Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I have had a really good young man coming to my home doing various work outside. He's had a fear of chickens since he was young but started to like my Tina and Agatha.

He's just dropped in to fix a perch for me and surprised me when he said that he started to take too my two girls.

He's about to get a property in the same road as myself and said he now wants chickens. We spoke of various ways and he now wants too adopt battery chickens. I can't tell you how happy this has made me, him going from fear to now wanting chickens

What a great deed you and your ladies have done. More saved chickens!

 

[BY Bob]

I've ordered some medicine as a precaution for my girls too protect them from wildlife diseases after reading what shadrach does

You can do much worse than following his advice. Good job.

 

[Blazinga]

I'm still beset with how much I miss her voice, her gaze, and particularly her gumption in hanging in with this bunch to get along with them and join the tribe. She was remarkable. Then also whether I could have saved her in time if I'd been more on top of things, more experienced. I hate that I learned the extent of the predator dangers here through her loss. Thanks for the hugs!

Same, same.

 

[BY Bob]

Well this is not conventional, but what about something like porch screening? Something fine enough to not get tangled in but let light and rain through? Set above enough that it doesn't get into the water, or does by only an inch or two?

This is actually quite similar to the elephant covers that some people use in the winter to cover their pools. They do allow rain to pass through. They however are essentially permanent and not easily removable.

A fence might work but I know that Mrs BY Bob does not want a large fence "ruining" the look of the backyard. I did have a small temporary fence after we lost baby Dusty but it was not long until everyone was hopping over it.

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks! Do you have any suggested ones? May have to get one longer than 200ft or connect a 200+100ft together. I officially love those girls (and guy).

I didn't think I needed heat, but I saw a brooder heater in one of @BY Bob photos.

I use a heated water dispenser that I got at tractor supply and would not go without.

I took water out to them twice a day the first winter. By Christmas I had set up a heat lamp that shown directly on the waterer so it would not freeze. The next year I had a heated one. Your winters are worse than mine.

Tractor supply is shocked with them now. Come winter time they are frequently out.

I will now pay my chicken tax.

 

[BY Bob]

Chickens shouldn't need heat in the winter, Bob's are still babies. In winter most only use electricity for heated waterers or lights.

I think she is asking about a heated waterer. This is what I use. My friend JD uses it and I think @RoyalChick uses it as well.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/farm-innovators-heated-poultry-fount

 

[BY Bob]

now it's handy for after-swim warmups.

You are one funny lady!

Since they are still not fully feathered, the heater is still on low. I wish they would finish feathering so I can be comfortable turning it off soon. Sylvie's neck feathers are taking forever.

 

[BY Bob]

Having done that one year it was clear that I could not do that every winter. At the coldest point it was a three times a day event! The heated waterer felt like such a luxury after that!

It was life changing.

 

[BY Bob]

Totally agree - but I think the investment in a long cord will be worth it. I ended up burying conduit and pulling through wire and actually wiring the coop for electric. I didn't do it myself but it was much less of a difficult job than I expected. Mine is about 200 feet from the house too - maybe a little less.

Of course you did. How many outlets do they have? One on each wall? Minnie needs one to plug in her blender for those worm smoothies.

 

[Shadrach]

That's a tricky situation with Copy. What approach will you take?

Cross my fingers.
If she can stay alive another week I'll be able to do something more constructive.