Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I know that probably sounds like I’m blowing my own horn, but when you’re composing, you’re adding layers to the texture. So I’d add and add, then I’d decide a section didn’t work so I’d move it out of the way, and discover it worked somewhere else. It’s in sections and I’d swap from section to section and it wasn’t until the last section started coming together did I feel like it was ok. It’s also not mixed and balanced until right at the end, so doesn’t sound how it should until you’re pretty much finished. I am happy with how it turned out, but I’m also going to do some upskilling of my own.

I find it all fascinating.

Music tax

This is an old photo.

 

[LozzyR]

I find it all fascinating.

Music tax

This is an old photo.
View attachment 3453539

Ooh yes, I forgot about the tax!

Here’s a picture of my four, for @Ponypoor as well.

 

[Lexicon]

Very proud of Lety, her carpentry skills are improving

This is great to hear! My husband built my original coop and it is wonderful.

Last summer, I worked on a carpentry project to make a small extra coop, along the lines of the Cluckle Hut. I got so much more confident with power tools! It was totally my project and the hens seem happy with my attempt even though it is not perfect. This spring I want to add an external nest box. I have been shovelling snow, so that I can get started, hopefully this weekend.

I am really glad to have picked up on new skills thanks to the hens.

 

[Ponypoor]

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.


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.



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.
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I love that second photo, you should submit to POW

I find it all fascinating.

Music tax

This is an old photo.
View attachment 3453539

I just love her speckles she is such a beauty, that rich auburn with the darker chestnut colour, and her white feather tips

Ooh yes, I forgot about the tax!

Here’s a picture of my four, for @Ponypoor as well.

View attachment 3453548

Well hello kiddos! You are all looking very well! I really like frizzles, I wonder about the genetics of them, do you need both parents carrying that gene I wonder?

This is great to hear! My husband built my original coop and it is wonderful.

Last summer, I worked on a carpentry project to make a small extra coop, along the lines of the Cluckle Hut. I got so much more confident with power tools! It was totally my project and the hens seem happy with my attempt even though it is not perfect. This spring I want to add an external nest box. I have been shovelling snow, so that I can get started, hopefully this weekend.

I am really glad to have picked up on new skills thanks to the hens.

I know, such a sense of accomplishment isn’t it you should post some photos of it.

—————-

I found a DNA lab here in Ontario that does avian gender testing, and quite reasonable $17 - I might do the chicks to get gender faster.

http://www.healthgene.com/avian-dna-testing/

 

[LozzyR]

Well hello kiddos! You are all looking very well! I really like frizzles, I wonder about the genetics of them, do you need both parents carrying that gene I wonder?

I don’t think so, I think it only needs one parent. One of my best friends is a frizzle breeder and I remember her saying something about single and double frizzle genes (or something like that).

 

[Ponypoor]

I don’t think so, I think it only needs one parent. One of my best friends is a frizzle breeder and I remember her saying something about single and double frizzle genes (or something like that).

Oh yes now I remember, you can’t breed two frizzles you get a Frazzle - they have fragile feathers and internal health issues.

Well at any rate my Silkie looks just like your Frizzle (just smaller haha).

 

[BY Bob]

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

Oh my gosh. My heart. Why do I always think tragedy is around the corner. Great job rounding them up. Did the hatch just blow shut?

 

[BY Bob]

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

The non isolated 3 have the run of the yard. The isolated 4 are just that, isolated to the main coop.

 

[BY Bob]

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.


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.



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.
View attachment 3453536

View attachment 3453537

View attachment 3453538

Marvelous photos!

I am so glad your leg is improving.

 

[BY Bob]

Ooh yes, I forgot about the tax!

Here’s a picture of my four, for @Ponypoor as well.

View attachment 3453548

So nice to see them again!