Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Looks like I bought 2 more controllers so the extra one is going on my xbox one s in my bedroom

View attachment 3344224

I have only the vaguest concept of what an xbox controller is, so the is for the very fine looking chicken!

 

[featherhead007]

Had to do it! A rooster should be outside with all his ladies. So I took both of my guests out to the yard ( now it’s mayhem I tell you) Jaffar wants tail, and he wants it now. Chasing the hens everywhere! Wow is he fast too!

 

[BY Bob]

Hope this works - I tried the quote function to get it in here.

Edited: Oh, that isn't what I thought would happen. Here it is.....

View attachment 3344173

That is an amazing photo.

 

[RoyalChick]

That is an amazing photo.

Thank you. She was definitely in the mood to have her photo taken. She is not always in that mood.

 

[rural mouse]

I got a silky named Silky and a black rooster named Blackie. A gigantic naked neck named Big Boy and my youngest daughter is Kathleen, no middle name. Never seek naming advice from me

My husband wanted to name one of out boys Angus......in montana....with the cattle population 3x the people and over half of that Black Angus....

 

[ManueB]

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.

Thank you for your reply. You have given a lot of thought to this. I think figuring out the way to give them options is key!

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!

I have a huge pot of my special flu concoction on the wood stove- grated ginger, origano, cinnamon bark, and a tad of cayenne pepper. I drink a cup every hour adding a dash of lemon juice and honey, and a sip of brandy in the last cup before night. That's the soft version - the hardcore one includes garlic. I slept 9h30 yesterday which only happens when I'm sick . I'm glad you're feeling better- airport, planes and jetlag is a sure way to get some bug!

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

You are going through so many health issues bravely. Depression needs to be treated just like the others. I hope the roosters help you feel better and don't turn you crazy like mine do .

Hope this works - I tried the quote function to get it in here.

Edited: Oh, that isn't what I thought would happen. Here it is.....

View attachment 3344173

Such a look... Thinking about food ? Pondering on the ways of the cats ? Waiting to be dutifully served ?

The only time I had serious issue was with the young Roos I had here, they would not stop fighting at all. So I kept them separated, especially since Henny Penny wanted to also get involved and try to stop them - I sure didn't want her injured!

I think relationships between roosters are very different than between hens.
I've never been afraid that my hens will kill one another but I'm certain at some near point in the future my roosters could come to that.

Merle: What's up with the pretty lady? is she the one who just started laying eggs? maybe she is adjusting to the hormones - hope that's it.

She's just acting a bit off and tired. It could be from laying as it seems to be the worse when she comes out of her nest. I can't identify any symptoms. But at times she really seems unwell.

@BY Bob AND @ManueB - have a look at this thread (it is short!). You are not alone. I thought the picture of Azygous's solve was quite interesting and as I am sure you know she is a very experienced chicken keeper with a lot of wisdom.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/frustrated-and-confused….1556879/#post-26370008

Yes, an interesting thread, and conforts the point about trying to adapt the environment ! This setting (dividers on the roost) wouldn't work in my coop as the main roost that goes through the whole coop is six feet high and can be reached only by climbing on two different ladders. What I've done now is adding on both side of the main ladder a second lower roost, so that a chicken that is stuck next to a bully can jump on it to get away. The idea is working but I need to adjust the length because a short legged chicken like Piou-piou can't make it back up (she's the bully, but she could jump down and back up to be next to Gaston, as not being next to him causes her to attack whoever is in between).

As for our two roosters, we're still not sure where to build the second coop. It's in part due to the fact that the ideal location would be very different depending on whether Théo or Gaston must move. Gaston is still very afraid of Théo, but I believe that he may soon be fighting back and there is no doubt in my mind that he would then throw Théo out.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thank you for your reply. You have given a lot of thought to this. I think figuring out the way to give them options is key!

I have a huge pot of my special flu concoction on the wood stove- grated ginger, origano, cinnamon bark, and a tad of cayenne pepper. I drink a cup every hour adding a dash of lemon juice and honey, and a sip of brandy in the last cup before night. That's the soft version - the hardcore one includes garlic. I slept 9h30 yesterday which only happens when I'm sick . I'm glad you're feeling better- airport, planes and jetlag is a sure way to get some bug!

You are going through so many health issues bravely. Depression needs to be treated just like the others. I hope the roosters help you feel better and don't turn you crazy like mine do .


Such a look... Thinking about food ? Pondering on the ways of the cats ? Waiting to be dutifully served ?

I think relationships between roosters are very different than between hens.
I've never been afraid that my hens will kill one another but I'm certain at some near point in the future my roosters could come to that.

She's just acting a bit off and tired. It could be from laying as it seems to be the worse when she comes out of her nest. I can't identify any symptoms. But at times she really seems unwell.

Yes, an interesting thread, and conforts the point about trying to adapt the environment ! This setting (dividers on the roost) wouldn't work in my coop as the main roost that goes through the whole coop is six feet high and can be reached only by climbing on two different ladders. What I've done now is adding on both side of the main ladder a second lower roost, so that a chicken that is stuck next to a bully can jump on it to get away. The idea is working but I need to adjust the length because a short legged chicken like Piou-piou can't make it back up (she's the bully, but she could jump down and back up to be next to Gaston, as not being next to him causes her to attack whoever is in between).

As for our two roosters, we're still not sure where to build the second coop. It's in part due to the fact that the ideal location would be very different depending on whether Théo or Gaston must move. Gaston is still very afraid of Théo, but I believe that he may soon be fighting back and there is no doubt in my mind that he would then throw Théo out.

My special concoction is to take a coffee mug and fill it 1/3 full with whisky; add a generous amount of lemon juice and of honey and then fill up with boiling water.
The patient must be in bed to drink this concoction because most times it renders you completely comatose - the whisky, the steam, the flu - it is more than a body can bear.
Usually I wake up after many hours feeling so much better!

The cat is definitely thinking about the ways of cats and the ways of the world more broadly. She is possibly pondering her plan for world domination. She is a very intense cat. Sometimes she sits somewhere and just stares at me like she is assessing whether I am worth continued investment of her time. She isn't a big cuddler - but makes it very clear when she wants her chin scratched. My other cats hate her and I think the feeling is mutual.

 

[BY Bob]

Absolutely, this is the one that won:
View attachment 3344186

Spectacular! It should have won!

 

[bgmathteach]

I have frequent daytime visitors.

View attachment 3343355

View attachment 3343356

View attachment 3343357

View attachment 3343358

Deer tax

View attachment 3343359

me thinks you should welcome one of those visitors into your house (fridge/freezer part of your house)

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you for your reply. You have given a lot of thought to this. I think figuring out the way to give them options is key!

I spend a lot of time thinking on why they act the way they do. What is a chicken's motivation? Part of what has drawn me to these fascinating animals is how they organize their societies. I have cameras so I can see them without my presence interfering. It is never dull observing them (Aurora assures that all on her own).

I am firmly convinced that I rarely solve things for them. Of course sometimes I just can't restrain myself like when I moved Betty the other night.

I mostly try to adapt the environment as best I can to help them but mostly it is up to them.

I promise I would never let anyone be physically hurt and would definitely intervene to stop that from occurring.