Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[TX Chick Noob]

This, I don't know why, is quite hard for me to post.
I brought 12 eggs home, and put them in the incubator. I already had my two chicks and Pastel turned out to be a rooster. Splotch was my pullet.
Only three eggs hatched. One pipped but got stuck and died before even zipping.
There was a stunning cute cream one, and red chick, and a "chipmunk " looking chick. The chipmunk chick was so cute. I don't know why, but I came up with the name Basil.
He turned out to be a rooster, which was frustrating.
For the first few months, he was sweet. He would climb up on my lap and cuddle with me.
I went to grab him one day, and he attacked me.
This repeated day after day.
Eventually, I gave him to my Post Office Lady, who I love.
He was now a free ranging chicken, and he was sweet again.
My mom told me yesterday that Basil disappeared. I was bummed out.
I remember when he was a tiny little chick, and when he grew.
Basil was the most gorgeous chicken I have ever met.
He was red, with long, curly green tail feathers, and some random green feathers on his body and neck.
He had a cute beard, and some half waddles

RIP Basil, Fly high buddy!!
Sadly I don't have any pictures of him on this phone. I will try to have my mom send me some pictures.

This hit me slightly harder than I thought. I refuse to cry though, because this is the risk with free ranging. That's why I can't let my five free range, I am so scared to lose them.
If I lose them, I will immediately go to, "Its all your fault, Pastel."
Edit: The two other chicks are Bolt and BBQ. I apologized to them for about half and hour. They were very close with him. They changed a lot when I gave him away.
I'm sorry, Bolt and BBQ.

I am so sorry for your loss. And just because you know the risk of free ranging is no reason not to let yourself cry. Holding in your pain can make it even harder to get over.

I almost stepped on Martina, I was doing a headcount of the kiddos outside and stepped back inside the doorway and she scooted under my feet - she earned herself some swearing words, need to really watch out now, they are very bold and getting everywhere.

And they are not afraid of things, I was using the round saw yesterday cutting some planks and they were right under foot! I finally got fed up with chasing them away and put them in the hen house to dig in the shavings. That wasn't as fun as watching the Hooman cut planks though apparently!

Certain dogs of mine pile up on me no matter what I am doing so when I am running power equipment I put everyone back in the kennel for their safety and mine.

I have the same problem with the horses, they want to see what I am doing - even running the saw they are right there inspecting my work - I feel like I should give them safety goggles to protect from the flying shavings hahahahaha!

The chickens though really surprise me, I would have figured they would be terrified of all that loud noise, but nope they really seem to enjoy watching me slave and slug for them

Even as adults mine love to get underfoot.

Boo (our late horse) was the definition of bomb-proof. We took shotguns out in the pasture once to shoot at some dove. Made sure he was behind us near his stall before we shot. Went to turn around and damn near got knocked down. He had walked up behind me and I swear he was about to put his head over my shoulder to see what I was doing.

 

[rural mouse]

Is it possible these littles don't want any heat? It is only 50 degrees out there and they haven't gone under their little warming plate once. I really hope it isn't because they haven't figured out how to find it. I have tried showing them but they yell at me!

They know it's there. They'll use it if they need too.

 

[featherhead007]

Now, some just because they are cute and everyone has chick fever picks. I would be lying if I said I did not have a favorite. There is no need to ask which one either, I have a silkie chick lol.

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The sass on this one is strong.
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The look on that chick’s face: “I’ll mess you up!”

 

[rural mouse]

Is it possible that Eli is broody?
I mean that wouldn’t have affected her balance but now she is just sitting in the nest box on two ceramic eggs. I don’t know how she got both of them.
I brought her breakfast in bed and her hackles flared and she bit me.
Then she ate the breakfast I offered.
I don’t know how to tell if she is broody or has just retreated to the box because she is feeling unwell.

Watch to for when she comes off the nest. If she comes off like a hissy pancake, wings flared out, tail flared up over her back and a cranky buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk going, and hustles back to the nest, then she's likely broody.

 

[RoyalChick]

They know it's there. They'll use it if they need too.

I hope that is right.
They were napping out in the brooder box so I gave a few an elevator ride up to the hot plate. Nope. No interest. They shot right back out.

 

[RoyalChick]

Watch to for when she comes off the nest. If she comes off like a hissy pancake, wings flared out, tail flared up over her back and a cranky buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk going, and hustles back to the nest, then she's likely broody.

You mean if she comes off on her own or if I pull her out? She hasn’t come out today at all so far. She came out yesterday but I didn’t see her until she came outside where I was sitting and where Babs was chowing down Artemesia.

 

[LhickenChicken]

Watch to for when she comes off the nest. If she comes off like a hissy pancake, wings flared out, tail flared up over her back and a cranky buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk-buk going, and hustles back to the nest, then she's likely broody.

I love the hissy pancake! I have a hen called Bananito that does that, except she isn't broody. In the nest box she turns into a hissy-pecking-pancake-that-lays-eggs

 

[RoyalChick]

It looks like Piglet and her still unnamed buddy are developing little crests. So cute!
Piglet’s buddy is the one that had a poopy butt and like Piglet is a Legbar. I must resist calling her Pooh even if she is best friends with Piglet. So undignified. And yet somehow ……

This little one will also need a name soon - I think she is the Silver Welbar (Bernie is gold). She is quite bold just like Bernie.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Is it possible that Eli is broody?
I mean that wouldn’t have affected her balance but now she is just sitting in the nest box on two ceramic eggs. I don’t know how she got both of them.
I brought her breakfast in bed and her hackles flared and she bit me.
Then she ate the breakfast I offered.
I don’t know how to tell if she is broody or has just retreated to the box because she is feeling unwell.

Instead of try to explain it I'll show it to you. A broody Ducky off the nest. Once you witness it first hand, you will never fail to recognize a broody hen again.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

It looks like Piglet and her still unnamed buddy are developing little crests. So cute!
Piglet’s buddy is the one that had a poopy butt and like Piglet is a Legbar. I must resist calling her Pooh even if she is best friends with Piglet. So undignified. And yet somehow ……
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This little one will also need a name soon - I think she is the Silver Welbar (Bernie is gold). She is quite bold just like Bernie was.

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Instead of Pooh, there is Tigger, Kanga or Roo.