Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I just ordered it today. Hopefully she takes to it. There has been no training yet as it is not here yet.

She has never written a collar but if the collar is associated with outside, it may be much more easily accepted. This is going to be one big experiment for certain.

I look forward to hearing how it goes.

 

[Ponypoor]

Daisy has decided it is time to drive me up the wall with worry. My favorite freeloading hen who I never want another egg from due to issues is working up to laying her first egg in almost a year. I'm used to her going through the motions and never laying a egg but yesterday she kicked it up a notch and she is serious. She spent all day yesterday on the opposite side of the porch trying to make a nest. After a hour I went and got a milk crate and tossed some hay in it and gave it to her. It was almost dark when she left it with no egg laid. She was back in it by 8 am this morning and is still sporadically frantically nest building before she settles down. I will not disturb her, but, until she lays this egg I will be a nervous wreck. If she would lay a small egg I would not be as worried but when she does lay it is always a huge egg. On top of that over half her eggs have been double yolks. I love this hen, she's always been my favorite Marans girl. I really fear that the hen who lays 2 to 3 eggs a year is going to pass from a egg issue one day.
View attachment 3016081

Hope for the best...

 

[Kris5902]

She doesn't seem too interested in them...

My cat is terrified of the chickens hahaha.

Mine varied from Whisper who wanted to sit on the chicks (he was a boy, and I have no idea where he decided this was a good plan) to Charlie who looked at chicks like they were snacks and liked to stalk the adults but would never even consider trying to attack one (smarter than he looked!) and Bullet, who viewed these intruders into her home with great disgust.

 

[featherhead007]

First Contact

After much soul searching and discussion, we have decided to deploy the Lynx as part of our hawk deterrent system. I ordered a wireless perimeter system today to keep her within the confines of the fence.

Part of this is to hope she would serve as a hawk deterrent and part is because she cries incessantly if we are outside the house and leave her in.

This is what I expected her to do, lay by my feet in the sun.
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So here is video of the first encounter between the tribe and the lynx.

@micstrachan @ChicoryBlue @Marie2020

Close encounters of the furry kind!

 

[BY Bob]

Keep me posted. I would love to let my gang out more - though I worry about them as coyote or even hawk snacks - particularly the little runt who is only about 6lb.

You are right to fear that something would snack on them. That's why I want to confine her inside the fence.

 

[BY Bob]

Daisy has decided it is time to drive me up the wall with worry. My favorite freeloading hen who I never want another egg from due to issues is working up to laying her first egg in almost a year. I'm used to her going through the motions and never laying a egg but yesterday she kicked it up a notch and she is serious. She spent all day yesterday on the opposite side of the porch trying to make a nest. After a hour I went and got a milk crate and tossed some hay in it and gave it to her. It was almost dark when she left it with no egg laid. She was back in it by 8 am this morning and is still sporadically frantically nest building before she settles down. I will not disturb her, but, until she lays this egg I will be a nervous wreck. If she would lay a small egg I would not be as worried but when she does lay it is always a huge egg. On top of that over half her eggs have been double yolks. I love this hen, she's always been my favorite Marans girl. I really fear that the hen who lays 2 to 3 eggs a year is going to pass from a egg issue one day.
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Lilly is much like that now. Laying an egg is a 3 day ordeal. I sure hope that she is done this year. She is so upset when it happens and they have weird shells. Poor ladies.

 

[BY Bob]

She doesn't seem too interested in them...

My cat is terrified of the chickens hahaha.

Most cats are.

Phyllis was stalking her later in the day. I think she wanted to deliver a blow and set the "pecking" order up much like she has tried with Davis when she comes in the house. Davis runs away.

 

[BY Bob]

Long may it wave

Never say I won't take a joke to extremes........

 

[RoyalChick]

Long may it wave

Never say I won't take a joke to extremes........

That should scare any hawks away!

 

[featherhead007]

That should scare any hawks away!

Scared me away!