Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I wouldn’t want to say that to Aurora’s beak/face! She looks like she means business here…

She always means business. That is one no joking hen.

 

[bgmathteach]

Way Behind

I am officially 24 pages behind on my own thread. Please bear with me everyone as I endeavor to catch back up.

Now you know how we feel!!!

She says with love

 

[BY Bob]

I keep forgetting Aurora has a single comb! So does Roxy. Only 25% of SLW have them.
View attachment 3028565

Along with EEs that don't lay blue eggs. Mal also had a single comb.

 

[Kris5902]

If she tells you what they are, I would love to know. I would love something 4-6 ft. tall and about 4' wide (ideally!) A bit wider is okay. Taller is fine, but it means I probably woulddn't be able to put a shade-cloth over the top in warmer season if toomuch taller (use shade cloth both for 'shade', but also to keep hawks out of extended run in the 'warmer'7 ish. mos. of the year. (i.e. now snow part of the year)

When I extend my 'safe run', I will be replacing the current chain-link fence (5' tall) with 8' fencing. With teh compost pile and grapevines INSIDE the run, it will allow me to string electric fencing around the run- 1 strand a couple inches off the ground and 1 strand at the top. I plan on putting chicken wire mesh on the pergola. All of this will mean (with the current pines) nearly all of the 'extended run' will have some sort of 'upper structure'. I realize it won't be 100% hawk-proof, but about 80% will, and all of it will greatly reduce a hawk's ability to see the chickens, and therefore prevent an attack.

I've attached a rough sketch of current + intended run. I have not put in placement of my multiple coops, but the 'secure run' has solid wood & metal roof presently on 10' of the 18' depth, and will have solid roof (hopefully!) with corrugated smokey plastic roofing by next winter. (it filters out some of UV, decreasing temps, but still letting light through. Is/will be, high enough to allow full winter sun in) The entire run to the left of secure run is covered by canopy of the two pines except for bottom left corner...which has a dog pen (with coop in it), including top (6'X12'), so is protected from arial predators. The entire run length along side the secure run has sun shade tarps the length of it starting in April - usually late October. Will still be able to do this with extending the run by 6" by rotating the shade cloths the long way top to bottom on pic instead of side-side (just would need 1 additional shade cloth...no problem!)View attachment 3031228

“Dilapidated Barn” this somehow makes me Feel a little bit better… I have some blackthorns I am planning on starting this year as eventual hedging/supplemental feed. More shrublike than the Hawthorns we have aplenty. I want some Nice thorny cover that’s a little
Less invasive than the rose/blackberry plantation we seem to have here, they climb up a hawthorn and you are looking at a lot of bloodshed in trying to get through them or pull them out.

 

[BY Bob]

Now you know how we feel!!!

She says with love

It's not like I caused this to happen!

 

[BY Bob]

Absolutely heart melting.

She is such an outlier in the tribe. Late night Hattie. She reminds me of Dagwood Bumstead with the late night snacking.

 

[BY Bob]

FBF
Buttercup has a lovely derriere
View attachment 3028610

And Penelope sashaying around Mount Poopmore
View attachment 3028611

Those are very nice.

 

[Kris5902]

It's not like I caused this to happen!

We missed you… and I was totally waiting for the “I turn my back for 5 minutes and look what happens to my thread…” post. Hope all is well, and happy reading!

 

[BY Bob]

If I had set out to get EE, I would love one like Aurora. The bin my 3 came out of had 2 breeds in it. 1 was the bearded americaunas, and the other was the supposed to be Cinnamon Queens. I actually tried to talk her into one of the bearded chicks because they were so cute. It did not work. My problem is, if I were to continue to try and pass them off as Cinnamon Queens, how can I do that with a light chicken? Another reason I'm hoping they are a red color is mom was hoping for chickens the color of her boys Louis and Russ. Red and orange is her favorite color in animals. We have a golden retriever, 2 red horses and a orange cat. I've been nagged at why didn't we have red/orange chickens.

She will let it pass for now but she has her eye on you.

 

[bgmathteach]

“Dilapidated Barn” this somehow makes me Feel a little bit better… I have some blackthorns I am planning on starting this year as eventual hedging/supplemental feed. More shrublike than the Hawthorns we have aplenty. I want some Nice thorny cover that’s a little
Less invasive than the rose/blackberry plantation we seem to have here, they climb up a hawthorn and you are looking at a lot of bloodshed in trying to get through them or pull them out.

No! NO MORE THORNS!! Our property is covered with invasive bittersweet and rosa rugosa ( the variety that was planted during WWII because they didn't have wire for fencing.) You can plant all you want...but I won't be! The chokecherry is part of my plant multifunctional plants effort. But I won't go as far as planting blackthorn, thank you!