Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Contain what? I am super far behind.

Errr chickens?

 

[BY Bob]

First chicks

They seem to be doing ok, some are more active then others, so I am making sure no poopy butts and crops with stuff in them

Middle one in these photos is that wee one that was poorly, she seems to be doing ok, but I am still not letting my guard down.

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Super adorable. Are you having as much fun as you hoped?

 

[Ponypoor]

Today's mugs are courtesy of Hector and Whiskey. They both wanted to make sure ALL are awake (boy are they loud!)

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WhiskeyView attachment 3470678View attachment 3470679View attachment 3470680

Good morning boys! You are both looking splendid, must be Spring Want to look pod for the ladies.

 

[Ponypoor]

Contain what? I am super far behind.

Leghorns - @BeefQuesoritto seems to be having a problem with them flying over a 4’ fence with no effort at all!

Since you’ve had a lot of experience with their awesome flying capabilities thought you might have some suggestions

 

[Ponypoor]

Super adorable. Are you having as much fun as you hoped?

They are super cute, but very stressful as a couple haven’t been thriving, but I think I have it figured out that the feed was the culprit.

I had purchased a different feed and they were not eating it well, I had some of the other feed that had smaller crumbles that I tried them with and they were very excited to eat that.

Will head up to the feed mill in a bit to get some of this starter ration.

 

[Ponypoor]

Broody Curly update

Seems her sister Fluffy has decided to join her - so I now have two in the one nest box being co-broody.

Why couldn’t they have done this a couple weeks ago???

Well that’s fine, they can share the raising of Penelope’s chicks when they hatch in about 10 days still toying with the idea of getting a couple silkies and gender testing for a Roo, they can easily raise 4 in total between them!

 

[rural mouse]

What handsome young men! You know I'm smitten with Cheetah and Whiskey....but Hector is quite dashing in his all black tuxedo! (Watch out, if @RoyalChick decides she want's a roo........ohhhh, all black and beetle green!!!! )

Is Hector a good boy...and Horus & Kren the idiots? or do I have my 'H' boys mixed up?

Hector is the good boy....mostly. he's the incredibly patient one who escorted Nox all over the yard when she was looking for a place to lay getting started...and got completely ignored. He's also the one who tried to squish Twirp...who Karate kicked him. She still pushes him around. He's the one who tries to thump Horus and Kren when they're trying to double team a girl. I've watched him knock one or the other off, then turn around to nail the other sneaking in while the one is getting thumped. Jessica has decided He's her roo.

Obviously there's still quite a bit of jockeying for the girls. Kren has decided Thing is his...she's not so enamored with the idea, but does turn towards him to avoid the others. Maizie seems to be ok with Horus....some of the time. There's still a lot of attempted hen stealing. Cuckoo is glued to Cheetah's side. Whiskey is firmly entrenched as Cheetah's second. Twirp and Storm blithely go where they like and thump any boy at their own whims. Silver and Pear have been staying with Hector and the Idiots, but aren't exactly receptive of their attentions. Recognizing the youthfulness of the group and helping educate, I think.

Oh, and Horus is showing his mother's propensity for screaming. I took Thing out for some much needed scratching time (her nails are a bit on the long side). She was out of sight...he started the same type of screaming Nellie does when she wants to lay and her chosen location is occupied/someone is too close to her spot. Kren echoed the bukbuk scream, but NO ONE can match Horus or Nellie for volume on that.

 

[bgmathteach]

Happy Mugs Monday

Who's being coy? Not me!


One of my Mommas:

Hey, what's that in your hand??

I bet it is something GOOD!

I think I could be gymnast, mom - see how long I can balance on one leg! (she was like that for a full 12 min!)

Marilyn:

You want a picture of my what (?mug???)

No, wait, take a picture of this instead:

THIS is my better side!

 

[rural mouse]

Oh yeah. I’ve been drooling over Hector. Love that last picture!

He's an australorp. However, if you're looking for longevity, I think the Giants are a better option. And so far, both are equally sweet and gentle.

 

[bgmathteach]

He's an australorp. However, if you're looking for longevity, I think the Giants are a better option. And so far, both are equally sweet and gentle.

Well, I do hope Jersey Giants are long lived. I retained one of them as a 'keeper' boy. He has a LOT of white for a 'black jersey giant' Shoulders and head...but he is very gentle for such a big boy...and I am not convinced he is done growing yet! (hatched Aug.15th, 2022) Won't get much bigger/taller, but still has some 'filling out' to do. I held back him and a Cuckoo Marans boy because they were good at looking out for the ladies....but Cuckoo boy is clearly second.

I have been wondering....how do wild birds (females) not get 'tore up'(ratty & broken feathers on their backs) like our hens do. They are roughly a one-one ratio. When we made them (hens) super productive, did it also increase the 'fertility' of the males while doing so for the females?

I see it in my ducks, too. One boy has 11 girls....and they all show some signs of mating...but the favorite 2 have bare spots on their necks from him holding on, and their back/wing feathers are very ratty (their backs aren't bare like the chickens, but still definitely 'over mated')