Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

No mistake, I love my birds, but tonight I seriously need some rest. I took care of Shenandoah’s bumble foot, gave Jaffar another breathing treatment, picked the poop from Flash, and fed Xzit until she had a full crop. Got eggs from Coco and Shanny. I also trimmed BoPeeps sharp nails. The next door neighbor added four more cages to his backyard (he must be raising birds for sale) so what.
So whines down my busy day.

whines?

You saving eggs for Coco? or did she decide she didn't want to be broody?

 

[Ponypoor]

You tell me can a chicken look smug.
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Oh - but she isn't really a chicken - she is a super hero!

 

[RoyalChick]

You tell me can a chicken look smug.
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Yup - that is exactly the look I got!
I have been completely outwitted by a chicken.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Well, Rosie has covid. Tuesday and yesterday I though she had a simple cold, nothing major. This morning she woke up wheezing, her chest on fire and lost her sense of taste. She got a shot of steroids at the clinic since the pharmacy was closed. Hopefully soon they start working. I swear if it is not one thing it is another these days.

 

[lightm]

A bathing video from 6 days ago

 

[GregnLety]

Yup - that is exactly the look I got!
I have been completely outwitted by a chicken.

It happens to all of us RC

 

[GregnLety]

It happens to all of us RC

This picture tells me who has who trained, lol

 

[micstrachan]

In Memorium

Today is a very sad anniversary here at FBA. While all of our chickens have their place in my heart a select few have really been exceedingly dear to me. Today is the anniversary of us losing one of those very special chickens. 2 years ago today a suspected weasel killed my sweet sweet Maleficent.

So here, in remembrance. are a LOT of photos of my lost friend. Rest in peace my darling. You are dearly missed.

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This is from the coop camera and is the last photo I ever took of her.

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Aww, dear Mal. I’m sorry it still hurts, Bob. She was a very special lady for sure.

 

[lightm]

Epic fail
With the aid of the two tall guys who are working on the barn, we rigged up a burlap ceiling to the Chicken Palace.
It looks beautiful and leaves absolutely no line of sight to the rafters.
Come roosting time I tempted everyone into the coop with some apple cores and closed off access to the run so the Math Majors couldn't just decide to roost in the rafters out in the run.
I sat quietly in the servant's quarters.
There was much peering up at the ceiling and much flying from roost to roost.
Babs tried to fly up to the rafters and failed several times.
I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for solving this problem.

And then suddenly there was Babs up in the rafters.

I was physically there and have watched the videos the cameras took, and I still have no idea how she did it. What is clear however, is that her failed attempts were in fact reconnaissance flights to identify weak spots in the structure.
Once up she called Eli to join her and even watching a second chicken I cannot figure out how they got there.

Anyway, the guys were still here and I wanted to make sure we didn't have an issue in the morning when they flew down into burlap, so in the dark we undid fixtures so there was a clear flight path down. While the guys were up on the ladder Eli was very interested in what they were doing so she flew down (by the light of their headlamps) but then couldn't get back up.
So, Babs is sleeping on her own up in the rafters, while Bernadette and Eli are on the main roost. Eli is a safe distance from Bernadette who pecked at her every time she came too close.

Math majors: 1; RC: 0

But the outcome is not so bad? At least Eli is down with Bernadette. Maybe she approves of it and will get Babs tomorrow night down on the regular roost?

 

[bgmathteach]

Yup - that about covers it!
As I see it I have two options:
A) Let them do what they want, cover over the window on the people door with mylar tape so they don't try and fly through it when I close it and just accept that poor Bernie will be lonesome at night for the foreseeable future.
B) Tweak the ceiling to remove whatever route Babs found through it.
I am not sure which way to go.

Figure out how Babs got there - she is the real thinker of the two!