Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

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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So, I am going to have a stab at this (based soley on what the adult coloring should be.)

Using the last picture:
Bottom one, light grey: Opal Legbar

The Cream Crested Legbar and Silver welbar will be similar, but I think the bottom of the 2 chipmunks is the cream crested legbar, and the top of the two chipmunks is the Silver Welbar.

For the two black ones - it is hard to be sure with this picture, but again, using the bottom most picture the black one at 10 o'clock I think is the Ameraucauna, and the one at 5 o'clock is the Maran X Ameraucauna. The one I believe is a Marans cross is bigger. If it is an optical illusion based on camera angle that one is noticeably larger than the other, then I recind those 2 guesses.

(Note, we don't have a really good picture of the black ones' (plural) legs. That should definitively identify which is which. (Note, the Marans cross was with an BLACK Ameraucauna, correct?)

 

[notabitail]

Your camera hog is practicing their "Grumpy Chicken" look already.

Your camera hog is practicing their "Grumpy Chicken" look already.

 

[notabitail]

The view from my living room right now.

View attachment 2225529

Phyllis is giving you a good reason to get tile...
Unless you got tile already.

 

[bgmathteach]

@RoyalChick looking more closely at the pic with the opal and silver chicks at the top and the gold at the bottom, am I seeing a little light spot on the head of the silver one? If so, should be barred (at least lightly).

All 3 non-blacks should have some barring. With the Opal, it will be slight and all tones of grey (read 'lavender'), according to the sight/description I read.

 

[knoturavggrl]

My only thought/concern is that someone might jump on the tent and make it collapse. Is there a way you could bungee/tie the pole/support closest to the roost to it so it couldn't completely collapse? Or, alternately, run a rope/baler twine/ something from the roost through both support poles to the wall, and screw an eye bolt into the wall at the appropriate height and tie the other end there?

I'm probably being overly cautious, so maybe someone will say I'm too much of a worry wart...

That said, it looks like a very cozy spot for her to incubate & brood chicks...and the mesh door/sides will allow both ventilation AND see/being part of the flock feeling.

Great find/buy!

I could that is a good idea, so far no one has attempted that buttttt better safe then sorry for sure. The coop has rafters and an attic so a rope around that and carabiner would ensure it couldn’t completely collapse on Brownie and the soon to be babies. Ill do that right now actually. Thank you!

 

[bgmathteach]

Squirrel’s look similar. I think that is where I am heading.
Meanwhile, here are the two I can’t tell apart. Face on they are easy to tell. One has a sharp line to the root of her beak and the other has a broader brown band. But this is the first time I have caught them both head on so I think I will take @bgmathteach’s advice and put a dab of green food dye on one of them. It is one of them that is very assertive and one who has a bit of a poopy bum and has been a bit lethargic but I am not sure if it is the same one.

Oh, and I have a camera hog.

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I remember you used to have someone else who was a camera hog

 

[lightm]

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.

Totally agree! That piece of music gives me chills and gives me tears. Beethoven is my absolute favorite among classic music. I am reminded that I used to watch the movie "Immortal Beloved" again and again.

@notabitail

 

[knoturavggrl]

Looks like it fits perfectly! And she looks great in that bowl! The chicks are going to get in and out of the bowl by way of the brick once she lets them run around? I'd cover the brick holes with something, maybe a towel, as they can't navigate their jumps very exactly at first. Maybe add a second brick too, or a block of wood.

Make sure the waterer is high enough to just get their necks over, and/or put in some pebbles, so if one jumps up there the depth is shallow if they are standing in it.

As far as other chickens flying up and grabbing on to the poles, if that is a real danger for undoing the tent, maybe you can tie them together and then secure both to the ladder and the wall?

I am going out momentarily to tie a rope where the poles cross to the rafters just in case someone jumps on it. This would ensure that the tent couldn’t completely come down on them.

The brick is there to remind me to do something about that lol. I need to find something better for them to hop in and out easily.

The waterer that is in there, is for Brownie at the moment. I added some electrolyte powder for her as she doesn’t get up but once a day to eat or drink. I have a cup waterer I made awhile back that I am going to use. I just ran out of time today but I think it will work wonderfully for the chicks and I also have a tiny chick safe mason jar waterer I can put in as well.

Good eye for potential issues Thank you so much for the feedback I really do appreciate the extra eyes !

 

[LhickenChicken]

Spoiler: Musical spoiler

Bach, bach, my bach hurts

 

[LhickenChicken]

Spoiler: Musical spoiler

Bach, bach, my bach hurts

Hey good old Sal likes to do that all day