Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

They do fit under the front, but only just. I think I will raise all the legs again. They are huge! I need to compare with Roadrunner pictures, but my sense is that these are maturing faster.
Lulu in particular has some real weight to her. I have not been weighing them but you can feel her body is solid when you pick her up.

How old are they? If she takes after the Marans side your little Bella with be a big hen. I'm not sure what the other half was used to create the olive egger. I'm going to have to go back and look to see what Bernadette is. They look like they are pushing 5 to 6 weeks, and them being outside in the fresh air it is about time a growth spurt kicks in.

 

[RoyalChick]

How old are they? If she takes after the Marans side your little Bella with be a big hen. I'm not sure what the other half was used to create the olive egger. I'm going to have to go back and look to see what Bernadette is. They look like they are pushing 5 to 6 weeks, and them being outside in the fresh air it is about time a growth spurt kicks in.

They turned 5 weeks old yesterday.
I think Bella is a Marans x Ameraucana. She is supposed to be a full size hen, as is Bernadette. Lulu is a Legbar so should be smaller but is packing on the ounces right now!

 

[featherhead007]

Change of plans: Arizona has her limp back, and I’m watching her closely. I can’t find anything that might be bothering her. No bumble foot or cuts either.

 

[rural mouse]

Helpful. Thanks.
I will raise up the plate so they can all fit easily and leave the heat on.
When are they fully feathered? I mean roughly how old?
I notice their armpits are bare (not even fluff) but everywhere else seems to have feathers.
So pretty!
(I may have mentioned before that I am besotted!)

Usually 6-8 weeks. Armpits are bare: still growing feathers. Down typically gets shed on neck up to the head. When they lose the down on their head, they're about fully feathered.

 

[rural mouse]

I am going to get back on topic and discuss my group of hooligans. The 6 Rural King chicks are 9 weeks old today and Ezzie will be 10 weeks old Friday. They graduated to another big milestone last Friday, they are now free to free range all day. My time with them has not been what I wanted for the last month but they are not suffering any ill effects from it. In fact while sitting out on the porch yesterday afternoon and we were spotted we were quickly mobbed by the bunch. They came rushing up, shared a bun and then visited or hopped all over us for a bit before running back to the sawdust pile to play. Ezzie is the little ring leader, where ever she goes the rest follow. Ezzie is also imprinted on people so that has really helped to bring the other 6 out of their shells. My brother was also changing the rear brakes on his girlfriends car out front yesterday, and he found it incredibly difficult to do so with 7 teenagers underfoot hoping the tools were treats. After about 20 minutes he finally gave up and asked me for help, which I did. I got out one of my landscaping tools and we dug for bugs and worms. After observing all day mom made the comment that this group is just the friendliest and happiest group of chicks I've raised so far, and they are. I will make it a mission to get pictures of them this afternoon when it stops raining. I need some opinions anyway on the 3 mystery chicks. 2 of them have had me worried they are boys because of the early pink combs, but the combs still have not grown, and at 9 weeks I thought I would see saddle feathers but I'm just not. They also do not have to me any obvious rooster coloring or markings coming in and even the shape of the body and tails scream pullets. Of course this could all be wishful thinking on my part and I actually do have 2 boys in the mix which is why I want some outside opinions.

Rose combs pink EARLY. If there's no wattle development by now, they're pullets.

 

[featherhead007]

 

[fuentemoon]

When you only have 3 chickens it's hard to get twofers, but with Rosie being super broody I managed a few this week.
Sharing seeds and bugs just now.

Sprouts in the grass

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I just went out and got a few photo's of the mystery chicks. I still question what they are along with their genders. There really is only 1 that for a while I have felt was a female and that is the one with the lighter head. That being said, no crowing, no rooster posturing or even any roo behavior vibes. I do see some wattles forming, but they are still to me seem to be tiny. Again, I'm basing all this off or Marans and Marans crosses who grow huge combs and wattles very quickly. And for the record, I'm sticking to my go to breed choice in the future, they for the most part do not fool me like these guys. Well, besides silkies, I can not promise not to hatch or acquire more little fuzz balls.
Here we are at exactly 9 weeks old, what does everyone think?

I have always felt this one was my for sure girl.

And Ezzie had to make sure I got a picture of her.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Here was Drumstick at almost the exact same age, no guessing here.

 

[GregnLety]

Crazy day getting home yesterday thanks to the weather but had a wonderful time visiting family and going to Hillbilly Days. I got to see my favorite aunt and had a great time Saturday eating dinner and listening to everyone tell stories on one another