Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I want to fit curtains at least or put nappies on them and bring them in to wreck my home. They are little monsters

Yes curtains will keep the draft out, and help keep their own body heat in.

No you don’t want to bring them inside, they are much better outside and you are much better with them outside

Yes they are little monsters hahahaha

 

[Ponypoor]

You mean fbook and tik tok I got it now duh me lol

Oh but beakbook is a very real (imaginary) place were our overseers can discuss us

I wonder what they are saying about is right now

 

[Ponypoor]

I have tried everything, but Dakota just isn’t a lap chicken. She hates to be held. She’s first to jump up on my shoulder, or be next to me, but she acts like I’m killing her when I attempt to hold her. All the rest of the chickens are much more willing to sit on me, Coco will even lay out on me, feet stretched out, wings relaxed and then she falls asleep. I really don’t understand the problem

Some are just like that.

I have some like that.

 

[Ponypoor]

It's impossible

Really the only thing you need are some lights. And you can get solar powered lights for that.

 

[MaryJanet]

It was Maleficent that would groom me.

View attachment 3272615

She was such an amazing hen. So friendly!

 

[Ponypoor]

At what temperature do you start worrying about them @Ponypoor?

At around -5C inside the barn, that could be anywhere from -10C to -20C outside.

The Hen House itself stays around the freezing point 0C (32F), or even a bit warmer over night with the door closed. When it gets lower than -5C they start to huddle and not eat, or scratch around or do their normal things. At -10C they are quite stressed and that is when I make them go somewhere warm.

The silkies esp are very cold intolerant, I had to supplement heat with them last winter for about 6 weeks while they were broody.

They would come out and eat drink and poop and run back to their heated nest box. It didn’t help that they were missing feathers from Pangoo over breeding them.

I use one of those Cozy Coop radiant heaters.

 

[Ponypoor]

Don’t think so. I was waiting for Alex to weigh in.

Seems Alex chickened out (pun intended!)

 

[RoyalChick]

At around -5C inside the barn, that could be anywhere from -10C to -20C outside.

The Hen House itself stays around the freezing point 0C (32F), or even a bit warmer over night with the door closed. When it gets lower than -5C they start to huddle and not eat, or scratch around or do their normal things. At -10C they are quite stressed and that is when I make them go somewhere warm.

The silkies esp are very cold intolerant, I had to supplement heat with them last winter for about 6 weeks while they were broody.

They would come out and eat drink and poop and run back to their heated nest box. It didn’t help that they were missing feathers from Pangoo over breeding them.

I use one of those Cozy Coop radiant heaters.

Thank you. That is very helpful.
It is similar to what I settled on last winter. I set up an electric space heater (one of those oil-filled ones) when it got into the teens in Fahrenheit (which is about -7C).
I had originally decided I would only heat when it got to single digits in Farenheit (which is about -12C) but I didn't love how they looked at that temperature.
Hopefully I won't have too many nights at that temperature.
One of the problems with the size of the Chicken Palace is that it is very difficult to introduce heat. I even considered installing a heat lamp over the roost even though they terrify me!

 

[bgmathteach]

Thank you. That is very helpful.
It is similar to what I settled on last winter. I set up an electric space heater (one of those oil-filled ones) when it got into the teens in Fahrenheit (which is about -7C).
I had originally decided I would only heat when it got to single digits in Farenheit (which is about -12C) but I didn't love how they looked at that temperature.
Hopefully I won't have too many nights at that temperature.
One of the problems with the size of the Chicken Palace is that it is very difficult to introduce heat. I even considered installing a heat lamp over the roost even though they terrify me!

h0w much is 'open' (i.e. fence/wire, as opposed to solid?)in your Chicken Palace? I know you have some large windows that you close in cold weather........

And, yes, I agree. Low teens or, if very breezy, upper teens is when I worry about them.

 

[RoyalChick]

Big roosting drama this evening.
Maggie secured the prime spot - up against the wall - and she glued herself to the wall.

Bernie tried her usual trick of jumping up and making everyone shuffle to the side but Maggie was prepared for her and wouldn't budge. This initially led to a long staring contest with Bernie below the roost on the platform beak to beak with Maggie on the prime roost spot.
No pecking just staring - just like cats do before they really go at it!

Bernie made her move but couldn't dislodge Maggie so she landed between Maggie and Diana. Bad mistake!

The two old ladies unceremoniously booted her off the roost entirely and she had to fly back up and get the end slot next to Diana.

Funny chickens!