Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LaFemmeKatia]

Say Again?

Does anyone know what my ladies are saying here? Maybe @featherhead007 could check with Jaffar for me.

It was single digits in temperatures when I took this so maybe they are saying something like.....

It's so cccccccoooooooolllllllllddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Ribh, @micstrachan, @MaryJanet, @Aussie-Chookmum, @ChicoryBlue, @LozzyR, @Chicken poppy

Say Again?

Does anyone know what my ladies are saying here? Maybe @featherhead007 could check with Jaffar for me.

It was single digits in temperatures when I took this so maybe they are saying something like.....

It's so cccccccoooooooolllllllllddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Ribh, @micstrachan, @MaryJanet, @Aussie-Chookmum, @ChicoryBlue, @LozzyR, @Chicken poppy

I never heard my girls do this!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Well you learn something every day. I looked it up. I have two types of vulture - Turkey Vultures which are here all year round and Black Vultures where I am just on the edge of their year-round habitat.

Yep, our Black Vultures aren't around in Winter. Turkey Vultures seem to stick around until there's lots of snow. Maybe they go lower into the valley then, maybe looking for roadkill on the interstate, or go further south.

 

[BY Bob]

Maybe they thought you were a snake?

You are on today!

 

[BY Bob]

I never heard my girls do this!

I think you should be happy about that. It seems it's a warning call.

 

[Lexicon]

Little foam balls. Not great for the environment, but hopefully good for deterring hawks!
View attachment 2961725

Do you think that those would scare off a fox? I am mostly wondering how hard those balls are. I had a persistent fox last summer who was coming around during the daytime and I was considering getting a slingshot, but ended up just letting out my dogs who chased it off and I never saw it again although I am sure it is still around. When we got our first few snowfalls, I could see tracks that paced the fence of my chicken run.

 

[Ponypoor]

We have huge flocks of turkey vultures where I live (in a mostly wooded and farm area in Loris) which is thirty miles inland from Myrtle Beach. At any given time one can look up and see them slowly gliding in their signature circles. They do a fine job of keeping the roadsides and field areas clean, if you know what I mean.
They have an unsavory reputation but they are actually very nice birds.

Awesome!! I agree great birds and no threat to chickens, being mother nature's clean up crew.

 

[RoyalChick]

OK you are learning, yay, admit it! Watch their soaring and see how the V-shape makes them vulnerable to crosswinds - vultures appear very "unsteady" - they are tippy, one wing dipping a bit and then the other.

I was mostly struck by how long it could go without flapping. It circled round a huge area for a good ten minutes and I never saw it flap it’s wings. Amazing really.

 

[Ponypoor]

Do you think that those would scare off a fox? I am mostly wondering how hard those balls are. I had a persistent fox last summer who was coming around during the daytime and I was considering getting a slingshot, but ended up just letting out my dogs who chased it off and I never saw it again although I am sure it is still around. When we got our first few snowfalls, I could see tracks that paced the fence of my chicken run.

A co-worker who had her flock attacked and a hen severely mauled by a fox ended up using electric fencing. She is in AB so know it works in really COLD weather

 

[Lexicon]

To elaborate, in my flock that is an alert call. Everyone goes perfectly still when someone makes that call. Some may or may not chime in.

Yes, same except that it is usually softer (lower volume) and everyone silently heads for tree cover and is still.

 

[Ponypoor]

Sorry, I wasn’t doubting you had turkey vultures I meant that the ones that decamp are more likely to be black (at least around here). Apparently they live together a lot!

Oh not to worry, I know that; and I know being further south the raptor population, is likely way different than were I am.

Predator protection is such a huge thing with poultry I am learning! Horses are big enough that they generally can protect themselves! Chickens not so much I lay awake trying the think of ways to protect my kiddos! I am becoming one of those crazy chicken ladies