Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I was bad yesterday, it was Derby day so during the 7 hour broadcast coverage I did not go outside. I went out early, let everyone out and fed and watered. The chickens were on their own. When it was over it was time to round up the mommas and chicks for the day to put them up. While doing that I spot a pile of white feathers beside the creek. My heart drops and I start looking and trying to count the Marshmallows. I only find 1. Ok panic really sets in and I circle the yard and yup just 1. I run in to ask mom if she had saw them as she had been out several times, she had. She must have realized I was upset about something and she asked if I saw the feathers. YES, yes I have and I am missing 4. She laughs....literally laughs at me. There was nothing funny about my panic, I was missing 4 white chicks and there is a pile of white feathers out back. She then told me Momma Hen had been in rare form and was whipping everybody, cats, dogs and the other chickens. Apparently one of the Marshmallows found themselves in her line of sight and she whipped it pulling out the feathers. Ok, I can breathe a bit now and go back out to find my missing chicks. By the time I get around the house here the 4 missing chicks come.....off the hill. They look at me and then scamper straight into the coop to put themselves to bed like they had been caught red handed in mischief. The Marshmallow mafia is going to drive me crazy before long.

Holy cow! Now I would have been fit to be tied if that happened to me!

But you have to hand it to Momma Hen - she sure is sassy

 

[GregnLety]

Everything is sogged here - ugh, sick of it. the chickens are here in the barn all clamoring and squawking (go lay your egg Henny!). Even I am unmotivated to do anything it's so damp and chilly.

Wish I could send you some of this rain!

It's been a fairly wet spring here but thanks to the sandy soil and gentle slope it dries fairly quick.

 

[Ponypoor]

He is a interesting cross. Leg coloring comes from his silkie daddy. That black silkie skin is fairly dominate I am finding with some of my crosses. I'm curious have any of your 1st generation silkie crosses ended up inheriting the silkie feathers? So far none of mine have, they all have ended up having normal hard feathering.

I think I read somewhere the silkie feathers are recessive so 1st gen won't have unless the other parent has silkie in the background. But that is just what I have read....

 

[Ponypoor]

I dunno. I think I would be scared of blowing them to kingdom come.
Maybe a towel dry for Brownie?
Is it nice and warm at least?

Yes I would towel dry them all, and if you have any of those water bottles you can put some hot water in a few of them and pile them under her nest (put a towel over the bottles though) and that should give a nice warm spot.

Chiiiiickennnnns - gonna drive us nuts!

 

[Ponypoor]

I don’t think I am strong enough for you to have Marshmallows. I literally held my breath reading that.
I can only imagine what you were going through!

Yes me too! I dreaded until I read about her mum smiling. phew!

 

[Ponypoor]

I'm telling myself every day "just get them to laying age". I'm hoping they settle down and mature once they start laying. I really doubt it, they are too smart for their own good. 5 wicked smart hens that work as a unit and have a love for getting in trouble, I am in for it. I am starting to compare them to border collies. I love border collies but I would be a terrible owner for one. I will say, I love them and they are fitting in. If I had to keep them enclosed 24/7 I would not have them. They are thriving in my free range setting, I can see disaster written all over them if they had to be enclosed.

I feel the same about Buttercup and Misty - they drive me crazy escaping all the time, but I know they would hate being cooped up all the time.

Today though, it's pelting down now so everyone is inside

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

All good horses - did you see what Mage went for at the yearling sales? something like almost a quarter of a million bucks! Well guess that money paid off. Didn't see if he was a colt or gelding.

He is a colt. Looking back and going over his pedigree it is not surprising he won. He is by Good Magic who won the Breeder's cup Juvenile, and the Haskell. Good Magic was 2nd in the derby. Good Magic is sired by Curlin, love that horse and he has proven to be a really good sire. I will say one thing, you can bet next year Good Magic's stud fee jumps up as Mage is from his first crop as a sire, you will not get him for $50,000 next year. If Mage wins the Preakness he has the pedigree to handle the Belmont that is for sure.

 

[Marie2020]

I was bad yesterday, it was Derby day so during the 7 hour broadcast coverage I did not go outside. I went out early, let everyone out and fed and watered. The chickens were on their own. When it was over it was time to round up the mommas and chicks for the day to put them up. While doing that I spot a pile of white feathers beside the creek. My heart drops and I start looking and trying to count the Marshmallows. I only find 1. Ok panic really sets in and I circle the yard and yup just 1. I run in to ask mom if she had saw them as she had been out several times, she had. She must have realized I was upset about something and she asked if I saw the feathers. YES, yes I have and I am missing 4. She laughs....literally laughs at me. There was nothing funny about my panic, I was missing 4 white chicks and there is a pile of white feathers out back. She then told me Momma Hen had been in rare form and was whipping everybody, cats, dogs and the other chickens. Apparently one of the Marshmallows found themselves in her line of sight and she whipped it pulling out the feathers. Ok, I can breathe a bit now and go back out to find my missing chicks. By the time I get around the house here the 4 missing chicks come.....off the hill. They look at me and then scamper straight into the coop to put themselves to bed like they had been caught red handed in mischief. The Marshmallow mafia is going to drive me crazy before long.

I'd be in a real panic

Caught red handed

 

[knoturavggrl]

I dunno. I think I would be scared of blowing them to kingdom come.
Maybe a towel dry for Brownie?
Is it nice and warm at least?

Good news: The chicks are dry now. I didn’t do anything mama did. She looks to be drying out as well. Everyone is eating and drinking.

Bad news, it wasn’t poppy butt on that chick. Its a prolapse of some sort. I am on Emergency thread but it doesn't look good at all. I have it in my incubator @ the moment but sighhh there is little hope.

 

[RoyalChick]

Tassels believes she is perfect. Not a hair out of place!