Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Oh no, there is a big difference between us. Bob has a thing for white chickens and I have a thing for black chickens. Naturally a beautiful black-and-white chicken can ensnare us both.

Well played! Just perfect.

 

[BY Bob]

That doesn't look like a Penguin stance to me & both head & tail are up.

@RoyalChick I have a photo of Daisy, the greatest hen ever, in the penguin stance right before she passed that I will find and post.

 

[BY Bob]

Yes it is

Oh dear, it is starting to look like we are all getting hooked onto Bob's obsession with fluffy butts

My plan is coming to fruition.

 

[BY Bob]

In memoriam:
The best fluffy butt of them all;
LAVENDER.
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lavender

 

[RoyalChick]

@RoyalChick I have a photo of Daisy, the greatest hen ever, in the penguin stance right before she passed that I will find and post.

No don't do that just now Bob. There is just too much sadness around and I really don't think Minnie is in any immediate trouble.
I am happy to keep observing and of course tormenting everyone here with pictures of my little lady.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Deep Sadness and a Return Visitor

Only after some direct encouragement from @RoyalChick yesterday have I spent anytime with the remainders of my tribe since Sunday. Somehow I just could not face them. So this morning I forced myself to go visit them. Here are some photos of everyone.
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No one has been permitted outside the complex since the event except for a short time when I allowed everyone out to say a formal goodbye to Sylvie. They were briefly interested in the grave but quickly when back to the complex and huddled. They are scared and rightfully so.

While I sat with them today in the big run, this showed up and landed on the pool shed.
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I was able to get a reasonable estimate on its size. It is about 15 inches head to tail. So still a juvenile. It is a good thing everyone was locked in the complex. They hide from predators in air in the apple trees and trumpet vine. Here us the view the hawk had from the top of the pool shed.
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Here is the tribe hanging out thinking they were safe. They are not.
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This hawk clearly knows its business. For now I'm stuck. I can't let them out at all. To everyone with a suggestion on how to deal with the hawk. I simply am not interested at this point. The hawk wins. The tribe will live in the complex until spring. I could not stand another loss and I'm not willing to take any risk at all any longer.

Thank You
I know that there are many hugs waiting for me to go and catch up on. Thank you all for you sympathy and support. I don't know that I will be going back and catching up for some time. I still haven't stopped crying myself without reading all of those posts. I promise I will.

To everyone who wonders how I am doing, I'm not doing well at all. I thought by now I would feel better or at least start to be over it but I am simply not. Perhaps I never will be. I do know that when I did look at the tribe today all I saw was the ladies who are no longer here. Some by my failures, some not, but missing none the less.

Take your time and give yourself time. Pain like this does bring up older pain. I wish I could lift it enough to make it more bearable for you.

Info for you-
I think from the pic though blurry it is a juvenile Cooper's Hawk, yes a great danger. White tip of banded tail, dark vertical streaks on breast, very upright stance. It will not get bigger but it's feathers will change. They are very agile and fast flyers and think nothing of vertical and horizontal obstacles - they typically hunt in forests, woodlands and leafy suburban areas. We have them here too.

 

[LozzyR]

Not for a couple of weeks I don't think. Hope everything is OK.

I just texted her, she’s going to try and pop in tonight.

 

[BY Bob]

Everyone has that 1 Neighbor

Happy Holidays.

 

[BY Bob]

Take your time and give yourself time. Pain like this does bring up older pain. I wish I could lift it enough to make it more bearable for you.

Info for you-
I think from the pic though blurry it is a juvenile Cooper's Hawk, yes a great danger. White tip of banded tail, dark vertical streaks on breast, very upright stance. It will not get bigger but it's feathers will change. They are very agile and fast flyers and think nothing of vertical and horizontal obstacles - they typically hunt in forests, woodlands and leafy suburban areas. We have them here too.

Thank you for the kind thoughts.

I wonder if my assessments of juvenile Red Tail hawks have always been Cooper's Hawks.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

4:50 pst Emily Angel left to be with the other angels and left this world a better place because she was here for a short time. She died in my arms, she died fighting for her last breath. Emily was a good member of my tribe, and an honor to have known. Rest in peaceful splendor lovely lady!

Alexander, are you okay? “Hell no, would you be?”!!!

RIP Emily, I'm so sorry Alex!