Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

All pets are hard, cats, dogs, horses, chickens. There is always that lingering thought of tragedy, if you really want stress you need to have horses - a more stupid creature there never was - they don't even have to try to kill themselves! My one mare broke free, was running tripped on the lead rope and broke her neck - gone in less than a second (still makes me bawl every time I think of it - yep crying here).

But I know where you are coming from. If all my horses died I would not get any more.

And you know I said that about my cats, but guess what? I ended up with Missy

Things have a way of going in ways we don't expect. Look at me! Last I knew I was working in IT, now I work in the oil and gas industry - how the heck did that happen?!

Life that's how - always making twists and turns.

You know what - I am glad you still have chickens - we are not done with you yet Mr Bob as friend and mentor.

Yes. We are all glad you are not done.
I couldn’t be done because I still had Bernadette (and Diana but I knew she would pass before too long). And I couldn’t imagine rehoming Bernie, so I needed friends for her.
And a thousand thanks to @bgmathteach for pushing me to think it through and providing the ever endearing Math Majors.
Here from their first few days with me.

 

[Grandma The Chicken]

Ha! Ok so here are the photos I wanted to post.

Wee Martina at not even 3 days was able to hop/flap up onto the brooder plate

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Reminds me of a caption contest photo. Let me compare.

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[BY Bob]

And I just had to share this picture of Josey the Exchequer Leghorn. View attachment 3471102

Gorgeous! What a beauty.

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you!
She came to my door asking for mealworns this morning.

Smart lady.

 

[BY Bob]

The Guineas have a new home. All that's remaining is to put wheels on it which my friend is going to give me.View attachment 3471399View attachment 3471400

Looks great!

 

[rural mouse]

The best kind of 2fers: fluffy butts

Whiskey and Storm

Cheetah and Twirp

And a not butt, but that's all folks from Hector with Nox

 

[BY Bob]

All pets are hard, cats, dogs, horses, chickens. There is always that lingering thought of tragedy, if you really want stress you need to have horses - a more stupid creature there never was - they don't even have to try to kill themselves! My one mare broke free, was running tripped on the lead rope and broke her neck - gone in less than a second (still makes me bawl every time I think of it - yep crying here).

But I know where you are coming from. If all my horses died I would not get any more.

And you know I said that about my cats, but guess what? I ended up with Missy

Things have a way of going in ways we don't expect. Look at me! Last I knew I was working in IT, now I work in the oil and gas industry - how the heck did that happen?!

Life that's how - always making twists and turns.

You know what - I am glad you still have chickens - we are not done with you yet Mr Bob as friend and mentor.

Fortunately I'm still in the chicken business. I can't imagine dealing with horses too.

 

[BY Bob]

If all my chickens dies I would get more. I would save and raise as many as I can knowing I would give them a good home that they deserve. That goes for my dogs cats etc.....Yes its hard losing them but at least they had a good life.

They would be lucky chickens for sure.

 

[BY Bob]

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Here's Josey eating her morning mealworm today. She trusts me enough to feed her but she doesn't like me touching her.

For now. Give her time. My leghorns always started out like that and before long they were jumping in my lap. Especially for mealworms or cheese itz.

 

[BY Bob]

Just want to add that I’ve been taking the winter coop run litter out each year and spread it on the blueberries for mulch. This does NOT include poop tray litter (chopped hemp and chicken poop) which I think is too much nitrogen per carbon to soak it up. Poop tray litter gets composted along with kitchen waste for garden use. Blueberries don’t want or need a lot of nitrogen. They need well-draining, very acid soil and steady moisture.

Anyway every bush has done well except one, so I don’t think that bush’s problem is due to the mulch. The run litter is a mix of chicken poop of course, but then lots of aged ramial chips from a pile the tree guys left us, that’s generally a mix of pine, oak and maple; purchased bagged wood chips which I think is pine; collected fall leaves and pine needles, some chopped hemp, and some rice hulls.

(The one blueberry not doing well is near a concrete foundation. It has a chlorophyll problem (chlorosis) is which I think is possibly due to encountering concrete mud or something making the soil too basic. It has a companion bush that has thrived next to it, thus the theory it grew into a pocket of something too basic. The leaves got a little better when I gave it a rhododendron soil acidifier treatment late last summer.)

Last January in the Big Run

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Thank you so much for this. It is very helpful as I decide where to plant them. I will keep them away from the house foundation.