Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Yep, sitting here enjoying the thunderstorms. Goldie is doing well. Lety lets her outside when the weather permits, Been pretty soggy at home this week.

Work safe!

So glad Goldie is doing well, tell Lety I am getting as bad as she is with chicks.

 

[featherhead007]

Preening party in the late afternoon

 

[featherhead007]

It’s a pity, I can’t say preening and party in the same sentence.
Practice: pitiful preening party practically.
Post practical, perpetual preening party.
Ah, forget it!

 

[featherhead007]

All five Rocks:

 

[notabitail]

It’s a pity, I can’t say preening and party in the same sentence.
Practice: pitiful preening party practically.
Post practical, perpetual preening party.
Ah, forget it! View attachment 3500958

Peaceful preening party.

 

[BY Bob]

I would say if she is laying them regularly then she is ok.

Have you researched any potential causes for this?

I have not.

 

[Ponypoor]

I have never had color change until they got old. Never during the year before now.

I wonder if the breeder you bought them from can give some insight into this.

I haven’t had time to go online and educate myself on colours and how they happen, why they might stop.

Do you think she is going to have a molt? That’s all I got at the moment…

 

[bgmathteach]

No More Blue Eggs
It has been more than a month since we had a blue egg here at FBA. I was concerned that Glynda was laying her eggs in some secret nest so I decided to watch her to see where it might be.

Nope no secret nest. She is laying her eggs in the main coop. I watched her.

This is the egg she now lays.

View attachment 3500867

That's right, it's white.

To be certain, I ate it for breakfast today and peeled back the inner layer. This is what I found.

View attachment 3500868

That egg is just plain white now. I caught another being laid today, still white.

My understanding is that hens do not change their egg shell color. I suppose Glynda just ran out of spray paint for hers.

Hmmmm, I think Glynda is telling you you need to get her a younger sister or two to lay blue eggs, too. It is too much stress for her to have to be your only blue egg layer, she is revolting! She knows if she stops laying blue eggs, you will just have to get more legbars.

(her real wish is so that she has some other smart, fast, fun-loving sisters to help her keep the squirrels at bay and to get into trouble with her - it is no fun getting arrested alone!! But, shhhhhh, don't tell her I let you know her plan. Remember the phone you accidently dropped in the run? Beakbook plotting, my friend...beakbook plotting!)

 

[Ponypoor]

No More Blue Eggs
It has been more than a month since we had a blue egg here at FBA. I was concerned that Glynda was laying her eggs in some secret nest so I decided to watch her to see where it might be.

Nope no secret nest. She is laying her eggs in the main coop. I watched her.

This is the egg she now lays.

View attachment 3500867

That's right, it's white.

To be certain, I ate it for breakfast today and peeled back the inner layer. This is what I found.

View attachment 3500868

That egg is just plain white now. I caught another being laid today, still white.

My understanding is that hens do not change their egg shell color. I suppose Glynda just ran out of spray paint for hers.

From what I am reading the blue colour is laid down early in the shell process making It blue throughout.

Molting could be causing colour changes.

Strong sun and high temps also:

https://www.chickens.allotment-gard...sturbance to the,a greyish, bleached out look.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

The Week just past at Fluffy Butt Acres

There have been some real highs and lows this week.

With great sadness @BY Bob had to report that the lovely Betty had died from falling in the pool. With her crazy feathers she really didn't stand a chance with cold water. She will be greatly missed by all of us and our hearts go out to Bob and Rose who are deeply distressed by the whole incident. This post includes a lovely last picture of Betty and I am sure in time Bob will feel up to posting a tribute with more pictures of her. Big hugs to Bob and Rose
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26798774

@RebeccaBoyd had us all on the edge of our seats as the drama of her multiple broodies and their chicks played out. I think the broodies are Holly, Momma Hen, Gryffyn, Goose and Ducky - hold on, is it really all of them? I think it is only four, but there are definitely 16 chicks! The lovely gentleman Branch is running himself ragged trying to be a good Dad to all of them, and Rebecca braved personal injury to bring us cute pictures of the babies - the mothers were not that keen on letting the chicks out to be seen. Momma Hen nearly took out her eye and blood was drawn. We thank Rebecca for her bravery to bring us these cutie pies!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26801725
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26804658
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26805000
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26807150

Talking of eyes and babies @Ponypoor also has chicks - tweens and tiny silkies. One has already pecked her eye which I am thankful to say is healing.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26794631
She has also been dealing with dual broodies which is quite a sight:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26797268
and a real escape artist - Martina: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26801322
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26811100

But of all the cliffhangers the one that made me most anxious was @knoturavggrl with Brownie - both were first timers and after much nail chewing we got to see her beautiful babies. It looks like Brownie knows what she is doing even though she is a novice.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26809875

Another development at @RebeccaBoyd's place is the Marshmallow Mafia. They appear to hunt as a pack and by hunt I mean birds and cats and they stalk Rebecca. Next week expect news that they have taken up residence on the roof - they are just debating exactly when to go up there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26802031
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26802069

@GregnLety's Goldie (aka Hopalong) got her cast off. She has a limp but seems to be getting around OK so far.

@rural mouse got some amazing pictures of Kren and Whiskey going at it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26799552

@rural mouse is putting me (and maybe others of us!) to shame by doing a massive Spring coop-clean - but the ceramic eggs have still not surfaced.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26794825

@RoyalChick has had her own emotional rollercoaster week. Her beloved Eli lost her ability to walk properly (kept losing balance). She got blood for a test for Marek's but UPS lost the sample. Eventually it was found and tested with some strange results. Meanwhile Eli herself seems to be improving but may have gone broody. RC is also integrating her five (FIVE!) new babies so it has been a busy week
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26802941
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26808244
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26807903

Aurora is the star of this week's caption competition - check it out here! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ption-contest-05-05-23-pic-by-by-bob.1578072/
Grandma the Chicken starred in last week's caption competition: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-04-28-23-pic-by-grandma-the-chicken.1576679/

An assortment of chick pictures from the extended FBA flock this week - just because they always make me smile:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26798131
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26800261
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26800319
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26810518
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26810551
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26810956
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26812037
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26811579

And finally, just a very cool picture from @fuentemoon, though not of a chick - footprints:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26810358

Great job with this, thank you RC!
I see there's been almost 90 more pages now since you posted this synopsis, holy cow!