Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I know what will help...

Mix a little scratch feed with peanut butter, and smear it into all the carved spots. That will get a bit of action!

AND: I can't stress enough what a bit of cooking will do for encouraging them. Wrap said pumpkin in tin foil, place in heated oven and cook for about 45 min. (so that pumpkin is semi soft...not fully cooked)...then do the peanut butter and scratch thing...I bet, once they 'discover' how good it is by being enticed by the scratch feed, and the pumpkin being semi-soft, not rock hard, there will be some significant action!

Mine now go crazy when they seem me bring a pumpkin out!

Ok so the pumpkin purchase is on again….

 

[bgmathteach]

I also think that molting is a big stress on their bodies and therefore if they are susceptible to something else it may happen during the molt.
Several chicken viruses (including Marek's and the one that Bella had) can go dormant in the body but then re-emerge at times of stress. I suspect this is what happened to Maggie and that her molt pushed her over the edge from something else she was living with before.
Going back over my Maggie files I also found something odd which is that she molted in February of this year too. I had forgotten that. So an October molt was very, very early for her.

Actually, if I remember correctly, everyone seemed to have a VERY late molt last year! Mine did, for sure...and this year they started molting (mostly) quite early.

My broodies, of course, started molting a couple of weeks after the chicks hatched. Mine usually mostly molt in October. This year, aside from the broodies, I had a number of them start in late Aug. Most are now 75-80% done (just growing the feathers to full length)...some are about 50% done. I only have 2 or 3 that are just now really getting into the molt....as opposed to most usually just getting into the molt right about now.

I wonder if they know something about the winter that we don't....last year I had a lot of girls just start molting in mid-to-late Dec...YIKES, too cold then to molt...not finishing up until sometime in Feb......

BUT: this year they are definitely prepared for a cold and/or early winter!

 

[BY Bob]

I know what will help...

Mix a little scratch feed with peanut butter, and smear it into all the carved spots. That will get a bit of action!

AND: I can't stress enough what a bit of cooking will do for encouraging them. Wrap said pumpkin in tin foil, place in heated oven and cook for about 45 min. (so that pumpkin is semi soft...not fully cooked)...then do the peanut butter and scratch thing...I bet, once they 'discover' how good it is by being enticed by the scratch feed, and the pumpkin being semi-soft, not rock hard, there will be some significant action!

Mine now go crazy when they seem me bring a pumpkin out!

I may just do that today!

 

[bgmathteach]

Corn in Slow Motion

I haven't done slow motion in a while so Lady Featherington obliged me this morning. Watch as she pecks some corn. The head shake on the first kernel is interesting and I love the tongue working on the second kernel.

By the way, if you enjoy my videos, it is OK to "like" them.

I wonder if the head shake is instinctual...how they usually 'pull' corn and other things from the cob/vine/stalk. Maggie used a similar move with her corn on the cob...AFTER a very aggressive 'bite'/beak-hold!

 

[bgmathteach]

OMG, I would totally wear something like that.

Here is my favorite t-shirt.
View attachment 3303962


Shirt envy tax (Scarlett likes the shirt too)
View attachment 3303965

I just love her comb (See @RoyalChick ,Minnie and Dotty DID start the 'ruffled comb' trend! It's fashionable now!)

and the way she is looking at you is just so precious! Seems like the two of you have a very special bond!

 

[RoyalChick]

Awwwww babies - I love babies

And she has grown into a stylish young pullet

I think she is rather stylish!

 

[RoyalChick]

I wonder if the head shake is instinctual...how they usually 'pull' corn and other things from the cob/vine/stalk. Maggie used a similar move with her corn on the cob...AFTER a very aggressive 'bite'/beak-hold!

Yes I was going to say exactly that - she is doing a Maggie - twist and shake that kernel off the corn cob.
Bernadette does something similar with the grass seed heads - not many left now so not sure I will be able to get video.

 

[RoyalChick]

I just love her comb (See @RoyalChick ,Minnie and Dotty DID start the 'ruffled comb' trend! It's fashionable now!)

and the way she is looking at you is just so precious! Seems like the two of you have a very special bond!

Yes - I was admiring that comb. Ruffled is all the rage in combs these days!

 

[Grandmas Coop]

4:30 is very dark here, so is 6:30 hahaha

Good morning!

Here too

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Yes - I was admiring that comb. Ruffled is all the rage in combs these days!

It definitely helps me know at a glance which one of the “triplets” I am looking at.

Scarlett (big ruffles)

Ruby (small zigzag)

Dottie (flop to left)