Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Good Saturday Morning!
The kiddos are raring to go it seems!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Yes, that's her. She was a little runt that couldn't fly, and I wasn't sure she would live, and that she was a she . We used to call her Piou-piou in the meantime because that's supposed to be the sound chicks and baby bird make in french...and @RebeccaBoyd told us it was a good name to keep for her. This was her at two months old. I would never have believed she would be the first to lay, would elope with Gaston and become her hatch sister's bully.
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Where is she in the tribe(s) order? Her behavior might change when the order changes or there’s some other shift. This competitiveness is what she thinks she has to do now.
Hasn’t @BY Bob seen this kind of change with Aurora?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

So, a question for anyone. I have yet to add nest boxes to my coop. My Teenagers are now deep into their 16th week of life. The website where I got them from lists 22 weeks as the average for laying age for all the breeds I received. Should I wait till then or put them in asap? Given that winter is upon us Idk if they would even start or if its likely to be delayed a bit till the days start lengthening again. Just pondering on how quickly I need to move to get them in place.

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!

The Buckeyes are late layers but lack of daylight did not stop their supposed schedule. They hatched July 6 and a first egg was laid January 4th I think (24 weeks). Do you know exactly what you’re going to do to install them? If it were me I’d have them ready to go and probably put them in. I’d want to let the hens get familiar with the space.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Of course you might have one like Bernadette who has NO INTEREST in anything to do with nest boxes and laying eggs etc.

Bernadette is interesting. Is she pinking up at all? I wonder if she somehow doesn’t have an active ovary?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hi, folks. Lucky is still with us today. She is moving slowly and is having a bit of a rough day, but not nearly as rough as some of the days Ruby had after she was drained. I can’t tell if she’s having a rough time because of the draining or because of whatever condition is causing the ascites and slow crop to begin with.

I sincerely hope she doesn’t have an intestinal blockage from cancer like Ruby and Ester had. She does seem to be hungry and is picking at the baby bird formula, which I mixed with electrolytes. I saw her drink some water on her own, as well.

Most importantly, it’s an absolutely beautiful, perfect day here in California. It’s warm but not hot. Not cold at all. It’s sunny and not very breezy. And Lucky is surrounded by her friends. Here is Buttercup being a good friend, sitting up close next to her while the other girls are dust bathing.

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After a little while, Lucky moved over here, and her tribe followed. I love these girls so much.

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Awww, Lucky! Good for her to be with her friends.

 

[RoyalChick]

Bernadette is interesting. Is she pinking up at all? I wonder if she somehow doesn’t have an active ovary?

I thought she had pretty red comb and wattles already a month ago - if anything they are a bit paler now.
I hope she is OK.

 

[knoturavggrl]

I thought she had pretty red comb and wattles already a month ago - if anything they are a bit paler now.
I hope she is OK.

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She is so pretty!!! She is quite red in these pictures hummm. I have no experience in these matters to diagnose anything however I do recall a very old post in this thread from Shadrach when he lived in Spain. He had a hen who never did lay any eggs and lived for many many years so it seems quite possible that even if she never lays a single egg she could live a very long and happy life.

 

[knoturavggrl]

The Buckeyes are late layers but lack of daylight did not stop their supposed schedule. They hatched July 6 and a first egg was laid January 4th I think (24 weeks). Do you know exactly what you’re going to do to install them? If it were me I’d have them ready to go and probably put them in. I’d want to let the hens get familiar with the space.

Good to know I really wasn’t sure if the timing would cause them to lay later then “scheduled”. I am now making plans to get them in asap! I think everyone that chimed in to help me is absolutely right they do take time to get used to new things.

I do have spot picked out where I think they will go. I have few options circulating in my head on what I want to use though. Which is why the installation delay has occurred. A modified egg crate or a modified plastic tub seem like solid options that are easily cleaned. I just need to pick already!!

 

[bgmathteach]

I thought she had pretty red comb and wattles already a month ago - if anything they are a bit paler now.
I hope she is OK.

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You should submit one of these photos for POW (not sure which one - maybe the second one?) Lovely capture of her face/head. her eyes seem very expressive in these.

I actually think I like the first shot better of her head, but the second shot better because she stands out more as the background is a bit out of focus...so it draws you to her more..

 

[Ponypoor]

My girls had a lovely morning and afternoon

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Hello beautiful ladies ! You look like you're having a lovely day!