Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Just how I like them the same as my jumpers

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

In the last 48 hours first Bunny and now Blueberry have decided it is a perfect time to wean their chicks. They are spending parts of the day with them but have decided it is time they get on the big roost at night. The chicks did not even try to follow their mothers up to the roosts. Instead they thought it would be smart to pile up in the middle of the horses stalls. I cannot have that so I have had to go out at the edge of dusk and catch and handle chicks that I really have not handled all that much. They have been relatively easy to catch. When I do get ahold of them they let out noises that sounds like I am killing them. Their mothers.....they do NOT care. I am teaching them to roost in the coop. Once I get them on the roost they settle right down and I am reassuring them with a few crop rubs which they appear to like. Tonight and last night Butter halfway through came off the roost and followed me into the coop. This led to her new shadow Goose joining her as well. When all is said and done, Butter, Goose and 2 of the other buff girls are surrounded by chicks. Thankfully Raven is still hanging on to her brood. When she decides she is done I will have to put back up the 2nd roost. I could not stuff another chick or hen on the current roost if I tried.

 

[featherhead007]

It’s been raining all night long and all day today, so I made a special batch of ham and eggs for the chooks. Even added some pound cake.
Maybe that’ll get them out from under the porch!

 

[Ponypoor]

I am glad to know it isn’t just me. Sometimes I feel like a bad chicken mom because my birds love to “mud-bathe”. They always look like Pig-Pen from Peanuts. Smudges of dirt, etc. And the two leghorns are the worst. If it were hot weather I’d spray them with the hose, but it’s too cold.

My silkie Fluffy loves the dirt

And of course being a silkie the dirt just sticks!

 

[Ponypoor]

In the last 48 hours first Bunny and now Blueberry have decided it is a perfect time to wean their chicks. They are spending parts of the day with them but have decided it is time they get on the big roost at night. The chicks did not even try to follow their mothers up to the roosts. Instead they thought it would be smart to pile up in the middle of the horses stalls. I cannot have that so I have had to go out at the edge of dusk and catch and handle chicks that I really have not handled all that much. They have been relatively easy to catch. When I do get ahold of them they let out noises that sounds like I am killing them. Their mothers.....they do NOT care. I am teaching them to roost in the coop. Once I get them on the roost they settle right down and I am reassuring them with a few crop rubs which they appear to like. Tonight and last night Butter halfway through came off the roost and followed me into the coop. This led to her new shadow Goose joining her as well. When all is said and done, Butter, Goose and 2 of the other buff girls are surrounded by chicks. Thankfully Raven is still hanging on to her brood. When she decides she is done I will have to put back up the 2nd roost. I could not stuff another chick or hen on the current roost if I tried.

But of course - isn’t that the way?! Well don’t over do it, I don’t want you to injure yourself.

Hopefully Raven keeps hers for a couple more weeks.

 

[featherhead007]

My silkie Fluffy loves the dirt

And of course being a silkie the dirt just sticks!

Of course!

 

[Ponypoor]

I really need some silkie eggs to hatch.

They are addictive - those cute little velociraptors

 

[Ponypoor]

That is a lovely video. I like how both Marty and Mr. P seem to stay pretty close to each other.

Yea they are really cute, funny thing, since I have been home he has decided that I am not going to kill him, he doesn’t run away like he used to. I think me being away and then coming back has made him happy that I came back

He also really likes Rose, Henny Penny, Penelope, and Fluffy.

 

[Ponypoor]

It is less then a week away from the new year. I have a to do list. I need to thoroughly clean and sanitize my incubator that has sat dormant since the end of April. That should not be too bad of a project as it was put away clean. Around the first of February I need to set it up for a test run for a few days to make sure it will hold its temperature and humidity. It is coming on its third season. If it is going to have issues I need to know before March. My goal is the 2nd or 3rd week of March to fill it with a dozen silkie eggs. I've promised myself to be a good person and not do any incubating until I have those precious silkie eggs in my possession. Since I plan on having to brood those future chicks myself, if I can time it right I hope to have the leghorns around the same time to make it easier. In the end, my wish list is for 2 or 3 leghorn pullets and at least 4 silkie girls. 2 white and 2 black as I am splitting the dozen eggs into 6 white and 6 black.

Oh I am so eggcited

 

[GregnLety]

Just curious why you would bet on a hot water pipe? I think I have found it - a baseboard heating pipe.
But way better than that is that the plumbers have agreed to come today. I am giddy with the idea of getting this fixed and turning on the water again, even though I will still face a long road of drying out, repairing etc.

Hot water lines freeze before cold water lines.