Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Kris5902]

Closest I could get to a mug shot today, between the Goats wanting walked and the BBBs still cleaning up some nearby goat remains, many of the chickens were just not cooperating today.

He is camouflaged

 

[featherhead007]

Omgosh! She’s all grown up…

Chicks have a tendency to do just that “Grow up” She lays the best of eggs too!

 

[BY Bob]

Well, it’s been a great day for Jaffar! He is the 80,000th post on FBA this room, And the little squirt, won me the 2022 BYC calendar, for the Poultry shaming contest today as well (He’s such a good rooster!) yay!

How about the link to your winning shame?

 

[BY Bob]

Monday Mugs & SHRA taxes

I have switched to a treadle feeder, because of moles, at least I think they are moles. Tiny, tiny eyes, very short tails, and go about finding food by smell. Can't keep them out with this setup, if there is a way, at least for winter I think I'm stuck. I found them coming in under the skirt of the moveable coop run in broad daylight. Taking food away for the night obviously wasn't working. I fear weasels following the moles. I think the chickens are safe in the coop at night, though it is double-walled plastic. I am considering setting up the electric moveable netting around everything, but getting it into the ice and frozen ground (shale driveway) seems really, really hard, and would have to be moved or carefully shoveled every time it snowed. The solar charger for it is useless this time of year, means charging it every day. Maybe a plug-in conversion kit is possible.

Butters today. She was the first to "get" how to use the feeder. She is the most calm and least wary. Also the biggest hen, I think she eats more. She was hitting the crushed eggshells a lot the last couple weeks and just started laying again.
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Peanut's neck, mostly. Her face is still filling in from her molt. Peanut is Alpha hen, and she also learned the feeder very quickly. She and Butters eat side-by-side first thing in the morning. Hazel nips in from the side corner when these two are eating.
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Popcorn, bottom hen, learned right after Butters. She would step on it and start eating, then get booted off by Peanut and Hazel, and the treadle would close them out. She was and is highly motivated to get what she needs; she has to wait on the others to get at the feeder. Luckily Butters and Peanut just get a quick bite in the morning and then soon take a break, so she pecks and explores around a little biding her time and gets in pretty quickly.
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Hazel, an earlier picture from this winter. Hazel hitchhikes from the side on everyone else. She is barely learning and I am training her specially now to approach from straight-on and stand on the treadle, which she will do in training so far. Haven't seen her eat on her own. She has found she just has to watch for when somebody else steps on the treadle to eat, and then rush over and get in on that action. She is the most wary and is only now getting somewhat used to the feeder, though I had it sitting in the run for a few days before I started training them on it. Strangely, Hazel is not 2nd hen when it comes to the chopped greens meal, Butters seems to be more assertive and Hazel backs off. Hazel is more like a rooster? She will get in and eat a bit, but then step away and watch out and peck around the sides for flung bits. She does a lot of calling. She'll readily eat out of my hand if I grab some for her, but she won't butt in much on anyone; she will sometimes peck Popcorn away but not take her place eating, she just does it "because". So Popcorn goes back and forth between the two chop bowls.
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I have always wondered about the treadle feeders. I am very interested in how you are training them. Any chance for some video?

 

[BY Bob]

It’s beautiful!

Thank you.

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks. Miss you guys, but trying to not fall crazy behind. I got home in time for the girjs to have a very quick run around before bed. Even Millie limped out a bit! I’m putting her up at night and taking her down in the morning in hopes it helps her heal.

(I know you meant Dorothy, but miss you guys regardless.)

I did but you are surely missed as well.

 

[BY Bob]

Little Coco, wishes you all a good night. View attachment 2987027

Good night Coco.

 

[BY Bob]

Closest I could get to a mug shot today, between the Goats wanting walked and the BBBs still cleaning up some nearby goat remains, many of the chickens were just not cooperating today.View attachment 2987033
He is camouflaged

And gorgeous!

 

[BY Bob]

Look Out Big Girls, Here Come the Polish Ladies!

 

[BY Bob]

Look Out Big Girls, Here Come the Polish Ladies!

View attachment 2987062View attachment 2987064

@MaryJanet @Ribh @Aussie-Chookmum @LozzyR @micstrachan @ChicoryBlue