Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[GregnLety]

If a couple of my EE mutts went broody it would solve my problems! They could cover at least 8 chicks each

Careful what you wish for with the silkies!

Seeing is believing,

 

[BY Bob]

Yep I think Fluffy is just passing time sitting in the nest box because it’s cold, today with the lovely weather she was outside all day! Same with Marty!

An tonight Fluffy was up on the shelf not in her nest box sleeping, Marty is in her nest box at least!

Well in 2 weeks I will have chicks here and I have no broodies. Drats!

There is still time...

 

[rural mouse]

Heard some later than normal near the house chicken sounds.....


Went out to see Blanche and Lark up on the stone steps...half hour to dark....They're NEVER out that late. What's going on?

Closer to the coop, birds coming out of the woodwork. Go into the coop. Hatch is closed (not latched) and roughly half are shut out. Open hatch. Enter Primula and someone else who'd been waiting just outside the hatch out of sight. Then the above mentioned girls, Cuckoo, Whiskey, Cheetah, at least 1 other....start head count.....


Total: 21. There should be 23. Who's missing?

Twirp and...Nellie....They're NEVER missing (and neither wants to be touched)! Off to look. Twirp is behind the woodpile. Luckily we've broken it down enough I could reach her. She's sleepy enough to not fight/run off. Snuggles back into my arms for a ride to the coop. Now to find Nellie.

Castor is at the door asking for dinner. Here, cat, go inside and bug your boy, I have a bird to find and full dark is falling quick.

Flashlight turned on, check Castor's house. No. Circle the house, no. Approach woodpile from a different angle, no. Check the shubs/rocks around the stairs, no. Check the blocked off doghouse, no. Loop the garage to the carport for a more careful check (started there to begin with due to nest site). Nellie is on the corner shelf all the way at the back of the carport. She is so deeply asleep she only flinch startles when touched (I spoke to her LOTS while approaching and reaching for her). She too got a snuggled ride to the coop where she settled in between Blanche and Lark.

All's well that ends well. Coop closed, 23 birds inside, 1 cat (not in coop).

Dark has fully set in.

Good night

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks! Tried to take good pictures today.

You succeeded.

 

[BY Bob]

I noticed them all happily digging away in there this morning, everyone was acting like a busy hen Do you think maybe some allergies? Have you changed bedding sources ?

I have not changed bedding sources thanks to @bgmathteach and her generosity.

 

[Ponypoor]

Heard some later than normal near the house chicken sounds.....


Went out to see Blanche and Lark up on the stone steps...half hour to dark....They're NEVER out that late. What's going on?

Closer to the coop, birds coming out of the woodwork. Go into the coop. Hatch is closed (not latched) and roughly half are shut out. Open hatch. Enter Primula and someone else who'd been waiting just outside the hatch out of sight. Then the above mentioned girls, Cuckoo, Whiskey, Cheetah, at least 1 other....start head count.....


Total: 21. There should be 23. Who's missing?

Twirp and...Nellie....They're NEVER missing (and neither wants to be touched)! Off to look. Twirp is behind the woodpile. Luckily we've broken it down enough I could reach her. She's sleepy enough to not fight/run off. Snuggles back into my arms for a ride to the coop. Now to find Nellie.

Castor is at the door asking for dinner. Here, cat, go inside and bug your boy, I have a bird to find and full dark is falling quick.

Flashlight turned on, check Castor's house. No. Circle the house, no. Approach woodpile from a different angle, no. Check the shubs/rocks around the stairs, no. Check the blocked off doghouse, no. Loop the garage to the carport for a more careful check (started there to begin with due to nest site). Nellie is on the corner shelf all the way at the back of the carport. She is so deeply asleep she only flinch startles when touched (I spoke to her LOTS while approaching and reaching for her). She too got a snuggled ride to the coop where she settled in between Blanche and Lark.

All's well that ends well. Coop closed, 23 birds inside, 1 cat (not in coop).

Dark has fully set in.

Good night

Was your heart pounding? I was half afraid to read on

I can only imagine how stressed you would have been, I would be frantic. 23…. That’s a lot to count when they are moving. I can barely count 13! And today I counted 12 someone was missing! Buttercup of course, in a nestbox.

How did the door get closed? What do you think happened to it?

 

[Ponypoor]

There is still time...

I am playing chirping chicks and giving them real eggs to sit on. But this nice weather is stronger than their need to be broody, at the moment I don’t blame them, so lovely to see them all flaked out in the sun.

 

[Ponypoor]

I have not changed bedding sources thanks to @bgmathteach and her generosity.

So strange , they look really good, active, doing chickeny things. Have you had them outside? Is your weather ok for that?

 

[BY Bob]

Really? Why are people their own worse critic ?

I loved it! Music is such a huge part of my culture so when I hear lovely music it’s just so wonderful. I loved how it turned all jouyous when Spring ‘erupted’!

It really was wonderful @LozzyR I would bet your students would agree as well.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Haven’t posted for several days, but have been reading everything. Just had trouble catching up and I hate posting before I get to the most recent post.

The 2nd cochin mix just hatched. It is still very wet, but, unmistakably blue. I'm telling myself as far as I know these chicks are sold, these chicks are sold. Someone stop me from trying something. I've kept it quiet, but Raven is broody and has been for a little over a week now. She is sitting on nothing. She took a chick last year after only sitting for a week. I want to rush out right now and give her the goose chick and this little blue one.

Don’t know if you have done it yet, but I would definitely stick them under a broody and keep them. Hatching rates are always unpredictable, and you should have “first right of refusal” on any chicks hatched from your hens’ eggs.

I totally agree. We fenced about an acre and a half so our animals were not able to trespass and disturb our neighbors. There's no leash law out where we live so dogs are allowed to roam free but it's rare to see one that does. In the summer our neighbors retriever when he escapes likes to cool off in our pond and that's understandable. We are lucky. Most our neighbors are friendly, courteous and respectful of each other.

That is surprising. Most counties in Texas have some type of “rabies control” law on the books that requires people to keep their dogs on their own property.

@BY Bob Glad to hear your girls are improving and that is is becoming less likely that is bird flu.

I am doing ok. Leg is sore but getting stronger and a little more flexible.

A few random pics in case I owe tax for something.