Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

It was the only gif that came up when i searched “giant chicken”

I guess I deserve that because I’m always joking about.

 

[bgmathteach]

How big is does a Rhode Island Red hen get? My girl is full grown, but she seems smaller than the original two I had years back. She came to my yard as an orphan and I raised her as one of mine.
I’m wondering how much should a RIR weigh??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island_Red

 

[bgmathteach]

Thanks, I love Bistro's dark neck feathers that look green or purple depending on the lighting and she lays lovely blue eggs. She doesn't like to be touched, but will stand on my outstretched legs if I sit on the ground.

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Do you know her breed? She looks an awful lot like she is part DC, but clearly she is either a mixed breed ( with DC as part of heritage) or something else all-together- that has a somewhat similar body shape and patterning (though not coloring) of feathers. Also the white/blue colored earlobe is different. However, the face, comb, general body shape!

again, a very lovely girl!

My DC girls are NOT snuggly/holdy kind of girls. Very much not so (actually the boys are more likely to be okay with being held than the hens!) But they come running if they see me (well - they are hoping for treats, in all honesty!) and will hang around me if I am doing something interesting *such as digging in the dirt, etc.), but nope, no holding. I can, with some of them, get them to step onto my hand during the day, and can do that with all of them at dusk...but otherwise - 'no touch' - I might have cooties, you know!

 

[featherhead007]

Do you know her breed? She looks an awful lot like she is part DC, but clearly she is either a mixed breed ( with DC as part of heritage) or something else all-together- that has a somewhat similar body shape and patterning (though not coloring) of feathers. Also the white/blue colored earlobe is different. However, the face, comb, general body shape!

again, a very lovely girl!

My DC girls are NOT snuggly/holdy kind of girls. Very much not so (actually the boys are more likely to be okay with being held than the hens!) But they come running if they see me (well - they are hoping for treats, in all honesty!) and will hang around me if I am doing something interesting *such as digging in the dirt, etc.), but nope, no holding. I can, with some of them, get them to step onto my hand during the day, and can do that with all of them at dusk...but otherwise - 'no touch' - I might have cooties, you know!

You have cooties? Does it hurt?

 

[bgmathteach]

@ chicken poppy : This is more his hen's speed. He has his chickens pretty well trained!

Right, Alex?

 

[Ponypoor]

A little yard work and some bug hunters doing what they do best!
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We call that Civil Engineering

They are hired! We have some final cleanup coming up

Why would you choose the 50x50 option if your run is only 16' wide? Wouldn't the 25x50 (at 1/2 the price) make more sense? That would give you plenty to fold over the sides some for security...and still have the 50' length. While it won't cover the entire run length, it will give you a GREAT start. And, while $300 isn't anything to sneeze at, it is a bit easier to swallow that $600.

Yes I looked at it, and that would be more than plenty (the run length is only 98').

I was just looking to the future for another addition to the run... which would be 50' in length. Getting ahead of myself. Have that extra rolls of 6' chicken wire sitting there hahaha.

Remember I had ordered it from Home Depot and it was sent to Rocky Mnt House here in Alberta rather than my house? So I cancelled the order; reordered and they delivered it to the house. Then a few days later they delivered the original order !!!

I think I had put it to some of you what I should do with it - call about it? return it? keep it? Consensus was that Home Depot would tell me to keep it as restocking was not an option for online items.... So long story short I kept it. And it's been sitting there calling my name... Keellly Keelllllyyyyy - you need more chickens.... thus you need more chicken paddocks!

Like I said - I am getting ahead of myself, OK so 25' x 50' might be a better option hahaha!

Thanks, I love Bistro's dark neck feathers that look green or purple depending on the lighting and she lays lovely blue eggs. She doesn't like to be touched, but will stand on my outstretched legs if I sit on the ground.

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She sure is a beauty - love that dark head/pencilled body look (see I know pencilling now hahah).

15 feet tall

Holy moly! My silkies are in trouble hahahaha

 

[Chicken poppy]

I almost want to challenge myself and like everyones post on this thread but i think that would annoy people and be near impossible

Edit: I have lost motivation so will not be pursuing this quest.

 

[featherhead007]

I almost want to challenge myself and like everyones post on this thread but i think that would annoy people and be near impossible

Go ahead. Some other people do, and yes it’s annoying as H$@@.
Usually they don’t read all the posts anyway.

 

[Lexicon]

Do you know her breed? She looks an awful lot like she is part DC, but clearly she is either a mixed breed ( with DC as part of heritage) or something else all-together- that has a somewhat similar body shape and patterning (though not coloring) of feathers. Also the white/blue colored earlobe is different. However, the face, comb, general body shape!

again, a very lovely girl!

My DC girls are NOT snuggly/holdy kind of girls. Very much not so (actually the boys are more likely to be okay with being held than the hens!) But they come running if they see me (well - they are hoping for treats, in all honesty!) and will hang around me if I am doing something interesting *such as digging in the dirt, etc.), but nope, no holding. I can, with some of them, get them to step onto my hand during the day, and can do that with all of them at dusk...but otherwise - 'no touch' - I might have cooties, you know!

She is an Easter Egger, so a mix, but of what I have no idea. I got two EEs at the same time and the other one has a beard and muffs and a bit of a stockier build than Bistro.

When @RoyalChick got Eli and Babs, I saw a similarity as well, but couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. They just reminded me of Bistro.

Here is the other EE in the flock, Ruth:

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you all for your input and suggestions.

I doubt nutrition is the issue unless she has really high protein requirements. Their feed is 18% protein, which should be plenty when they aren’t molting. But I will still try to find a way to offer a high protein treat a few times a week. I have been looking into chicken skewers and other ways to provide fruit/vegetable treats a few times a week but haven’t found any I like. But I will keep working on that. We do throw some scratch, or grass clippings, etc, in on occasion for them to scratch around for. And since the coop has a dirt floor they do scratch around a lot since they occasionally find bugs. And of course we add small amounts of more shavings several times a month which they enjoy spreading around and mixing in. But I will see if DH has time to rake up some leaves or something to add in for this weekend.

I don’t have any way to provide them more space at this time. We have been trying for several months to find a way to build them a separate run that we can put them in at least a few times a week. But for now (due to finances, my injury, and some other factors) they are in their coop all the time. It is 120 sq feet for 11 chickens, which is almost 11 sq feet per chicken. There are three nest boxes and three 10’ roosts of different heights. I have three feeders, and usually two waterers, but it is currently just one heated waterer for the winter. There is a large trash can that holds shavings and several buckets (with their food and other items inside) for clutter, but they probably need to be spread out a little more or moved around occasionally. I will see if I can think of anything else to put in it, but that will take time.

As a last resort I will cage her during the day for awhile to try to break the behavior. But that will have to wait until I am mobile. There is no way my DH will have time or ability to do that. He is already extremely overwhelmed and overloaded.

I wonder if part of it is also that I haven’t been able to visit them regularly. Me being out there for short periods almost every day probably have her more mental stimulation.

Thanks again for the advice. If anyone else has more suggestions please feel free to add to the conversation. And here is a pic of the coop to show the current setup a little better.

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It does sound like they have enough space. From what I've heard, sometimes you can have a chicken that just pulls feathers for no apparent reason.