Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[GregnLety]

I hope Kelly can get a friendly dog to visit that may put them off

I can loan one or two, we have 13 pups now

 

[LhickenChicken]

I do not feel the least bit guilty locking them up when I am away. Better safe than sorry is my motto.

OK speaking of which, I am off to Peavey Mart (TSC in the US) to get some electric fence tape, and insulators. Gonna zap the crap out of anything that dares to touch that fence!!!

Count down to Babies - 24 hrs

View attachment 3464753!

Ah-ha! I have Peavey Mart here in Alberta! Hey fellow Canadian who also has Peavey Mart in Ontario, was it?

 

[rural mouse]

Oh on beakbook again was she?

How many time have you changed that password now? She must be a hacker

excuse the language. Here's a new password idea.

Tax

 

[rural mouse]

Heard a bit of ruckus. Headed out. Indigo under the lilac by the deck, Horus close by, both screaming. No one else perturbed, disgruntled or alarmed. Pushed Horus off a bit (she doesn't like him). Started to head around the other side of the garage, hoping she might follow for once. No (no surprise). Nellie comes out of the carport and joins Indigo. Now both are sounding off.

Into the carport I go, carefully. The nest site under the table was emptied of all but 1 egg Saturday evening by Niece. PITA is there (she spooks easily, so moved carefully and stayed well back). She's not sitting, yet. There looks to be at least a dozen eggs there, all colors, including blue (Twirp never lays outside the coop).

Reason for the ruckus: under the table is prized spot (large enough for 3-4 nests, but no one likes having someone in the box nest door, so why should this be any different). PITA is higher than Nellie who is higher than Indigo and Horus hasn't learned to stay out of the females' squabbles yet.

 

[knoturavggrl]

My long awaited hatching eggs arrived today

In an effort to document the experience as requested, Ill post some details.

This will be my first attempt at hatching eggs. I have a Brisana Nurture Right 360. I ordered 12 Jubilee English Orpingtons (JO) and 6 Silver Laced English Orpingtons (SLO).

Today I received 8 SLO and 14 JO from the breeder Carolina Rare Chicks, they are located in Lamar, SC and I am in Lucasville, Ohio so they came a long way. One egg was out of it’s foam holder but intact. Only one egg was broken. Since one was broken I decided to break it all the way and check fertility and it was indeed fertilized.

I set up my incubator yesterday and its holding temperature dry its running at 24% humidity which is to low to dry hatch so I added some distilled water to raise it.

My plan is the put them in egg carton cups to keep them upright (pointy side down) for the first three days of incubation to allow the air sacs to settle and attach correctly. Ill candle them then and see what I have. If any are saddled or detached but developing Ill hand turn them, keeping them upright for another 3-5 days before laying them down and putting in the egg turner.

Ill post some pictures of the cups in the incubator tomorrow evening when I set them.

 

[knoturavggrl]

I do not feel the least bit guilty locking them up when I am away. Better safe than sorry is my motto.

OK speaking of which, I am off to Peavey Mart (TSC in the US) to get some electric fence tape, and insulators. Gonna zap the crap out of anything that dares to touch that fence!!!

Count down to Babies - 24 hrs

View attachment 3464753!

Glad you are reinforcing that fence! Excited to see the new wee babies tomorrow

 

[ValarieF]

My long awaited hatching eggs arrived today

In an effort to document the experience as requested, Ill post some details.

This will be my first attempt at hatching eggs. I have a Brisana Nurture Right 360. I ordered 12 Jubilee English Orpingtons (JO) and 6 Silver Laced English Orpingtons (SLO).

Today I received 8 SLO and 14 JO from the breeder Carolina Rare Chicks, they are located in Lamar, SC and I am in Lucasville, Ohio so they came a long way. One egg was out of it’s foam holder but intact. Only one egg was broken. Since one was broken I decided to break it all the way and check fertility and it was indeed fertilized.

I set up my incubator yesterday and its holding temperature dry its running at 24% humidity which is to low to dry hatch so I added some distilled water to raise it.

My plan is the put them in egg carton cups to keep them upright (pointy side down) for the first three days of incubation to allow the air sacs to settle and attach correctly. Ill candle them then and see what I have. If any are saddled or detached but developing Ill hand turn them, keeping them upright for another 3-5 days before laying them down and putting in the egg turner.

Ill post some pictures of the cups in the incubator tomorrow evening when I set them.

Eggciting!

 

[Ponypoor]

Electric Fence

Ran to town (I was exhausted running all that way in this heat!…….. hahahahaha kidding!), ok I drove to town (FYI was 26C on the trucks thermometer), grabbed my electric tape, and 2” insulators.

I whacked a bunch of insulators in the posts at about 6” off the ground and laid out the tape for that bottom run of fencing.

I also hauled out my fencers (I am going with the Lacme fencer), and Friday I will run a second higher line at about 2’ off the ground (keep horses away and anything that climbs - like squirrels !), then put in a ground and run an insulated wire to the ground and to the hot wire to energize it….

Then plug the sucker in mwahahahaha

 

[Ponypoor]

Very true. I very much expect she will go broody and will hatch and be a momma this year.

I cannot wait!!!

 

[Ponypoor]

I'm so sorry but it will always be coming back now. You must fox proof at all costs. They are clever and determined. And worst of all, dog-like in that they will kill all of your chickens if they can.

Yes they are too smart for their own good.

It's going to be like the Royal Jewels here - high powered electric fence, double row all the way around. And I will also put at the back door also - keep and racoons from climbing the door to get in.

I will also energize that temporary fencing I have - the gang will have to learn what electric fencing is!