Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Lexicon]

I'm excited to see what you come up with but don't be sad if they don't use it.

I am grateful to my hen, Ruth because she always is the first to try out a new nest box.
I think she gets irritated with all the nest box drama and switches to the new box, but unfortunately for her this means that the others eventually start using the box she pioneered and then she is embroiled in drama again!
Ruth:

 

[bgmathteach]

I like nest boxes that are scattered around the place.

I have multiple small coops in my primary run, each with nest boxes. Interestingly enough, my hens don't always lay in the boxes in the coop they roost in at night. I have a number of hens that prefer to lay in the the 'red coop' though they roost in either the green coop or the natural colored coop! (Each coop holds 10-12 hens ideally....but only 1 hen lays in the 'natural colored' coop, and 14-16 lay in the 'red coop'...and 3 prefer to lay in the 2 small 'broody/breeding' pens that only have 1 nest box each! (Those are open during the day as an 'escape place' when not in use for brooding or separation if needed.) Also, 2 of my ducks like to hop up into a chicken nest box and l ay instead of the nice spot for them in their coop!

Take-away: Chickens and ducks think options are nice!

 

[featherhead007]

Chicken tax is now required. I expect it to be good.

Could you be more specific?

 

[bgmathteach]

Wow! That is worse than Aurora!

If you're going to solve this it will help if we can figure out why she would do this. Why does she care where Dotty lays her egg?

Is it......

• Dominance?
• Her personal nest?
• A bad day?
• What else? Anyone else have an idea?

I have seen Phyllis and Sydney run off but it always happened when others wish to lay. It was never you can't lay here, ever.

I would suggest other nesting areas. Dotty is going to lay that egg. She will just choose somewhere else on her own and you may not be able to find it.

@RoyalChick: Piggy backing on @BY Bob: I suspect it is dominance, (or a 'bad day/I'm mad at you day' , if it doesn't happen normally) as Maggie grabbed Dotty's feathers at the back of her head not just in the nest box, but also outside it. I wonder if even another nest box would fix that? Would maybe a 'foil' help? Something such as a curtain/set of cloth strips so that once Dotty was in the box, Maggie couldn't see her? Or some other visual barrier near/outside the nest box? frequently, chickens having issues with each other (be it hens or roosters), if they are 'out of sight', then the urge to attack/chase/pummel goes away or significantly lessens.

 

[bgmathteach]

Lilly's Pain Treatment

I almost forgot @Shadrach I'm sorry.

It is called Endo Blend for small dogs. It is Phytocannabinoids and Beta-Caryophyllene. 385mg/30ml.

Dosage is 0.25 ml for 2.32 kg so about 0.1 ml per kg.

Has it seemed to help? I know only 2 nights (or days, if giving in the morning -you said before but I forgot) I'm hoping it does help the poor girl. No fun aging and feeling old/rickety & in pain!!!! And they can't even really tell us when it hurts or is an exceptionally bad day, either

 

[bgmathteach]

If you want me to be closer to you, get closer to me

At roosting time it appeared Phyllis was further down the other end of the roost.
View attachment 2907632

I checked right now and it sure seems like Phyllis has moved closer to Sylvie to me. What does everyone else think?

View attachment 2907634

Hmmmm...it looks like she is moving closer to Sylvie...and Sylvie moved as close as she dared towards Phyllis.

Makes me think of this song:

(maybe I'm jumping the gun)

 

[RoyalChick]

I have multiple small coops in my primary run, each with nest boxes. Interestingly enough, my hens don't always lay in the boxes in the coop they roost in at night. I have a number of hens that prefer to lay in the the 'red coop' though they roost in either the green coop or the natural colored coop! (Each coop holds 10-12 hens ideally....but only 1 hen lays in the 'natural colored' coop, and 14-16 lay in the 'red coop'...and 3 prefer to lay in the 2 small 'broody/breeding' pens that only have 1 nest box each! (Those are open during the day as an 'escape place' when not in use for brooding or separation if needed.) Also, 2 of my ducks like to hop up into a chicken nest box and l ay instead of the nice spot for them in their coop!

Take-away: Chickens and ducks think options are nice!

OK - I am getting the strong sense that I will not be able to solve this issue!

 

[RoyalChick]

@RoyalChick: Piggy backing on @BY Bob: I suspect it is dominance, (or a 'bad day/I'm mad at you day' , if it doesn't happen normally) as Maggie grabbed Dotty's feathers at the back of her head not just in the nest box, but also outside it. I wonder if even another nest box would fix that? Would maybe a 'foil' help? Something such as a curtain/set of cloth strips so that once Dotty was in the box, Maggie couldn't see her? Or some other visual barrier near/outside the nest box? frequently, chickens having issues with each other (be it hens or roosters), if they are 'out of sight', then the urge to attack/chase/pummel goes away or significantly lessens.

Oh that is a clever idea. And as it happens I have a lot of burlap from wrapping some shrubs so I could easily give it a go.
I wonder if I should also do that at the fronts - I initially had them egg-shaped openings and everyone liked that. Then one that was not open became preferred so I thought maybe I make as many as I can closed in. But maybe drapes is the way to go.
Thank you for this idea. I think strips make most sense. I am going to give it a go.

 

[micstrachan]

I just went out to get some pics of the many pairs of friends I have. Technically with the cochin girls you wont find them split in pairs, unless one is laying where you find one, you find all 6.
View attachment 2907209View attachment 2907211View attachment 2907212View attachment 2907215
Pickles is the girl with the bald spot on her head. the other 2 who were completely bald have fully regrown their missing head and neck feathers. I've inspected pickles and while she regrew most back, she was the worst one and looked like a naked neck when she arrived and I do not think any more will grow back, too much damage was done.
Next pair of BFFs is Creamy and Squirrel. These 2 used to not hang out together at all, but when both of them started laying within day's of each other they have became their own unit. I actually love this because even though Squirrel was broody raised and Creamy was brooded by myself, they are actually full siblings and my 2 Butter daughters.
View attachment 2907219View attachment 2907220
Then of course we have the Double Trouble twins.
View attachment 2907224View attachment 2907225
Finally we have the silkie group who were all hanging out together. When they do break apart the girls hang out while Branch and Bubba patrol as a unit.
View attachment 2907227

Fantastic tour of the friends!

 

[rural mouse]

Oh that is a clever idea. And as it happens I have a lot of burlap from wrapping some shrubs so I could easily give it a go.
I wonder if I should also do that at the fronts - I initially had them egg-shaped openings and everyone liked that. Then one that was not open became preferred so I thought maybe I make as many as I can closed in. But maybe drapes is the way to go.
Thank you for this idea. I think strips make most sense. I am going to give it a go.

I may try something similar too. Atleast keeping it in mind for "isolating" broodies without actually doing so. Maybe a shower curtain (not transparent, maybe translucent) stapled to the boxes, then sliced like walk in freezer strips. Clothes pins would work for holding it aside...if necessary to teach them to move through it...