Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

We have the 16 chicks I've told you about. How old should they be when we integrate them into The Royal Empire of Josephine the Great?

As early as possible. Places to hide, no place to get cornered, food/water where the bigs can't get to it, warming station

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Momma finally brought her chicks off the nest.
Nothing to see here.

That is a fuzzy face I see, it for sure is going to have a beard and muffs. I will bet you it is a Twig chick. I know it is not Branch's because the half silkies always have a double toe. Goose's chicks are 1/2 silkie and I do not think one of them has a double toe.

 

[MaryJanet]

And Then There Were 6
I have tragic news everyone. We lost Betty today. While free ranging today she fell into the pool. I have no idea how or why. None of the chickens go anywhere near the pool and yet she fell in. Before Mrs BY Bob could get her out she passed away due to hypothermia. The water is still quite cold.

I buried her between the two Blueberry bushes that Hattie bought. I will post a tribute to her later this week but her is the last photo I ever took of her.

View attachment 3489859

Yet another hen lost too soon. Mrs BY Bob is inconsolable. She blames herself of course and Betty was one of her special girls.

I myself feel as though I'm getting numb to the losses. I'm going to try and spend time with everyone who is left tomorrow morning. I need to try to reconnect with them.

Oh no! Poor Betty she was such a character, always doing her own thing.

I know what you mean about numbness, although I characterise it as a type of emotional wisdom. It needn't cut you off from those she leaves behind nor need it cut you off from appreciating who she was and what she brought to the world.

 

[Ponypoor]

Before I show off Momma hens brood I have to show you all something.
Do you see it, there is 3 boys happily co-existing together!! Twig is a year old in a couple weeks and for the most part his idiot phase is starting to leave him. Branch and Bubba are also starting let leave him alone as well. For a time I really thought they were out to kill him, especially Bubba. Twig is also accepting of the chicks, he is not "fatherly" to them like Branch but he does not peck them at all. He is more of a Bubba in that regard. That is ok though, as long as he does not go out of his way to try and hurt the chicks I am good with it.
View attachment 3491824
View attachment 3491838The black legs you see in the top of this picture, those are Twigs. Those 2 once mortal enemies have come to a truce.View attachment 3491839

That’s great news! It’s lovely when peace reigns and there is no drama.

Then he's splash laced. He has 2 copies of the diluted black (makes blue). Unless he's crossed with another splash, 100% of his offspring will have blue (grey) feathers. They may have other colors bleed through, but the blue "overwrites" pretty much everything else.

PITA (front) is splash.
View attachment 3491846


She and/or Blanche crossed with Cheetah make blue with red bleeding through in the hacklesView attachment 3491852
Now crossing a blue bird with the splash will get blue OR splash

But Tippy is not grey she is black. Her mum Sophia looks like a brown leghorn or copper Maran - that colouring.

 

[MaryJanet]

View attachment 3491308

Dominica and Josephine.
Dominica was actually sitting down in the doorway. My sister then came over, scooped her up, and ruined everything. I'm going to have to get Josey to trust me again. She does not anymore like she used to because my sister keeps bothering her in my room.

Wow! That's a blast from the past!

 

[Ponypoor]

Momma finally brought her chicks off the nest.
Nothing to see here.
View attachment 3491847View attachment 3491853That is a fuzzy face I see, it for sure is going to have a beard and muffs. I will bet you it is a Twig chick. I know it is not Branch's because the half silkies always have a double toe. Goose's chicks are 1/2 silkie and I do not think one of them has a double toe.
View attachment 3491855View attachment 3491856View attachment 3491857View attachment 3491860View attachment 3491861View attachment 3491862View attachment 3491863

Oh my gosh so cute! Aren’t they just so adorable! You are so lucky to have such splendid weather to have them out and about. It’s so wonderful to see them wandering around in the dirt with Momma

 

[rural mouse]

That’s great news! It’s lovely when peace reigns and there is no drama.

But Tippy is not grey she is black. Her mum Sophia looks like a brown leghorn or copper Maran - that colouring.

Lark and Indigo were black, too....

Copper marans and brown leghorn (in hens) are VERY different coloring....

Nellie is brown leghorn (ignore the headless Twirp; she moved at the last second)

 

[knoturavggrl]

Babies are getting bigger and fluffy

Oh my goodness they are sooo cute

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh no! Poor Betty she was such a character, always doing her own thing.

I know what you mean about numbness, although I characterise it as a type of emotional wisdom. It needn't cut you off from those she leaves behind nor need it cut you off from appreciating who she was and what she brought to the world.

I love that term and I will use it in the future from now on. Such a loaded term full of empathy and understanding. Emotional wisdom

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Oh my gosh so cute! Aren’t they just so adorable! You are so lucky to have such splendid weather to have them out and about. It’s so wonderful to see them wandering around in the dirt with Momma

Warm weather? Hah! Oh how quickly we forget the ole bats winter stunt. Today is is 56 and super windy, albeit much better then it was in January.