Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

When I was watching videos of the farm I ordered my chickies from and I remember in one of the videos they were battling hawks. They were hanging mylar streamers like what those party balloons are made of. They were saying that the reflection from the sun on the mylar helps to keep hawks at bay. I noted this for later because I hope to free range once my crew is full grown. I figured I could tie some to the trees where they roamed the most. Run it between fence posts ect. Its inexpensive and maybe it could help assuming you haven’t already tried this of course.

Thanks. My understanding of this is that it works for a while but then the hawks adjust.

 

[BY Bob]

Barn Swallows!

They have fledged and I missed their first flight!

There are four - and I wish them safe journeys and hope to see them next spring, soon they will all be gone and it will be very quiet in the barn….

Well quiet except for all 13 chickens squabbling and running about
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I just love swallows. You are very lucky.

 

[Ponypoor]

Years ago before they sold the website I used to let Rosie watch the camera's on Marestare as she loved to see foals being born. I do not remember what it was called, but 2 of the farms each had a mare that would not lay down sleeping. They would fall asleep standing up and their heads would drop lower and lower until they crashed. For the life of me I cannot remember what they called this condition but could Truly have that?

I know a friends horse had his knee tendon cut because it kept locking, he would fall over because the tendon wouldn’t lock when sleeping.

Truly does what you’re describing, she nods off and usually catches herself. But every so often she will fall.

Tax

Of course at 3am I noticed I forgot to lock the sliding door on the hen house. I had to get dressed turn off the alarm and trot out there to close it. I am always worried about a raccoon getting in the barn.

And now closed have to keep them safe!

 

[Ponypoor]

I just love swallows. You are very lucky.

They are awesome, and they are a really good alarm for hawks.

Next spring you should try to attract them by building housing for them, I think there should be ideas online for attracting them. Just remember they can be very messy!

 

[bgmathteach]

@GregnLety I hope you are okay. Just heard TX got 7+ inches of rain overnight. Know you need it, but not so quickly - hope no flash flooding!

 

[rural mouse]

Mugs

Whiskey

Kren with Pear watching sharpish

 

[GregnLety]

@GregnLety I hope you are okay. Just heard TX got 7+ inches of rain overnight. Know you need it, but not so quickly - hope no flash flooding!

Thanks for asking but so far just random thunderstorms moving through. today it is supposed to start in the afternoon and rain all night
Hopefully we'll get some of that heavy stuff but only an inch or two so it can soak in instead of running off. Our lawn has a slight green tinge to it again so a good soaking will revive it nicely. Our pond is over 5 feet low and is fed from run off so all rain is a blessing ❤

 

[BY Bob]

Most of Cheetah chasing Hector is like this

That looks like good exercise for everyone involved.

 

[BY Bob]

I have to be careful not to roll my chair over top of a chicken! And Buttercup thinks my footrest is an awesome place to preen and roost….
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I can think of other things you don't want to roll your chair over!

 

[ManueB]

She had a bit of a scratch around and has roosted in her usual spot between Maggie and Bernadette.
Given Epsom Salts are supposed to relax, I figured I should wait until the morning to soak her and not stress her out by pulling her off the roost.
I am really hoping she drops an egg from the roost overnight and that solves her little problem.

I'm really hoping to hear some good news. I hope she just hasn't got the hang of the laying thing yet.

The new much larger impromptu brooder. My wallet is lighter but they seem happier. I really hope this stops them from picking at each other. First time uploading a video so hopefully it worked.

What a creative idea! Now that you've got more space I think you can introduce them to vertical play and add some perch or anything they can jump on / and maybe something they can hide under also.

Thanks. My understanding of this is that it works for a while but then the hawks adjust.

After we had the attacks I restricted my chicken zone to the safest places ( still not 100% safe but I was ready to take that risk) and I let them free range in the garden an hour to two hour daily when I had the time to stay with them. I did nothing else then but watch and gather them together, in fact it earned me the nickname I have kept of "bergère des poules", hen's shepherdess. But I realize this wouldn't necessarily fit in your schedule!

I saw something else that could possibly be of interest to you on Instagram, this lady has created chunnels for her chickens to connect her different safe zones bending mesh wire fencing in two : https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cg1-CAfFSa3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link