Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Pony Sunday

I told the girls to go stand under a tree - it’s just roasting where they are standing at the back barn door, and the bugs are crazy!

Truly, Reenie, Sally and Lulu
View attachment 3206452

Sally and Lulu - team work makes the dream work, tho I think Sally is reaping the rewards of Lulus long tail swatting flies more than Sally’s stubby Appaloosa tail is doing for Lulu!
View attachment 3206453

Not to mention this HUGE hornets nest which I have not been able to do anything about as it’s up too high for me to spray and remove… to entertain myself I throw rocks at it and watch them swarm out hahaha
View attachment 3206455

But this nest that the evil little yellow jacket brats have taken up residence in the crack in the cement block wall is an easy fix. Tonight I will spray it and pile some gravel over to contain them.
View attachment 3206454

That hornets nest is scary. I for one would not be chucking rocks at it.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

We had a day and a half of blessidly dry weather. That changes this afternoon. Storms off and on, some of them could be heavy. We are still under a flood watch, but the backwater has went down so at the moment I'm not too worried about a flood. What does bother me is the ground is just saturated still. We moved Russ and Louis down to the barn as their stalls were the worst. Gutted them and due to all the rain have water seeping up in puddles in them. I want my boys home, but I do not want them sleeping and standing in a mud pit. At the earliest, I think they could come back this Friday. Dirt's stall is completely dry. It literally makes no sense. Dirt is not 100% thrilled being a only child, he calls for the boys at times. He does have a stall ready and waiting on him if we do have to move him. My poor chicken coop.....I will also be gutting it as soon as I can as well. It too has not flooded but is a muddy mess.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Pony Sunday

I told the girls to go stand under a tree - it’s just roasting where they are standing at the back barn door, and the bugs are crazy!

Truly, Reenie, Sally and Lulu
View attachment 3206452

Sally and Lulu - team work makes the dream work, tho I think Sally is reaping the rewards of Lulus long tail swatting flies more than Sally’s stubby Appaloosa tail is doing for Lulu!
View attachment 3206453

Not to mention this HUGE hornets nest which I have not been able to do anything about as it’s up too high for me to spray and remove… to entertain myself I throw rocks at it and watch them swarm out hahaha
View attachment 3206455

But this nest that the evil little yellow jacket brats have taken up residence in the crack in the cement block wall is an easy fix. Tonight I will spray it and pile some gravel over to contain them.
View attachment 3206454

If there is a way to get rid of the hornets without destroying the nest I would. Then I would gently remove the nest and hang it somewhere. For me this would be my porch where wasps and yellow jackets like to congregate. My porch used to be terrible, but this spring we used a paper bag and crumpled it up into the shape of a hornets nest and hung it up. For the first time in 20 years we have not had a single wasp or yellow jacket visit the porch. Hornets eat them, so they thing the paper bag is a hornets nest and stay far away. Now if you are going to continue to chuck rocks at the nest you need someone parked close by with a camera rolling. Eventually you will be chased by the angry things. Might as well get it on film and send it in to america's funniest home video's.

 

[rural mouse]

We had a day and a half of blessidly dry weather. That changes this afternoon. Storms off and on, some of them could be heavy. We are still under a flood watch, but the backwater has went down so at the moment I'm not too worried about a flood. What does bother me is the ground is just saturated still. We moved Russ and Louis down to the barn as their stalls were the worst. Gutted them and due to all the rain have water seeping up in puddles in them. I want my boys home, but I do not want them sleeping and standing in a mud pit. At the earliest, I think they could come back this Friday. Dirt's stall is completely dry. It literally makes no sense. Dirt is not 100% thrilled being a only child, he calls for the boys at times. He does have a stall ready and waiting on him if we do have to move him. My poor chicken coop.....I will also be gutting it as soon as I can as well. It too has not flooded but is a muddy mess.

Glad everyone is safe, even if disgruntled.

 

[Ponypoor]

That hornets nest is scary. I for one would not be chucking rocks at it.

Yep they definitely are not happy when I got the barn wall and they come swarming out!

But in the case of hornets they stay about 20’ from the nest so all one has to do is spray it with insecticide and run about 50’ away and observe!

Only problem is it’s 20’ off the ground hahaha!

 

[Ponypoor]

We had a day and a half of blessidly dry weather. That changes this afternoon. Storms off and on, some of them could be heavy. We are still under a flood watch, but the backwater has went down so at the moment I'm not too worried about a flood. What does bother me is the ground is just saturated still. We moved Russ and Louis down to the barn as their stalls were the worst. Gutted them and due to all the rain have water seeping up in puddles in them. I want my boys home, but I do not want them sleeping and standing in a mud pit. At the earliest, I think they could come back this Friday. Dirt's stall is completely dry. It literally makes no sense. Dirt is not 100% thrilled being a only child, he calls for the boys at times. He does have a stall ready and waiting on him if we do have to move him. My poor chicken coop.....I will also be gutting it as soon as I can as well. It too has not flooded but is a muddy mess.

Well I am glad you’re safe - the horses will survive for a few days away. And the chickens knowing them are thrilled with the mud to dig for bugs in.

I have been watching it unfold on the News and it just looks awful.

As long as you’re all safe that is what matters.

Hope Rosie is feeling good, and the new chicks thriving. Sending hugs

 

[rural mouse]

So far, Hector (and to a small degree Kren) appears to have been banished from the lower olive trees. He's done some sentinel duty, and all seem comfortable being near him when he's on duty. Rest time on the other hand, ALL the girls (and the very junior boys) prefer to chill near Cheetah, who has taken to chasing Hector when seen too close. I'm guessing something is being communicated through body language telling Cheetah that Hector is about to go after one or more of the girls. Currently the poor lad is pacing in solitary near my brick seat while the rest are under the olives (excepting those trying to lay eggs). He's brought this shunning upon himself, so I'm hopeful it will be an effective Behavior Modification Tool. Storm is more than willing to chase him around as is Twirp. Tribal Public Humiliation is another tool implemented in the Chicken School for Raising Wellmannered Roosters, Silver Wyandotte, Headmistress.

Naptime, within 4 feet of Narrator (me)

 

[Ponypoor]

If there is a way to get rid of the hornets without destroying the nest I would. Then I would gently remove the nest and hang it somewhere. For me this would be my porch where wasps and yellow jackets like to congregate. My porch used to be terrible, but this spring we used a paper bag and crumpled it up into the shape of a hornets nest and hung it up. For the first time in 20 years we have not had a single wasp or yellow jacket visit the porch. Hornets eat them, so they thing the paper bag is a hornets nest and stay far away. Now if you are going to continue to chuck rocks at the nest you need someone parked close by with a camera rolling. Eventually you will be chased by the angry things. Might as well get it on film and send it in to america's funniest home video's.

Thanks Rebecca glad you got my back! Come on up and you can be the videographer

I have to say it is pretty awesome isn’t it?! Amazing how they build it.

 

[bgmathteach]

Thank you. He wasn't a sweet roo though . Hubby would literally cage (run) fight him (lock all other chickens outside of run...). He will be fine for a week and decided he needs to kill hubby again. We just love him because he's our child. We told his new owner that he's kinda aggressive.The new owner does not mind as he does not plan on spending cuddly time with his chickens and he just wants a rooster to protect and expand his flock. Foggy now has 3 acres to free roam.

They are really people chickens.

We got the fence at local Lowes. They are about 4 feet high. As you see, some chickens have no problem going over it. I also know that adult chickens can not squee through bars even without the bottom addition. I am pretty sure this is what we have: https://www.lowes.com/pd/No-Dig-Act...Point-Decorative-Metal-Fence-Panel/1000864882

You can also buy the two-door gate that goes with it. They are very easy to install. I don't think they are very cheap, but I like them very much.

I suspect that part of Foggy's problem was your hubby was so close to the girls. He probably felt him a threat to HIS harem. Plus, the first surge of hormones is the worst with roos, imo. Regardless, sounds like Foggy is now living the dream!

Thank you @lightm & @BY Bob for the fencing info. I will have to check out Lowe's I've been to Home Depot and they didn't have anything I thought would work (spikey top, 4-5' tall, close enough uprights the girls couldn't squeeze through, etc) in their store. I didn't look online because I felt I needed to 'see' it to be sure it would work. I'm sure it will be pricey - as I've got some 150 yards or more to do...but if it will make free ranging safer.....people drive crazy on our back road....and the girls have discovered that neighbor across the street's 'stash' - large platform feeder he fills for deer & turkeys!

Tax: @RoyalChick
One of my fascinator cap friends...she thinks she can grow a tail antennae! It has been like this for a week...I've tried to fix it, and the feather pops back funky...like the shaft grew a bit bent! Fortunately, THIS ONE doesn't know about BeakBook yet!

 

[Ponypoor]

If there is a way to get rid of the hornets without destroying the nest I would. Then I would gently remove the nest and hang it somewhere. For me this would be my porch where wasps and yellow jackets like to congregate. My porch used to be terrible, but this spring we used a paper bag and crumpled it up into the shape of a hornets nest and hung it up. For the first time in 20 years we have not had a single wasp or yellow jacket visit the porch. Hornets eat them, so they thing the paper bag is a hornets nest and stay far away. Now if you are going to continue to chuck rocks at the nest you need someone parked close by with a camera rolling. Eventually you will be chased by the angry things. Might as well get it on film and send it in to america's funniest home video's.

I will probably just have to live with it till winter, then I can get the extension ladder and cut it down - I would love to dissect it to see the many layers!

If they get aggressive though I will need to get an exterminator in - the horse congregate at the back door so I am anticipating a showdown fairly soon, they tend to become quite aggressive once the weather gets cooler.