Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

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.

That is fascinating. Thanks for sharing that observation.

 

[BY Bob]

So functional and attractive, too!

Thanks.

 

[featherhead007]

Time to wind down! Kids are in the coop.
BoPeeps had a different opinion about the coop tonight and would not go in. So, she’s keeping Jaffar company for the evening. (She’s one of his favorites anyways)

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh such a beauty

Rule 2
Always smile - no matter what. It makes people off guard and not so prone to feel threatened (even if do want to clobber them).

Of course I only have six rules.

Rule 3
Fake it till you make it. Always look and act confident even if you’re not!

 

[Ponypoor]

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.
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I then installed and screwed down the panel.

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I extended the foam with caulk and installed the second panel.
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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.
View attachment 3379103

Once I had it bent down I installed the PVC edge.
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All finished!

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Wow fabulous! Looks very very nice! Love it!

 

[Ponypoor]

Could 'sold out' just mean they haven't started up for the new season?

Doubt it, I am thinking that they have their quota for this year

I can’t do anything until I get home anyways so I will just have to wait and wonder.

 

[Ponypoor]

Glynda and Phyllis are the same size. Hattie and Lady Featherington are about the same size.

2 littles 3 Bigs
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I think one of the things that subconsciously attracted me to the Polish is that they have the same lines, energy, and size as the leghorn and now the legbar. Check this out.

View attachment 3377775

I love how Glynda and Phyllis are in step together

 

[Ponypoor]

I know I am and count my blessings that what seemed to be a major issue at first turned out relatively speaking to be minor. That horse has given me 2 scares. The first one was when he was just 21 months old and in the middle of a heat wave in summer when he had a mild colic then this one. I love all 3 of my boys, but Dirt is different. We have had him since he was practically a baby at 17 months old. He is the only horse that I have ever had help in raising or been around since they were that young. I remember when I could stand beside him while grooming him in cross-ties and he was so small his wither's fit perfectly under my armpit. I am not a tall person either at only 5'4". We all say he is my dad's horse. No he is my baby as well, I know his itchy spots. I can do anything with him except ride him. If dad is letting him pick after a ride I can walk out and let him see me. He will stop eating and try to drag dad to me. He wants the base of his mane scratched and I am all to happy to oblige. Once I get the go ahead from the dr's and am fully healed from my surgery I am going to try to ride Russ again. If he does not break my back into I will ride him frequently with dad on the trail. I have a goal, this summer if I can get back into the swing of things dad told me Dirt was ready and that I could ride him as well.

I sure hope you get to ride him He is such a beautiful horse.

 

[Ponypoor]

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.

Excellent observation - wonder if as he gets older this changes???

 

[featherhead007]

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.

And Twiggy! (Cool roo )