Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[knoturavggrl]

Woohoo! Congratulations! Your photo was really cool. Such a regal kitty.

Here is the winning photo!

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Congratulations I was winner in the feather picture contest

Hahahahaha

Ya had a black cat named Blackie

Ha! Love seeing these names. Funniest I ever came up with was for my three legged dog I had his name was Timber

I don't think I will manage to get thirsty pictures today- I'm coming down with the " cold" my partner kindly shared with me ( likely COVID but since we're not seeing anyone, it's not worth the hour driving to get a test). I've dug up some from the past days and further .

What I would like to know (unless you don't want to speak about it) is how you feel about Aurora. And how others who are confronted with real bullies, or fights, feel about it.

I'm asking because I get really angry sometimes at my chicken when they act like this, and I shout at the bully, which of course I regret afterwards. It's just the "chicken way" of course but I find it hard to accept.

Contrary to you it was much easier here when I had only the 6 ex-batts : they grew up together with only very light bullying. Ever since I brought Théo and Chipie in, and then Chipie hatched for us, things seem to have become so complicated.

They teach us a lesson in letting go, you mean .

Congratulations to both @RoyalChick and @BY Bob for the winning photos !
Merle on Monday. Good thoughts would be appreciated for her- she's been acting off the last two days.
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When Gaston was a babe
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Vanille (†) drinking from the hose in July 2020
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And the same summer sharing a water bucket with ...ewes . (Please note this is a big no-no in regard to biosecurity, but it was that or leave the ewes on their own in the mountains with a herd of wolves hanging around.)
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I hope you feel better quickly and aren’t down long! Beautiful photos as always .

 

[BY Bob]

What I would like to know (unless you don't want to speak about it) is how you feel about Aurora. And how others who are confronted with real bullies, or fights, feel about it.

I don't like it at all. As you can see with the roost changes, I have been trying for a long time to make things better for everyone. My previous lead hen was not the nicest to some hens but Aurora takes it to another level. Don't get me wrong, Aurora is not that bad during the day. Roosting is also not like that every night.

However one thing I have learned is that all I can control is the environment. Short of removing Aurora from the tribe I have limited choices. I can't really modify her behavior. While I am an observer of chicken behavior I am not a therapist. Aurora is not going to lay on the couch and tell me her innermost demons.

I have seen the tribe enforce a collective will before on Aurora. I did not interfere in that fight and would not unless someone is seriously injured. Now that is less likely as she has become head lady but it could happen again.

In the end, there is a second coop any and all could sleep in. They choose not to. I have given them the ability to choose and be safe. I'm not certain what more I can do.

Even if Hattie had taken over instead of Aurora, I believe that Aurora would be controlling roosting. Just not controlling Hattie's roosting.

In the end they need to run their own society. I can't do it for them. All i can do is help by giving them options.

 

[BY Bob]

Congratulations I was winner in the feather picture contest

Outstanding! Congratulations!

Can you share the winning photo with us?

 

[micstrachan]

Ask Aurora

This week's question comes from Lorna.

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She asks:

Dear Aurora,

Why did Aunty Peggy try to bite me when I said hello? She was mean to me and it hurt my feelings.

Love from Lorna


Lorna Dear,
I can only surmise that you are a young pullet based upon your language and the phrase "Aunty Peggy". I thought this might be the same Peggy with whom I am friends on Beakbook. So I hit her up with a PM and sure enough, there is a Lorna that is a new pullet that has invaded Peggy’s space.

Now I know Peggy pretty well so I am going to give you some very important advice. Please whatever you do, listen to me. It will save you much pain.

Peggy is your better. Know you place little one.

Peggy eats first. She gets all the tastiest morsels. She gets the prime roosting spot. Frankly, she gets whatever she wants. If she wants that most excellent dust bathing hole which you have been working to make for days, she gets it. Peggy has earned this respect and you best give it.

This is “The Way of the Chicken”.


You are a chicken.


Follow the way.


This is also important, Stay out of her way.

She has every right to peck you just because you exist and your existence irritates her. Should she one night tear you off the roost and toss you out of the coop, you should thank her for doing so because you must have offended her and therefore should be taught a lesson.

This is ever “The Way of the Chicken”.

Now Peggy won’t always be around so if you are a smart little pullet, you should start plotting your takeover now. That way someday everyone will have to get out of your way and give you the best of everything. You should start with those other 2 pullets that came with you. You need to start out by forcing them to your will. Once you have them under your control then write me again and we can discuss how you push your way past the other older hens.

Helpful Hint: It is important to remember that whoever lays an egg first moves up in status. Be certain that you lay your first egg before the other two. Otherwise you will need to force you way past anyone who lays before you and many weeks’ worth of work will be lost.

Remember, it’s “The Way of the Chicken”. It is right and good that you should be pecked and learn your place. Be sure to thank Peggy every time she does it.

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By the way Lorna, did @MaryJanet name you after a cookie? How unfortunate. Although I do find them delicious.

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Thank you for sharing your most excellent wisdom, Aurora! I concur. We top ladies deserve every bit of respect we get.

In Royalty Together,
Bridge

 

[RoyalChick]

Congratulations I was winner in the feather picture contest

Ha! Love seeing these names. Funniest I ever came up with was for my three legged dog I had his name was Timber

I hope you feel better quickly and aren’t down long! Beautiful photos as always .

Oooh - post link or picture from the feather contest!

 

[RoyalChick]

I don't think I will manage to get thirsty pictures today- I'm coming down with the " cold" my partner kindly shared with me ( likely COVID but since we're not seeing anyone, it's not worth the hour driving to get a test). I've dug up some from the past days and further .

What I would like to know (unless you don't want to speak about it) is how you feel about Aurora. And how others who are confronted with real bullies, or fights, feel about it.

I'm asking because I get really angry sometimes at my chicken when they act like this, and I shout at the bully, which of course I regret afterwards. It's just the "chicken way" of course but I find it hard to accept.

Contrary to you it was much easier here when I had only the 6 ex-batts : they grew up together with only very light bullying. Ever since I brought Théo and Chipie in, and then Chipie hatched for us, things seem to have become so complicated.

They teach us a lesson in letting go, you mean .

Congratulations to both @RoyalChick and @BY Bob for the winning photos !
Merle on Monday. Good thoughts would be appreciated for her- she's been acting off the last two days.
View attachment 3344104
When Gaston was a babe
View attachment 3344105
Vanille (†) drinking from the hose in July 2020
View attachment 3344106
And the same summer sharing a water bucket with ...ewes . (Please note this is a big no-no in regard to biosecurity, but it was that or leave the ewes on their own in the mountains with a herd of wolves hanging around.)
View attachment 3344107

I do hope you feel better. I too succomed to whatever nasty is circulating. My flight back on Friday was full of people coughing and sneezing so inevitably 3 days later there I was with a sore throat, cough and a bit of a fever.
I seem to have shaken it off mainly now after sleeping a lot in the last few days. Though still a bit 'short of puff'.
Stay warm, drink lots of fluids and SLEEP!

 

[ValarieF]

Waiting for Best Buy to open. Picking up my 2 nd controller and battery pack that I ordered so hubby and I can play the xbox together. Hades was crowing in the run. I tried to get video but that brat stopped crowing when he saw me. Omg I see the sun. I was so depressed yesterday I just slept the day away. Having chickens helps most of the time but bipolar depression is like no other and hard to get out of without meds. Im ok today. Gonna try to get the roosters to talk to me

 

[Ponypoor]

Woo hoo - @BY Bob - you and I both won a picture competition! It looks like anyone who entered was a winner, but still cool.
The reason I am posting here is because I don't think we have seen the picture of Éowyn here and it is a great one!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/official-byc-mini-contest—pets-with-paws-photo-contest.1553667/post-26370137

So which photo is yours?

 

[Ponypoor]

Yes, but I have a system with Popcorn when I'm offering things by hand. Not much actual pecks happen here, it's more vocal warnings she heeds. When she gets driven off I'll switch it up and offer it away from where the others are occupied, often out of sight, like under my chair on the other side of my legs or body. I call Popcorn in a certain voice and she knows to come around and look for my "secret" hand. She gets several good seconds of private gluttony this way before the others discover her.

Not so much pecking there, but with roosting tonight she got some strong ones. She went into the coop early (why, when this never ends well?), while Hazel followed to the ladder and monitored her disapprovingly but did nothing at first. I was sitting at the entrance to the Little Run and turned on the coop cam. Popcorn settled down right in the middle of the heating pad, lengthwise. She looked happy. Yay, what a treat! Then Hazel went up in and drove her back out.

Popcorn managed to get back up on the perch near the door to the coop to wait her turn, but Butters eventually pushed her off of that too, like she thought Popcorn was cramping her ladder climbing style. She had to wait at the bottom until everybody was in - Peanut, Hazel, then Butters - and then had to run the gauntlet of some strong Hazel pecks, because Hazel had manned the area just inside the coop door on the right. Popcorn gamely ran by her along the left wall, yelping from the pecks, but once past Hazel she was okay, and nobody bothered her further, at least then.

The Way Of The Chicken is not an easy one, for some chickens!

Peanut's floof does have some single strands coming out. I can't see them well enough yet (close enough yet) to see if they branch near the tips like filoplumes. She kept moving everytime I tried to get a shot.
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Her new feathers are really coming in now! Soon she will once again be her gorgeous self

 

[Ponypoor]

Woohoo! Congratulations! Your photo was really cool. Such a regal kitty.

Here is the winning photo!

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I had to go and check out RC's moggy - Such a lovely kitty