Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[notabitail]

That is my ALL TIME FAVORITE piece of music!

I'm teary-eyed at the end when I see/hear it live. I'm usually one of the first people out of my seat, standing up, clapping.

If I could hear one concert from the past, time travel not a problem, it would be to hear the world premier of that piece. Beethoven never heard it. He was deaf by then.

You've seen and heard it live? I've only heard it on that CD I bought from the thrift store, but I want to hear and see it live once. I feel sorry for Beethoven. He never really got to hear his own symphony.

 

[notabitail]

Well I really like Alex's Beetho-hen one of my all time favorite

Bawk Bawk Bawk BAAAAWWWK.

 

[Ponypoor]

Ask Aurora
Today's Ask Aurora comes from @featherhead007 hen Coco.

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And she writes.....

“Dear Aurora, how do I get a job at Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room?”
Signed Coco


Dear Coco,

Before we get to specific strategies designed to get you a job in the Tiki Room, I think an exploration of what happens to chickens in show business might be of some value to you.

Perhaps the most famous Chicken to make it big in show business is none other than Foghorn Leghorn. Being a leghorn, he had the smarts and looks to get to the top and stay there. No one was as witty as Foghorn. For a long time, he stood at the top of the world.

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But then the jealousy started and whispers were soon passing around Hollywood that he was a closet racist. Rumors abounded that he treated “non-white” chickens on his staff as if they were not even chickens. Even though the rumors were patently false (his staff fiercely defended him and he donated huge sums of money to charities to help fight for the end to caged hens and pastures for all chickens), the roles dried up.

Once the roles dried up Foghorn had to resort to a new career and it had to be away from the spotlight. So obviously, he chose accounting. Now the only joy he has in life comes from his nightly visits to his local watering hole, Bakawks!, where night after night he occupies the same barstool. He is there so often and is still so kind to others that every time he enters the bar everyone yells out “Fog”!

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Then there is Ginger from the hit movie Chicken Run. Never has a star shown so brightly and burned out so quickly. Ginger was the “It” girl after her success in Chicken Run. Everyone wanted her to lead their next project.

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But success went to her head and she thought she was invincible. She started partying day and night. Naturally drugs and alcohol accompanied the partying. Soon she was showing up to the set strung out and hung over. She became more and more difficult to work with and soon the roles were drying up.

Things got so bad that she even resorted to endorsing chicken pot pies.

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In an ironic twist she met her fate in a factory accident. Strung out from partying hard for the week prior, Ginger showed up to do a photoshoot at the pie factory. While having her photo taken Ginger tripped and fell into the machinery meeting her untimely end. Before they could stop the machinery Ginger wound up as part of a few dozen pot pies. All of them WITH GRAVY!


As a final example, how about the cautionary tale of Heihei, also known as “the chicken from Moana”. You may not know this but Heihei and I were friends. Here is a photo of the two of us on set together.

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I am going to share some inside information with you. When Heihei first took the role in Moana, the rooster was written as a brave sidekick much on the order of Lumiere or Mushu. However, once he signed the contract the rewrites began with the end result being the embarrassment to chickens everywhere that the character became. It is a tribute to Heihei that he was a rooster of integrity and refused to back out of his contract no matter how much I begged him to do so. He had given his commitment and he was a rooster of his word.

Well, we all know what happened then. He played the role magnificently. Gave it his all. Because of that he became reviled in the chicken community. He could go nowhere without crowds of chickens verbally abusing him. It has been said that his portrayal set back human’s appreciation of chickens thousands of years.

No longer welcome anywhere in the world where chickens reside, he boarded his boat alone and sailed off. No one, not even I, has heard from him since he departed. I am able through Phyllis’s wizardry with the computer, to track his satellite phone occasionally. I suppose he turns it on to fight with Disney over his shares of the residuals from the film. Here is what Phyllis and I have found.

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As you can see, show business has been a mixed bag at best for chickens. In the 1940s many chickens were part of acts roaming the country where they beat humans at tick-tack-toe or danced on command. I know of one chicken who made it big in New York City. He worked at the Mott Street arcade and was so beloved that when he passed away in 1993 the New York Times ran an obituary for him. His name was Willy and here is a link to his obituary.

https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/14/...oss-out-a-landmark-on-the-chinatown-tour.html

If I cannot dissuade you from pursuing a career in show business, I hope I have at least given you an idea of the potential pitfalls and what to avoid. Assuming you still wish to try your hand at show business, let’s discuss the Tiki Hut show in particular.

While I am certain that you possess the ability to tell a cheesy joke (much like your human servant) and this is generally a good skill to have if you wish to participate in a Disney show. Unfortunately, I think you are lacking some of the characteristics for which they will be looking.

While we all may be descended from jungle fowl, we are far removed from them. We are no longer the slim leggy birds that our ancestors were. I believe that there is a leghorn which resides with you. Alas, while she is much closer to the jungle fowl than you or I are, even she is not tropical enough to qualify for their show.

For others who have not seen the Tiki room show at Disney, here is a clip. As you will see, Coco is not really what they need in a performer.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_CA/attractions/magic-kingdom/enchanted-tiki-room/

However, I do have some good news for you. There is another show at Disney for which you would be a perfect match. That is the Feathered Friends in Flight! show. My human servant returned from Disney not so long ago talking about the chickens in the show. He even shared this picture with us. Apparently, all you must do is run across the stage, jump up on a log, eat some treats and run off. Later, you even get to steal some food and run in and out of a window. I bet you would be great at these tasks. There would be lots of applause and you would be showing thousands of people how smart and clever we chickens really are.

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The Way of the Chicken is to support our more adventuresome members as they blaze their path. Should you choose to walk the dangerous path to show business, I am certain you can count on the support of your tribe. I do know that whatever you do your human servant will love and support you as his reputation is sterling and he is beloved in the chicken community.

As to how you get started, I think you need to get your human servant to create a video showing how clever you are and send it to Disney or to a chicken agent. Once you sign with a chicken agent you can rely on them to get you work. Know that the pathway will likely be hard. You may even need to play Tick-Tack-Toe with some humans before you get your big break and are picked up by Disney.

Here is one quick lesson. Heihei taught me this. In show business they do not say “Good Luck” they say, “Break a Leg”. They do not literally mean to go break your leg. That would be tragic. Yes, it is weird but show business chickens are different. Let me be the first to wish you good fortune by saying, “Break a Leg”.

Aurora
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Alex is witty and cheesy

Hahahahahahaha hahahahahaha

Oh thank you oh great Aurora for the wonderful advise to all chickens of the world and for much needed good laugh!!!!!

Love it!

 

[rural mouse]

Well, I think I managed to create a broody/ really tiny chick area in my coop without building anything. I did have to take down one of the nest boxes but no one uses that one at the moment anyway.

My tent was far to large (7ftx7ft) and the shape a square dome wasn’t going to work. So off the walmart. For the princely sum of 26.00 plus tax I purchased a one person rectangular shaped tent. With a 4x7 base and its much shorter and narrower at the top.

After letting them explore it opened up I then sat in the coop for about hr with Brownie zipped up. I wanted to see what the other girls would do; if they would try and stand on it and get stuck or something else dangerous I hadn’t thought of. Most just looked some really tried every which way to get in but couldn’t. Brownie is not bothered at all with the changes.

Side note: Their is still a bunch of little spats going on with Brownie sitting and not leading. The pecking order is just in complete disarray.

Here are some photos of it in the coop tell me what you guys think good or bad.
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Only thing I can see to add to it: place to dust bathe so if you have to be gone, she can do all of that without having to wait for you got get home. Otherwise, looks fantastic!

 

[Ponypoor]

He sure is a beauty.
Why can't I look this decent!?
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Ooooo a barred rock and wattles
Beautiful

 

[RoyalChick]

I am going to have a go at @ChicoryBlue's questions from yesterday. And then I am going to play with my chickies which will no doubt produce some tax payment material.

Does the even/odd number not matter then past 6?....

I have no idea. I went for an combined flock size of 8 which is what I had always planned for. But probably I will have two groups both with odd numbers. I have no idea if I have done the right thing or not. But I do think more is better and that three is just not enough from a flock dynamic and stability point of view. I figure with 8 there can be various sub-groups and enough milling around that everyone can escape persecution. Time will tell.

The eyeliner means an easter egger or legbar? Tell us what kind of chickens they are please!

Oh yeah - ask me about chicken breeds? Sure!
From my extensive knowledge of this topic I believe many breeds have babies that look similar with the chipmunk look and eye-liner.

This is what I believe I got - I was purposely trying to get a mix in the hope that what is defined as a chicken in my flock is broad and I don't get any picking on beards or top knots or whatever. So somewhere in that group are, in theory:
- Two Legbars in different colors. One is a Crested Cream Legbar and one is an Opal Legbar. The CCL will have a crest and blue eggs. The Opal is anyone's guess on both of those traits, but will look and behave like a Legbar. I have decided to embrace the flying chicken!
- One Welbar. That is what Bernadette is. She is gold and the new one is supposed to be silver. She will have a pink breast, and will hopefully lay beautiful dark brown eggs like Bernie does. Hopefully she won't try and outdo Bernie and wait a year to start laying!
- One black Ameraucana. Not an Easter Egger by another name, but actually a true Ameraucana. Should have beard and muffs and be black (and green and purple)
- One Easter Egger - specifically an Olive Egger. Should be a cross between a Marans and an Ameraucana. It is one of the black ones and should have beard and muffs and lightly feathered legs. What happened to my commitment to clean legs?!

Now which is which is a whole other question!

It all seemed so clear as the breeder explained and put them in my little carrying box.
But now, I am finding it harder to tell the two chipmunk ones apart (the one on its own and the one nearest that one in the last picture).

 

[Ponypoor]

Well, I think I managed to create a broody/ really tiny chick area in my coop without building anything. I did have to take down one of the nest boxes but no one uses that one at the moment anyway.

My tent was far to large (7ftx7ft) and the shape a square dome wasn’t going to work. So off the walmart. For the princely sum of 26.00 plus tax I purchased a one person rectangular shaped tent. With a 4x7 base and its much shorter and narrower at the top.

After letting them explore it opened up I then sat in the coop for about hr with Brownie zipped up. I wanted to see what the other girls would do; if they would try and stand on it and get stuck or something else dangerous I hadn’t thought of. Most just looked some really tried every which way to get in but couldn’t. Brownie is not bothered at all with the changes.

Side note: Their is still a bunch of little spats going on with Brownie sitting and not leading. The pecking order is just in complete disarray.

Here are some photos of it in the coop tell me what you guys think good or bad.
View attachment 3482717

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Great idea! I like it! Wish I had room in the hen house for something like that!.

 

[featherhead007]

Well, I think I managed to create a broody/ really tiny chick area in my coop without building anything. I did have to take down one of the nest boxes but no one uses that one at the moment anyway.

My tent was far to large (7ftx7ft) and the shape a square dome wasn’t going to work. So off the walmart. For the princely sum of 26.00 plus tax I purchased a one person rectangular shaped tent. With a 4x7 base and its much shorter and narrower at the top.

After letting them explore it opened up I then sat in the coop for about hr with Brownie zipped up. I wanted to see what the other girls would do; if they would try and stand on it and get stuck or something else dangerous I hadn’t thought of. Most just looked some really tried every which way to get in but couldn’t. Brownie is not bothered at all with the changes.

Side note: Their is still a bunch of little spats going on with Brownie sitting and not leading. The pecking order is just in complete disarray.

Here are some photos of it in the coop tell me what you guys think good or bad.
View attachment 3482717

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Set up the 7X7 I will bring my sleeping bag and move in there

 

[Ponypoor]

OMG - what did you do to them? They joining the marines?!

Well you know it is a military town here they will fit in now! Just need to get them wearing some CADPAT and they will be able impossible to find!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I am going to have a go at @ChicoryBlue's questions from yesterday. And then I am going to play with my chickies which will no doubt produce some tax payment material.


I have no idea. I went for an combined flock size of 8 which is what I had always planned for. But probably I will have two groups both with odd numbers. I have no idea if I have done the right thing or not. But I do think more is better and that three is just not enough from a flock dynamic and stability point of view. I figure with 8 there can be various sub-groups and enough milling around that everyone can escape persecution. Time will tell.


Oh yeah - ask me about chicken breeds? Sure!
From my extensive knowledge of this topic I believe many breeds have babies that look similar with the chipmunk look and eye-liner.

This is what I believe I got - I was purposely trying to get a mix in the hope that what is defined as a chicken in my flock is broad and I don't get any picking on beards or top knots or whatever. So somewhere in that group are, in theory:
- Two Legbars in different colors. One is a Crested Cream Legbar and one is an Opal Legbar. The CCL will have a crest and blue eggs. The Opal is anyone's guess on both of those traits, but will look and behave like a Legbar. I have decided to embrace the flying chicken!
- One Welbar. That is what Bernadette is. She is gold and the new one is supposed to be silver. She will have a pink breast, and will hopefully lay beautiful dark brown eggs like Bernie does. Hopefully she won't try and outdo Bernie and wait a year to start laying!
- One black Ameraucana. Not an Easter Egger by another name, but actually a true Ameraucana. Should have beard and muffs and be black (and green and purple)
- One Easter Egger - specifically an Olive Egger. Should be a cross between a Marans and an Ameraucana. It is one of the black ones and should have beard and muffs and lightly feathered legs. What happened to my commitment to clean legs?!

Now which is which is a whole other question!

It all seemed so clear as the breeder explained and put them in my little carrying box.
But now, I am finding it harder to tell the two chipmunk ones apart (the one on its own and the one nearest that one in the last picture).
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They are adorable and wonderful choice of breeds. Now, when you come back from playing with your chicks I need proof of feathered legs or in this case fuzzy legs. Oh and welcome to the dark side. Feathered legs rule!