Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

I think that sounds like a female or juvenile Cooper's Hawk. But then, maybe I'm just 'seeing/hearing' Cooper's hawks every where due to them almost getting my sweet EE girl this spring

BTW: somehow, this exploration of potential Hawks led me to this...which ultimately distracted me from further sound comparisons with various hawks. These are the chickens' 'granddies'

a site with 16 common hawks of N. America

Sure it wasn't a catbird???

I have catbirds too. They mob the hawks.

 

[GregnLety]

We'd better be careful with our @GregnLety plying us with all this booze
Hiccup

The banana pudding brandy is ready and it has a kick!

 

[featherhead007]

It’s finally raining! Yay ! The chooks all ran to the coop to stay dry. They are all safe and warm! Tonight I have a church meeting (I want to see my friends again)

 

[lightm]

Twofers with my sweeties!!

 

[BY Bob]

Twofers with my sweeties!!
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Marvelous.

 

[lightm]

We've been told he's around thirty ! Well know for sure they've lived there for more than ten years, when they were retired from a riding center.

Beautiful colors! Bernie's plumage is very well assorted to fall colors.

Very clever - not too complicated to build, and I'm sure they love it in winter !
*******
As some of you read elsewhere we're having rooster drama here. I would like to know for those of you who have multiple coops how you manage your settings. Are the coops very close to each other or are they far apart ? Do you let the chickens choose in which coop they roost and if not, what type of separation keep them apart ? And most of all I'd be interested to know if any one of you ever had to move one or many chickens to a different coop, how you did it.

I was also wondering @knoturavggrl how your cat and chicks are coming along ? My female cat has gotten a few pecks the last days as she's been very clingy with the chickens- she got chased off by both Théo and Merle.

Here are Monday mugs. I hope you all have a nice week. We have strong rains forecasted tomorrow and Thursday - really hope for rain, but no torrential outpour please .

Gastounet has suddenly grown huge and is in full hormonal mode.
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Théo.
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Merle on her favorite spot
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Cannelle. She's doing ok one day and terrible the next, today is a good day.
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Nougat with the sun
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Blanche
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This is a great picture of Merle.

 

[lightm]

Wow! She sure is enjoying pummelling that toad into oblivion! True enrichment for her

Yep she is Foxy the hunter!

 

[lightm]

Bernadette’s mugshot for Monday.

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Awwww, this is too cute. Even better, she is posing in opposite of the chicken decor.

Picture of the MONTH.

 

[bgmathteach]

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain how your settings are organized ! I guess I'm trying to get ideas of what could work for us... It seems every option I can think of either has major disadvantages or is too complicated. Your post was also helpful in showing me I need to see the bigger picture and not just the actual problem we have. As you say, things may evolve quickly when cockerels grow.
I tend to be pessimistic, because everytime I've been told about things that will get better ( like broodies coming back in the flock with no problem, roosters imprinting or accepting chicks, hens being better accepted once they lay..) never worked out here. I love my chickens like they are but sometimes I would enjoy less drama.

Well, you are forgetting that I have one distinct advantage that you don't. The majority of my chickens are straight run - either purchased or hatched. BUT: I do not keep all the boys (1:1 is NOT good), I do process the 'extra' roos when they are between 5-6 months old for the most part (sometimes a bit older, depending on growth rate/breed.) This gives me the option of choosing which ones to keep, and which ones to send to freezer camp. I keep the 'best' roos. Good confirmation, good with the ladies, not mean to me. They don't have to be perfect...but good in ALL three areas, and the best of the 'good' are the keepers. That makes for a lot less drama when the 'boys' are in the 8 + mo. idiot phase. (They do start before then, but are controlled by the older, bigger roosters, and the time of year....late fall or winter is slightly calmer than the prime mating season of spring through early summer....and by then, the good ones have settled into their spot & groove (summer, that is. Early spring...well...still a bit of a 'as the world turns; drama then!)

I'll make a suggestion - it might not work for you, but it may help. I'm not sure what your coop looks like that you have now, nor if this suggestion will 'fit' in your space...but here goes:

Do you have a 10' or 12' by 4' space? (maybe 3 meters by 1 meter? That is close, dimensional wise) I am a firm believer in a raised coop as it gives them 'coop space' without reducing 'run space', and does double duty as bot coop AND covered run space to protect from elements.


so, I am thinking something 12' X 4' Base framing. Have 2 'coops' proper on this frames, raised anywhere from 3-4 feet, depending on wire height easily available. Have the coops be roughly 3feet by 4 feet, one on either end. So, think of stepping into the 12' X 4' framing...long side facing you - in the center. on the left, one coop, the 'width' if the framing, by 3'+ deep (could easily go 4x4instead of 4x3, here), Turn to your right, the second coop will be the same. That gives you 2 'coops' of roughly 4' x 3' (12 sq. feet, slightly more than 2sq. meters). Have the pop doors face the center, at the back, with a 'platform 1 - 1.5 feet deep that runs the roughly 4 or6 ft. space left. both pop doors open onto that, then a ramp down (make the ramp easily moveable/removable so it isn't in your way if needed to access easily the back. Framing is full length on the back, but front has a wide 'human' door between the 2 coops, with a pop door within the human door. Roof the entire width. This gives you at least 24 sq feet of coop space (or 32 if you go 4feetX 4 feet) PLUS if gives you a full 48 sq. feet of covered run space all in the same foot print. Having a partial wall centered at edge of coop either side(say, 16 inches wide, or 1/3 of the depth of the frame) will give roos and hens something to 'circle around', you can put roosts 'under' each coop, and I would run 2 roosts parallel to the long side of overall coop complex, within each individual coop. (so 2, 3ft - or 4', depending on how you frame out each 'raised' coop portion) roosts within each coop. If you are able to add more run space attached to (in any way shape or form), that would be great, too. I know this is probably really hard to visualize. I've attached some really rough pictures. (oh, I like external nest boxes...so one on either end of long framing/external to each coop proper, so it doesn't decrease coop space AND you can gather eggs without entering run complex, if needed.

P.S. I have absolutely no idea if lumber is sold in imperial units or metric. If metric, approx dimensions would be: 3 or 4 meters long X ~1 meter deep. Coop floors at approx 1m high, and front roof of coop about another 1m above floor, back roof of coop (for sloped rood) about 2/3 meter above floor of coop. Each coop proper, on the raised framing would be about 1 m 'wide' x 1 meter deep (or 1.5 m deep, depending on ultimate length of full base) This should leave you with 1-2 meters between the raised coops, but still under the full length roofing.

okay, bad drawings, but hope it helps you visualize what I'm trying to get at:

These first two are looking at base (sort of) from above, roof not yet 'on'

This one is looking at coop complex from front:

 

[lightm]

Another Painted Hen

Years ago my dear Maleficent made contact with something I was painting and had white paint on her side until she molted. You can see it here on her back.

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So I am surprised that none of you noticed when it happened again. Anyone take a close look at Lady Featherington's comb in today's mug shot?

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Someone got a little too close to the porch when it was being painted yesterday. Silly girl.

I noticed. I was too lazy to ask (been crazy busy here)

comb doesn't get molted... I suppose you have to give her a good wash? And a gentle beak scrape?