Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

The youngest silky I can understand not be broody as she's anly 6 months old but Itty Bitty is one and a half and Silky girl is almost 3. I'd like to have more silkies but 36ish chickens is enough for now.

Wow ! I think 13 is a lot of work!!

 

[Ponypoor]

One of these days they are going to sneak off and hatch something other then golf balls.

No chance - I don’t let them go anywhere on their own - today I had enough stress and worry trying to do fence repairs and keep an eye on them!

They likely won’t get any more free time for a long time hahaha.

But I do live in worry that one day i will find about 100 eggs in various stages of rot somewhere in the barn one day…!

 

[ValarieF]

So do I, in fact I love them so much that 14 of my flock are black.

Ditto....black chickens are beautiful.

 

[Ponypoor]

Don't worry, I was worried for a while that I had a "broken" silkie as well. When I got Chiquita I was told she was constantly broody, had went broody 10 times last year. The stress of moving to a new home must not have bothered her at all as within a few days she was already laying. Now I got her about the 2nd week of January. February rolls around and I start looking at her waiting for her to go broody. A month passes, and another and another no inclination to hatch chicks at all. Just about every other hen on the place is either raising chicks or wanting to and she off in her own little "child free" world. Finally in July the big day happened and my little Chiquita turned into "Angry floof" and wanted babies NOW. I was thrilled, immediately gave her 2 eggs and viola we have "Goose and Hoppy". Goose and Hoppy are 9 weeks and Chiquita has started back laying this week, in 5 days I've gotten 4 eggs. I thought she would start weaning the chicks now that she is laying but nope, she only passes them off to Branch to chick-sit while she lays her egg. She has not even attempted to teach them to roost yet, they still sleep in the nest where she hatched them under her. It was a long wait but totally worth it to have a broody silkie.

Same with Marty - when I got her I was told she was always broody - had her months before she went broody! She brooded about 3 weeks gave up and went back to laying.

Silkies….

 

[Ponypoor]

I don’t have any of those items

Oh that’s too bad! Sounded like it would have been a good breakfast!

 

[GregnLety]

Wow ! I think 13 is a lot of work!!

If my actual count is correct we have 39 chickens and 2 guineas and 12 dogs.

 

[rural mouse]

Wow topped 11,200 that deserves a special chickie pic
View attachment 3270570

He really is a handsome lad!

 

[rural mouse]

No chance - I don’t let them go anywhere on their own - today I had enough stress and worry trying to do fence repairs and keep an eye on them!

They likely won’t get any more free time for a long time hahaha.

But I do live in worry that one day i will find about 100 eggs in various stages of rot somewhere in the barn one day…!

Just wait. One hen will vanish.....only to turn up with a string of little cheepers with her....hatched from her hidden location inside the barn...

 

[Ponypoor]

Just wait. One hen will vanish.....only to turn up with a string of little cheepers with her....hatched from her hidden location inside the barn...

When Misty went missing last winter and caused me to have heart failure almost and for me to just admit to her being carried off by a hawk or something. I started ensuring I know where every hiding place was, even narrow crevasses between two bales of hay where a silly chicken can get stuck in while laying an egg .

Every evening I count them all and if one is missing I go on an Easter egger hunt

 

[Ponypoor]

If my actual count is correct we have 39 chickens and 2 guineas and 12 dogs.

Wow that’s a lot of grub to be dished up daily!