Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LaFemmeKatia]

Rest in Peace my bella Bella

My beautiful Bella has died.
She was my dream chicken companion.

Always fashion-forward, her black snakeskin boots coordinated perfectly with her gorgeous blue, green, and purple, black feathers.

She was my first ever lap chicken. She was indescribably soft to touch, and right to the end she was grooming my hair and snuggling into my neck for a nap.

She was a loyal friend to Bernadette and stuck with her for months when she couldn't walk. In turn, Bernadette has been a constant visitor and companion for Bella.

She fought hard against the virus that killed her but it was all just too much. In the end she died peacefully and quite rapidly. She was close by her friends Bernadette and Lulu, and I was sitting with her. I hope she felt neither pain nor fear.

Bella now has a bottomless freezer filled with frozen corn, and I am left with a Bella-shaped hole in my heart.

Bon voyage Bella Dracula. You will always hold a special place in my memories.

Highlights of Bella’s short life. March 22-August 2, 2022
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I am sorry to hear that Bella has passed away. She was so beautiful, and was the cutest chick!
I just get so sad when we lose our feather babies.

I just read this this morning, I am trying to catch up, but I am so far behind.

 

[rural mouse]

@Marie2020 I am very happy that I was wrong and that Tina is better. I will be following for your updates on her health. You are definitely among those on the thread that have had enough chicken bad news for the time being!!
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@Ponypoor how are you feeling ?
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So, I've been trying to work on improving my chicken's coexistence and haven't had much success.
( As a reminder I have two main groups who don't get along : 4 adult ex-batts and four 12 months old teenagers, plus one rooster and his free loader bantam true love Chipie who was a broody for the chicks and is hated by everyone except Théo.)

Since they all sleep in the coop, I've been locking them up together every morning in coop + run for 30 to 45 mn. Unfortunately this is not a success as the younger four just stay perched, until I open up for everyone, and the ex-batts are furious at being locked up and wait in front of the coop for the young one to come down so they can pick on them. So I'm.wondering how to change this strategy : do you think I should lock them up for a longer time ? Or should I just leave them be ?

I've also been working on improving the younger ones following me with food, the goal being to be able to lead them back to the coop. So that has worked a bit better, they now have a little bucket that they know means food and they will follow me with it, but not to the point of coming near the other chickens. They are more afraid than hungry!

One major development is that Gaston the cockerel has grown so much that he can not go through the chicken nettings anymore. My ex-batts are netted in a chicken zone of about 500m2, but the chicks and Théo and Chipie could just go through the nettings and wander anywhere. So now if I don't help Gaston to get out he's locked with the ex-batts. I thought this could be an opportunity to get them to learn to be together in a space big enough for all. Unfortunately the three other young pullets will stay with Gaston for maybe ten minutes and then they hop out and he's left on his own.
The ex-batts were not that nasty in the beginning but he's making such a fuss being afraid and jumping around that now they're beginning to be really tough on him and Léa, who's also getting quite big.

We had a sparrow hawk attack an hour ago (I spoke too soon saying those were over!). Everyone, even the group of teenagers , ran to go hide under the huge laurel tree in the middle of our chicken zone, but Gaston couldn't get inside the chicken nettings. I helped him because he was getting in a panic. Then, after the initial silence and alarm cries sequence, the ex+batts and Théo started chasing the young ones around, lots of shriek and shuffling (it's impossible to see what's going on under there) And now it's back to quiet, I'm hoping danger will force them to coexist more peacefully .
Tomorrow we're going away on errands and to see my mother so we are locking them up in coop and run for half the day. They'll just have to manage. My ex-batts are so not tolerant, and Gaston is just the worst coward. I really hope it's just a phase.

Sorry for the very long post and some photos of the teens from this morning. All that rain we have been getting the last two weeks is beginning to compensate the nine months drought!

Merle
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Léa and Piou-piou
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Léa, againView attachment 3238676
Gaston flower child
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Chasing the small grass hoppers! Just like my cats when they were kittens!
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The teens being chased off by the ex-batts will start settling down as they get close to laying. Once they start laying, it should settle to almost non existence. The adults are enforcing their authority. Gaston will have to work out with the adults (and Theo) which hens are his and which are Theo's (and which refuse to have anything to do with either of them). Welcome to the teenage idiot phase.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Thought I’d share some pics of my “Lavender Orpingtons” (what I paid $$$ for), who grew up to be Easter Eggers!!!
Well, they ARE lavender, at least. These pics don’t do justice to the color.
They have charcoal-black legs, blue-grey feathers (solid color), muffs and beards.
I never wanted Easter Eggers, but they are here now, and they are very pretty birds. A little shy though. They get on very well with the rest of the flock too.

 

[rural mouse]

Thought I’d share some pics of my “Lavender Orpingtons” (what I paid $$$ for), who grew up to be Easter Eggers!!!
Well, they ARE lavender, at least. These pics don’t do justice to the color.
They have charcoal-black legs, blue-grey feathers (solid color), muffs and beards.
I never wanted Easter Eggers, but they are here now, and they are very pretty birds. A little shy though. They get on very well with the rest of the flock too.View attachment 3238749View attachment 3238751View attachment 3238753View attachment 3238754View attachment 3238755View attachment 3238756

Mislabeled, yes. Absolute beauties:

 

[rural mouse]

The 3 stooges attempting to stage a raid on Castor's food dish. They know they aren't supposed to be on the patio, but Pear occasionally knocks on the door, asking for the dish to be brought out.

Silver to the left, Pear to the right, and Storm front and center.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thought I’d share some pics of my “Lavender Orpingtons” (what I paid $$$ for), who grew up to be Easter Eggers!!!
Well, they ARE lavender, at least. These pics don’t do justice to the color.
They have charcoal-black legs, blue-grey feathers (solid color), muffs and beards.
I never wanted Easter Eggers, but they are here now, and they are very pretty birds. A little shy though. They get on very well with the rest of the flock too.View attachment 3238749View attachment 3238751View attachment 3238753View attachment 3238754View attachment 3238755View attachment 3238756

I know they aren't what you were expecting - but they are very striking looking all the same!

 

[Ponypoor]

Fungi. Yeast are a member of the Kingdom, Fungi.

Sorry, but as a microbiologist I felt the need to add something useful to the conversation and assert my authority. There are a lot of smarty pants on this thread.

And if I am not mistaken pronounced ‘fun-ji’

Am I correct?

Tax

From yesterday

 

[Ponypoor]

Thought I’d share some pics of my “Lavender Orpingtons” (what I paid $$$ for), who grew up to be Easter Eggers!!!
Well, they ARE lavender, at least. These pics don’t do justice to the color.
They have charcoal-black legs, blue-grey feathers (solid color), muffs and beards.
I never wanted Easter Eggers, but they are here now, and they are very pretty birds. A little shy though. They get on very well with the rest of the flock too.View attachment 3238749View attachment 3238751View attachment 3238753View attachment 3238754View attachment 3238755View attachment 3238756

Still very lovely.

 

[Marie2020]

Is she up and about again? I'm so far behind Marie.

Yes, back to being my cut throat Tina when food is around

I'm hoping a bit of locally grown plum is okay. Before she has her second treatment for today. I managed to order more earlier so will have plenty in for anytime in the future.

 

[featherhead007]

You feeling any better Kelly?