Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

This is what happened. My side gate was open for the meter reader to check the box. I couldn’t find Hen-Rietta, Dakota or coco, after he left. I found Dakota hiding behind the feed box in the coop. I found Coco across the yard in the willow tree. Frantically trying to find Hen-Rietta, I panicky went to Jaffar and asked him to find her. He went to the woodpile and started crowing. She came out from under the pile as if to say “what’s up?”!!
Now that’s an incredible rooster! He saved me from a heart attack today for sure!
(Jaffar.. SUPER HERO!)

 

[Ponypoor]

That looks much better. I expect she will be pooping normal by tomorrow.

Agreed. Oh and just wait until she goes broody and drops broody poops once a day

I would avoid that if at all possible. She will catch her pooping eventually. They do it a lot.

Yup - and they say horses poop lots.... but If chickens where the size of horses....

Exactly, I do too! Hence my idea which wouldn’t change a thing at all. Its just a single post once a week that gives a synopsis of the weeks goings on, nothing more.

As Bob stated (and I know you did also) should only be the chicken highlights. Such as when RC gets new chicks (I am being an enabler - seeing as how I have my chicks on order )

Hope so. I am again 100% sure she is eating. She just grabbed a shrimp from Bernie’s beak and swallowed it whole before Bernie could grab it back.
I know all chickens are motivated by food, but Eli is in a class of her own. She has perfected a strategy where she barges at great speed into the middle of the food and grabs the biggest item and runs off with it.
I tried to get video of it but she is too fast for me.

hahahaha - oh that is sooooo funny! that is like Fluffy! She is small and fast - she sneaks in, grabs what she wants and runs like crazy! And - she can jump pretty high for a small chicken - Hence my losing toast, and bagels to the little beast!

Are you feeding cooked shrimp? my brother-in-law gives the shrimp shells to his gals but doesn't cook them - I wouldn't do that with mine! I would be too afraid of pathogens...

 

[Ponypoor]

This is what happened. My side gate was open for the meter reader to check the box. I couldn’t find Hen-Rietta, Dakota or coco, after he left. I found Dakota hiding behind the feed box in the coop. I found Coco across the yard in the willow tree. Frantically trying to find Hen-Rietta, I panicky went to Jaffar and asked him to find her. He went to the woodpile and started crowing. She came out from under the pile as if to say “what’s up?”!!
Now that’s an incredible rooster! He saved me from a heart attack today for sure!
(Jaffar.. SUPER HERO!)

Reminds me of that time that Misty was missing... I thought she had somehow got out of the barn and was picked off by some predator. And all day there was Blanche sitting on top of my hay pile chortling and talking..... I thought she was sick or something.

I was resigned to the fact that Misty was toast. Then I kept looking at Blanche sitting on top of that hay... talking and walking back and forth on the bales. And she would LOOK my way! chortle, walk, look.... repeat...

Well finally I was curious as to what she was doing and when I went over I just happened to see grey tail feathers sticking out from the bales! I hauled away a bale and there was Misty wedged in between the bales - she had tried to get in there, got stuck, AND laid an egg there. Meanwhile Blanche hopped off the bales and ran over to the feed and stuffed herself hahahaha! Guess she was starving after trying to get my attention all day. It was at that moment I knew chickens were actually fairly intelligent!

I do have a video of that somewhere....

 

[RoyalChick]

Definitely going to bed with a full crop!

 

[RoyalChick]

Agreed. Oh and just wait until she goes broody and drops broody poops once a day


Yup - and they say horses poop lots.... but If chickens where the size of horses....


As Bob stated (and I know you did also) should only be the chicken highlights. Such as when RC gets new chicks (I am being an enabler - seeing as how I have my chicks on order )


hahahaha - oh that is sooooo funny! that is like Fluffy! She is small and fast - she sneaks in, grabs what she wants and runs like crazy! And - she can jump pretty high for a small chicken - Hence my losing toast, and bagels to the little beast!

Are you feeding cooked shrimp? my brother-in-law gives the shrimp shells to his gals but doesn't cook them - I wouldn't do that with mine! I would be too afraid of pathogens...

Yeah. Cooked shrimp. Once a week I treat myself to Pad Thai takeout with shrimp and I give the tails to the Princesses with a generous amount of shrimp still attached.

 

[Ponypoor]

Definitely going to bed with a full crop!

View attachment 3419889

She really is lovely, and I love those slate coloured legs of hers. I think a couple Austrolorps would be a wonderful fit with her!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Well, after yesterday and today's egg haul it is time to start advertising the eggs on some of the local facebook groups again. Except for maybe a week total since last fall I was getting either 5 to 6 eggs a day. That kept myself, my sister and grandpa in eggs and left me with enough to sell on average about 2 dozen a week. Since February the girls that took a winter break or were broody have came back into production and numbers were picking up. Still mostly topping out at 8 or so a day. Tuesday I got 11, yesterday I got a dozen and today 14. Is it coincidence that about 3 weeks ago I switched from tractor supply feeds to one that is milled locally and is a gamebird feed or did that really have something to do with it. I think just coincidence as days are simply getting longer. Either way, I love the new feed, it smells fresher, has whole grains in it not just pellets and all the chickens love it and do not waste any. It has 18% protein so is good for growing chicks and anyone who wants to molt. The girls have access to oyster shells for calcium if needed as it only has 3% calcium so it is also better for my boys. Egg shells are still super strong I might add. The only downside to the new feed is that it is a little more pricer then what I was getting from Tractor Supply. I was using their Producers Pride Layer pellets and getting 40lb bags for on average 12 to 14 a bag depending on the day. This new feed is sold in 50lb bags for 21 a bag including tax. Seeing as how a bag almost lasted 3 weeks I just need to sell 5 dozen eggs every 3 weeks to cover their feed. The girls have already paid for both the first bag and the 2nd bag since I switched over, good girls.

 

[featherhead007]

Well, after yesterday and today's egg haul it is time to start advertising the eggs on some of the local facebook groups again. Except for maybe a week total since last fall I was getting either 5 to 6 eggs a day. That kept myself, my sister and grandpa in eggs and left me with enough to sell on average about 2 dozen a week. Since February the girls that took a winter break or were broody have came back into production and numbers were picking up. Still mostly topping out at 8 or so a day. Tuesday I got 11, yesterday I got a dozen and today 14. Is it coincidence that about 3 weeks ago I switched from tractor supply feeds to one that is milled locally and is a gamebird feed or did that really have something to do with it. I think just coincidence as days are simply getting longer. Either way, I love the new feed, it smells fresher, has whole grains in it not just pellets and all the chickens love it and do not waste any. It has 18% protein so is good for growing chicks and anyone who wants to molt. The girls have access to oyster shells for calcium if needed as it only has 3% calcium so it is also better for my boys. Egg shells are still super strong I might add. The only downside to the new feed is that it is a little more pricer then what I was getting from Tractor Supply. I was using their Producers Pride Layer pellets and getting 40lb bags for on average 12 to 14 a bag depending on the day. This new feed is sold in 50lb bags for 21 a bag including tax. Seeing as how a bag almost lasted 3 weeks I just need to sell 5 dozen eggs every 3 weeks to cover their feed. The girls have already paid for both the first bag and the 2nd bag since I switched over, good girls.

My kids couldn’t eat Tractor Supply layer pellets. They turn their beaks up at it.

 

[Ponypoor]

Yeah. Cooked shrimp. Once a week I treat myself to Pad Thai takeout with shrimp and I give the tails tobthe Princesses with a generous amount of shrimp still attached.

I had to laugh at what my mum told me today - she gave the gang left over spaghetti, fries, and scratch grain, must tell her to not give them so much junk food!

 

[RoyalChick]

Reminds me of that time that Misty was missing... I thought she had somehow got out of the barn and was picked off by some predator. And all day there was Blanche sitting on top of my hay pile chortling and talking..... I thought she was sick or something.

I was resigned to the fact that Misty was toast. Then I kept looking at Blanche sitting on top of that hay... talking and walking back and forth on the bales. And she would LOOK my way! chortle, walk, look.... repeat...

Well finally I was curious as to what she was doing and when I went over I just happened to see grey tail feathers sticking out from the bales! I hauled away a bale and there was Misty wedged in between the bales - she had tried to get in there, got stuck, AND laid an egg there. Meanwhile Blanche hopped off the bales and ran over to the feed and stuffed herself hahahaha! Guess she was starving after trying to get my attention all day. It was at that moment I knew chickens were actually fairly intelligent!

I do have a video of that somewhere....

That is a lovely story - I think I remember it from before. Clever Blanche and cool friendship between the two of them.