Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

Death is coming to Jaffar too. I said he wasn’t well last year, and then he’s okay, and then there comes another bad day, or more. Today is one of his bad days.
His voice sounds like a cement mixer full of rocks today.

I’m so sorry Alex.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Over half my flock is back to laying in the last week and a half and I've been watching them. After much observation I'm confident I know why Twiggy is my only offspring of Branch. The simple fact is if there are chicks present Branch will not pay any attention at all to any of the other hens. He is staying close to that Momma and babies. My girls are the most receptive to the boys attentions as soon as they come off the nest from laying and announce the escort call. Bubba and depending on the hen Twig immediately come running. Branch just looks in their general direction and then focuses back on the hen and chicks. The cochin girls do like him, and he occasionally will try to mate with them, but they are so big that he misses every single time. I am even more thankful now I have my Twig. With Branch's obsession with his daddy duties my favorite little rooster may never sire any more potential offspring.

 

[BY Bob]

Elphie or Daisy? Or is this a new chicken? Oh, how I miss Daisy and Elphie.

That is the Greatest Hen Ever, Daisy.

 

[BY Bob]

Death is coming to Jaffar too. I said he wasn’t well last year, and then he’s okay, and then there comes another bad day, or more. Today is one of his bad days.
His voice sounds like a cement mixer full of rocks today.

This is tough to hear my friend.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm getting close to ordering chicks by mail. I've never done this before.

Sooo... if you were choosing among hatcheries... who would you order from? I really want Bielefelders, so that is the first criteria. If you have ordered from any of these places, what was your experience, and would you order from them again?

Cackle
Murray Mc Murray
Mt Healthy
Other...?

Thank you.... getting chick fever here, can you tell?

My Pet Chicken has been exceptional to work with. I highly recommend them if you are going to do chicks by mail.

I have had a terrible experience with the US post office though. They lost 3 chicks on me a while back. The chicks got to me barely alive and all passed away within 2 days.

My Pet Chicken did take great care of me and even went above and beyond especially with that incident.

 

[micstrachan]

The Roof is On
One of the reasons there is no Ask Aurora is that today was nice enough to finish the roof on the main coop. So i took my lunch and got the panels installed. It is barely warm enough to caulk but I managed to pull it off.

I started by putting the foam spacers in place. I caulked the top of them and the edge on the right.
View attachment 3379097

I then installed and screwed down the panel.

View attachment 3379098

I extended the foam with caulk and installed the second panel.
View attachment 3379099View attachment 3379100

I then installed the final panel.
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I then caulked and sealed the ridge line to the quarter round at the peak of the roof.

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Next I installed a piece of PVC edging to finish off the edge of the roof. This side is in the lee of the prevailing wind.

Edging
View attachment 3379110

Edging installed
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This end of the coop, above the porch, gets the strongest winds. So I did Extra to keep the wind from cashing the edge and pulling the roof off. I had an overhang of roofing and bent it down to create a flush edge.
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Once I had it bent down I installed the PVC edge.
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All finished!

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So functional and attractive, too!

 

[BY Bob]

Maybe ask Bob about his last Mail-order chick experience before you order some. It did not go well.

It did not. I already posted on it. You are relying on the US Postal service. They will not help you if something goes wrong. You are helpless.

I had success previously with mail order chicks. Hattie and Jabber came through the mail as well. There was a third chick in that order which did not survive. But that it is just as likely a chick that did not thrive as it was the trip doing it in.

 

[micstrachan]

Death is coming to Jaffar too. I said he wasn’t well last year, and then he’s okay, and then there comes another bad day, or more. Today is one of his bad days.
His voice sounds like a cement mixer full of rocks today.

I’m sorry, Alex.

 

[micstrachan]

For thirsty Thursday. Lovely Diana only a few short days ago.
Poor girl is not doing well today.
View attachment 3379542

I popped on looking for a Diana update. Hugs to both of you.

 

[micstrachan]

Yes, she is the last of the original Princesses. She is an ISA Brown and she has had reproductive issues (shell-less eggs) for 9 months or so.
I anticipated she would likely get egg bound when she started laying again in the spring so I have been expecting her to die soon but had hoped she would make it to her 4th birthday in a couple of months. Honestly I thought she would go before Maggie.
My best guess is she has reproductive tumors or something like that.
She did fine on the roost last night and if last night turns out to be her last night with me, then I am glad she spent it with some normality.
She has been a very benevolent leader and will be the last of my people-friendly chickens. Without her I will definitely fall behind on Chicken Palace gossip unless one of the others takes pity on me.