Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Monday Mug:
Blanche photo bombing my pics last week haha

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She is a beauty. I've never seen a white muff on such a dark colored hen! Lovely I like the touch of white spangling/speckling on her neck , too.

 

[Ponypoor]

Should have followed my lead. I've been doing this far too long.

Today's high temperature here was a record low for this date. Windchill in the single digits tonight. So stupid.

So done with winter....

BUT!

It is giving me an opportunity to get my hay in that I couldn't get last weekend! So I can't complain too much as the Fates are smiling on me at the moment

The ground is stiffening up so I can drive to the barn without burying the truck, so Wednesday I will load up with hay and shavings, feed and salt licks for the horses and chickies to get me through frost breakup... Again.

 

[Ponypoor]

She is a beauty. I've never seen a white muff on such a dark colored hen! Lovely I like the touch of white spangling/speckling on her neck , too.

She got those when she molted last year. I think it gives her a rather Victorian look haha

 

[Ponypoor]

That's why I'm here. To build the company I've always wanted to. We are going to respect our co-workers and do things the right way.

You are a good leader I would work with you no problem!

It's a wise employer who respects their employees.

 

[Ponypoor]

Chicken tax:
More pics of Blanche, she loves attention - not sure what breed she is but she lays lovely chocolaty olive eggs - huge eggs!

 

[bgmathteach]

So it may be a religious reason. Or maybe she had the experience in her day of somebody collecting broody eggs by mistake and accidentally killing half-grown chicks, could that happen?

I suspect it is more that most people don't understand that it isn't viable unless incubated, so to them it seems kinda 'icky'. I am sure her grandma knows this, but many people have asked me if there might be a chick inside and how am I sure there isn't if there is a Rooster around. Also, regarding bug, worms, etc. It is much easier, in that sense, to 'fool yourself' by buying 'hygenically' preppped & 'sealed' eggs, where you don't have to think about where they came from, what they ate, nor how they lived. It is just plain easier.

I gave a co-worked some smoked chicken (she said she would like to try it). Months later I found out she had thrown it out because she 'couldn't eat it'. She had come to my house ONCE and seen my chickens...a year before. She said she couldn't eat it because she 'knew' my chickens. I asked her how...it wasn't even one that was hatched yet when she came over...she said....but I've seen them, and they all looked happy...I couldn't eat that, I'll get my chicken from the store, thank you."

Honestly, what p#^&ed me off the most was she threw it away instead of giving it back or offering it to a friend. I did, later when I could say it calmly, tell her how much it bothered me that she threw it away, because that meant that the chickens life was 'wasted'. He died to be thrown away!So disrespectful of him and his life (I didn't say that part). But, it all goes back to "I'll have my steak and roast chicken...but I don't want to know where it came from." We want to continue to be omnivours without having to deal with the realities of being an omnivour.

 

[bgmathteach]

A formal introduction: Lulu

Lulu is the smallest of the three and I constantly worry about whether she is thriving. I think it is actually because she will be a smaller chicken than the others as she is perfectly lively.
She is the most skittish and runs away from my hand (unlike 3C who pecks it).

Lulu is a Legbar with lavender genes (not the same as blue jeans). Genetically she has two copies of the 'lav' gene just like Hattie, but she looks different from baby Hattie because the 'lav' gene basically lightens the chick's usual colors. Orpington chicks are solid color so baby Hattie was lavender all over. Legbars are chipmunk chicks and so what you see is basically a washed out chipmunk. As an adult I believe she will be Hattie-colored but with different shades like the Roadrunner markings.

To fend off an attack by our lovely host, Bob, I am aware that Legbars are not a recognized breed by the APA (though they are recognized as a breed in Britain) but they do breed true and if Lulu were to meet a similar colored Legbar rooster she would have chicks the same as her (unlike with crosses such as Bella).

Points to everyone who guessed the lavender part.

Lulu is a name with Arabic origins meaning pearl, and she is certainly precious to me.

Here she is strutting her stuff.

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Will Lulu be crested? I did guess a crested legbar (for the wrong one, but still!)

 

[bgmathteach]

Not all Legbars are crested, I looked back at the Roadrunners and to my eye their crests started to emerge rather subtly at about 3 weeks. So have to wait a little while. I am sure I will love her whatever she looks like.
Working on a name for 3C. CeeCee is on my list. She seems quite a warrior chicken - when the others run she advances. She pecks first and asks questions later!

Maybe she should have an Amazonian name?

Edited to add: Asteria ? or Otrera?

 

[Ponypoor]

I suspect it is more that most people don't understand that it isn't viable unless incubated, so to them it seems kinda 'icky'. I am sure her grandma knows this, but many people have asked me if there might be a chick inside and how am I sure there isn't if there is a Rooster around. Also, regarding bug, worms, etc. It is much easier, in that sense, to 'fool yourself' by buying 'hygenically' preppped & 'sealed' eggs, where you don't have to think about where they came from, what they ate, nor how they lived. It is just plain easier.

I gave a co-worked some smoked chicken (she said she would like to try it). Months later I found out she had thrown it out because she 'couldn't eat it'. She had come to my house ONCE and seen my chickens...a year before. She said she couldn't eat it because she 'knew' my chickens. I asked her how...it wasn't even one that was hatched yet when she came over...she said....but I've seen them, and they all looked happy...I couldn't eat that, I'll get my chicken from the store, thank you."

Honestly, what p#^&ed me off the most was she threw it away instead of giving it back or offering it to a friend. I did, later when I could say it calmly, tell her how much it bothered me that she threw it away, because that meant that the chickens life was 'wasted'. He died to be thrown away!So disrespectful of him and his life (I didn't say that part). But, it all goes back to "I'll have my steak and roast chicken...but I don't want to know where it came from." We want to continue to be omnivours without having to deal with the realities of being an omnivour.

So true, I made sure those I have my guys to were actually going to eat them and not just chuck them out.

Everyone should know and understand where all food comes from!

 

[Ponypoor]

Maybe she should have an Amazonian name?

Zena warrior princess