will be back shortly after dark so I will be able to correct any roosting issues.

Wow that was an unexpected twist!

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Mixing it Up

The tribe is going to be locked in the complex all day today.

Together

I believe that there are plenty of things to protect the littles but there are corners. They need to be smart and not panic.

Here is an early video of them enjoying their day until Sydney comes by. Then Hattie comes around.

I will be back shortly after dark so I will be able to correct any roosting issues.

I'll be praying all is well when you come home

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Talking about weighing chooks, I was thinking of getting something like this and attaching a perch to it like MJ suggested.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/403230057680?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

 

[rural mouse]

Bob, my thoughts about putting a roost in the nest box are contradictory.

On the one hand, it puts an alternative nest out of commission while also reducing the Littles' opportunities to learn how to be close to Phyllis and Phyllis's opportunity to adjust to the Littles.

On the other hand, the nest box isn't even being used as a nest yet, on the contrary, until very recently it was the Littles' bedroom. Also it will keep them from being pecked.

So I'm coming up shrugs between the two choices

There's the added problem of teaching them to NOT sleep in nest boxes when they're bigger too.

 

[rural mouse]

This is my problem as well. Of course no one will be laying eggs for months so I have use of the box. Unfortunately, I would also be training them to sleep in the nest box which eventually will be a bad idea.

What to do? What to do? What to do?

Lessons learned early stick best. If you don't want them sleeping in the nest boxes as adults, don't encourage that now. Changing it later isan uphill battle. The poop board after watching the video of Phyllis getting up on the roost is probably your best idea.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Mine will sleep in the nest box from time to time but it's rare. A night here or there but nothing consistent. I don't want the Phyllistines to learn a habit they will need to unlearn but it is the easiest way to separate everyone.

I have an idea on a place to put a roost Phyllis can't reach. I can add one across the endow low that she won't be able to get to just above the window sill I put in for them. That might be the best solution.

We even lowered the roost so the 2Red's could got up on them, and they can. The can get on the outdoor roost too.

It is just such a fight with all of the others that rather than get power pecked they hide in the box,
I think once everyone gets to laying eggs things will settle down and then I will tell Red 1 aka Cinnamon and Red 2 aka Nutmeg it is time they buck up and get back to the roost Hahahaha So, I am not worried about them sleeping in there now, its all good

 

[BY Bob]

Wow that was an unexpected twist!

Wasn't it. I love surprises.