Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

View attachment 3480851
Abigail got herself a nice spot tonight.

She looks very pretty in black and white!

 

[BY Bob]

So, I have some choices to make. I have 10 for sure viable eggs left when I candled them today. Sadly, I lost all but three of the Silver laced. The eggs were extra large and I suspect that their size played a role in why those eggs have not faired as well in shipping as compared to the smaller jubilee eggs.

You guys know I have brooder/grow out tent and had planned to use it again to raise these babies. Then Brownie decided to go broody.

My coop isnt set up at this time with broody and baby chicks in mind. I have brownie in a water bowl with nesting material and she is content to sit there. This makes it sooooo much easier to get to her and switch out non fertile eggs every day or two. I did this also so I could just pick her and the nest and relocate her if needed.

Idea one: bring her into the tent in my garage and stick all the viable eggs I have left at lock down under her. This seems like a lot of eggs to sit on atm but I could well lose a few more till lockdown day which is the 30th. Advantage no way any of the other pullets could mess with her or the babies. Downside it could disrupt the pecking order and could result in a status lose for Brownie once she returns.

Idea two leave her in the coop and put the 36”high metal pen around her creating a temporary area where the other pullets couldn't steal food or harm the chicks. I would put a piece of plyboard over it to give it a lid. If I go with this option, I would give her three eggs to hatch out.
Advantage the chicks grow up with the flock seeing them. Downside the pen could possibly get breached by the chicks or it could fall over as there is no easy way I can think of to secure it to anything.

Thoughts anyone?

Where is Brownie in your pecking order? Have the others messed with her or her nest so far? Has she proven she will sit long enough?

I would lean towards letting her hatch where everyone else is. It's better for her and the chicks to be with everyone else if there is no threat to her. There are many ways to separate and do look but not see if needed.

 

[Ponypoor]

View attachment 3480926

View attachment 3480927
It's been a lovely morning here. If it stays like this after my dog has had his walk they will go into the front garden again

Hello Marie, Tina, Princess have a great day!

 

[BY Bob]

Some hens will absolutely not take moving nest sites, some do. If she throws a fit, starts pacing and refusing to sit in the tent even giving her eggs in there at lockdown is a no go. If you do this in the morning you will know by tomorrow afternoon if she will accept it or not.

Sydney would not be moved. She was absolutely frantic. I am wondering if I will be able to move Phyllis when the time comes (if it comes). I should have tried previously. My first thawing was that I want her to hatch in the Cluckle Hut. What I want is not what she may give me.

Thinking about Gucci and that ramp. Maybe I don't want her in the Cluckle Hut after all.

Well there is time to make any decision.

 

[Ponypoor]

Sydney would not be moved. She was absolutely frantic. I am wondering if I will be able to move Phyllis when the time comes (if it comes). I should have tried previously. My first thawing was that I want her to hatch in the Cluckle Hut. What I want is not what she may give me.

Thinking about Gucci and that ramp. Maybe I don't want her in the Cluckle Hut after all.

Well there is time to make any decision.

Having seen the way those chicks I have now, they are flying, scrambling, running, hopping everywhere! I think they will be ok with the ramp after a couple times navigating it, and I bet it will be a huge source of fun for them!

I covered the bin they are in as they were flying everywhere.

 

[rural mouse]

Maybe time to install a simple hook and eye clasp so the pop door doesn't get knocked shut? You can do a regular one, but I actually use the one below on my chicken tractors to hold doors shut against raccoons and they work well and are only slightly more expensive: I bought a few small extra 'eye bolts' in addition, and can use the same clasp to hold the pop door open when they are out.

Lowe's
Blue Hawk Steel Gate Hook and Eye at ...

There is a hook and eye latch: one to keep it shut and 1 to keep it open. There isn't that spring thing to keep the hook secured though. I'd been pondering ways to do that. I'm going to have to check those out (after looking more closely at the current set up for modification points.

The hook to keep it open is actually a black rubber bungee cord with the hook on one end replaced with some heavy wire, making a hook about 2 inches long. Somehow they're getting that out of the tiny little eye on the door..... hmmm....maybe I can contrive another piece that slides onto the hook after it goes through the eye.

 

[rural mouse]

Sydney would not be moved. She was absolutely frantic. I am wondering if I will be able to move Phyllis when the time comes (if it comes). I should have tried previously. My first thawing was that I want her to hatch in the Cluckle Hut. What I want is not what she may give me.

Thinking about Gucci and that ramp. Maybe I don't want her in the Cluckle Hut after all.

Well there is time to make any decision.

What about the 3rd coop, the quarantine one?

 

[rural mouse]

Having seen the way those chicks I have now, they are flying, scrambling, running, hopping everywhere! I think they will be ok with the ramp after a couple times navigating it, and I bet it will be a huge source of fun for them!

I covered the bin they are in as they were flying everywhere.

View attachment 3480980

Is it time to loose them in the summer box with the heater so they can warm up but move around lots more...and see the adults at the door?

 

[rural mouse]

Just got back from checking birds and opening the coop...a good half hour or more early.

Door latches

Closed

Open (this is the one they knocked loose)

Felt up most of the wet birds. A couple felt slightly damp around the edges. Feathers felt stiff from drying more than anything. I expect a number of vigorous preening sessions will be had after breakfast today.

Some of the doused from yesterday, this morning. They wanted out.

Overcast day, green showed clearly to naked eye...I'm going to have to work on getting pics of that.

2fers from Sunday's warmth

2 wyandottes, a beak bomber, and a sentinel.

A courting (being rebuffed)

2 friends (and a suitor/sentinel)

2 diggers

Also shows what the rain did to Silver's and Pear's feathers

 

[RoyalChick]

Just got back from checking birds and opening the coop...a good half hour or more early.

Door latches

View attachment 3481018Closed

View attachment 3481019Open (this is the one they knocked loose)

Felt up most of the wet birds. A couple felt slightly damp around the edges. Feathers felt stiff from drying more than anything. I expect a number of vigorous preening sessions will be had after breakfast today.View attachment 3481020View attachment 3481021View attachment 3481022Some of the doused from yesterday, this morning. They wanted out.

View attachment 3481023Overcast day, green showed clearly to naked eye...I'm going to have to work on getting pics of that.

2fers from Sunday's warmth
View attachment 34810242 wyandottes, a beak bomber, and a sentinel.

View attachment 3481025A courting (being rebuffed)

View attachment 34810262 friends (and a suitor/sentinel)

View attachment 34810272 diggers

Also shows what the rain did to Silver's and Pear's feathers

The kind of hook and eye that @bgmathteach showwd would serve you very well.
I am also a fan of carabiners. They are heavier and more expensive (you would need bigger rings/eyes too) but I had some in stock from some long ago project and I love how secure they are.
I use them to secure the lids to my pasture runs.