Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

WHY THE FAVORITES???!!!

Poor Lhicken. She is at the bottom of the pecking order, and got bullied so much she wasn't able to even EAT or DRINK. She laid an egg on the floor and is very lethargic. She has had some mash, dandelions, and water, and seems a bit better. But WHY. The. Favorites. Alllways. Get. Targeted.
Those darn hens

I hear ya, this is why I make sure my lower order chickens are fed away from the rest, out of their sight. Same with the chicks.

Make sure that you put feed and waterers in multiple locations, with a few in locations out of sight of each other.

Chickens can be brutal to each other. Today I made sure that I took Sophia out of the nest box on her own away from the others and I didn’t have any drama, she had the chicks for company only and she seemed a bit more relaxed eating and drinking.

 

[bgmathteach]

WHY THE FAVORITES???!!!

Poor Lhicken. She is at the bottom of the pecking order, and got bullied so much she wasn't able to even EAT or DRINK. She laid an egg on the floor and is very lethargic. She has had some mash, dandelions, and water, and seems a bit better. But WHY. The. Favorites. Alllways. Get. Targeted.
Those darn hens

Do you have places in the run area that a chicken can get away from the others? Small perches sized for one or two, hide-y places a chicken can run under and be hidden (but isn't a dead end)? I also put an extra small food dish and water source in one of these places, so she can be hidden and eat/drink in peace. Having some visually obscured places are important in cases like this. Also, if you can add extra space and/or other enrichment activities can help. (I pick plants/weeds for my chooks to snack on before going to work - and put them in a few different bundles. It gives them something to do AND gives them a variety of greens. I do it mostly because I feel guilty they don't get to free range while I'm at work, but it does give them entertainment/enrichment and something to focus their attention one other than each other.) With us giving them feed, they can easily eat a days worth of food in an hour or so, spread throughout the day - versus needing to forage for a good part of the entire day to meet their daily food needs when they are in the wild. since they don't have to spend so much time trying to get enough food to survive/thrive, they have lots of energy to 'get into trouble' and need other things to do and places to hide. ( the large flocks are unnatural for them, too)

 

[RoyalChick]

I will attest to how effective they are - as I got two after RCs recommendation of them last year/fall. We had a couple really hot days about a week ago, and I put them in the run - and when I cam home from work, about half the chooks were in one fo the two places they were at. They are small, but the battery lasts a decent time, and for mosquitos, low or medium is fine for keeping them away. I need med. or hig for enough force in teh run so multiple chickens can benefit. That said - these are far better than another one that was somewhat similar - as these have a much longer battery life! I also, at he end of the year - bought 2 larger fans that are rechargable also(12" diameter) that I will deploy this summer when it gets miserable - these supposedly last up to 22 hours, but since I will put them on either med or high, it will be less. I will be happy if they last 12 hours - and I can alternate them - one running, one charging.

Oooh. Can you link to the bigger one? I have a big fan but it isn’t rechargeable which makes it a bit of a pain outdoors.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Now we have another name change for the EE chick. I cannot have a Frick if I do not have a Frack. Mom was looking them over good for the first time this evening. She also has taken a shine to the little EE. Decided she has not claimed any chickens as hers since we got the leghorns and she is claiming it with the right to name her. After careful inspection decided s he had beautiful eyes and had the look of a owl to her.
So now everyone meet Owly.

With EEs there is no telling what they will look like for sure as adults, my gut tells me she is going to be striking. The attitude she has, the floofy cheeks, if I loose this one I will be gutted, and I really did not want EEs not too long ago.
With the passing of the tiny silkie cross Raven really snapped out of sitting in one place. I think she knew something was wrong with it. They ventured out of the coop for a hour today with supervised free range time. She is still not ready to let anyone close to the chicks but they explored around outside the coop and the building. Her natural hatched ones are a week old tomorrow and the ones I purchased will be a week old Monday. Today watching them I saw thriving healthy chicks, I am starting to relax just a tad. Everyone also has learned to stay out from under momma's big feet thankfully as she was digging up the yard looking for worms and other insects.
Here are some more pictures I took once everyone was up for the night.

For those of you with Barred Rocks, should their legs be that color?

 

[featherhead007]

Now we have another name change for the EE chick. I cannot have a Frick if I do not have a Frack. Mom was looking them over good for the first time this evening. She also has taken a shine to the little EE. Decided she has not claimed any chickens as hers since we got the leghorns and she is claiming it with the right to name her. After careful inspection decided s he had beautiful eyes and had the look of a owl to her.
So now everyone meet Owly.
View attachment 3537082View attachment 3537089
With EEs there is no telling what they will look like for sure as adults, my gut tells me she is going to be striking. The attitude she has, the floofy cheeks, if I loose this one I will be gutted, and I really did not want EEs not too long ago.
With the passing of the tiny silkie cross Raven really snapped out of sitting in one place. I think she knew something was wrong with it. They ventured out of the coop for a hour today with supervised free range time. She is still not ready to let anyone close to the chicks but they explored around outside the coop and the building. Her natural hatched ones are a week old tomorrow and the ones I purchased will be a week old Monday. Today watching them I saw thriving healthy chicks, I am starting to relax just a tad. Everyone also has learned to stay out from under momma's big feet thankfully as she was digging up the yard looking for worms and other insects.
Here are some more pictures I took once everyone was up for the night.
View attachment 3537094View attachment 3537095View attachment 3537096View attachment 3537097View attachment 3537098View attachment 3537099View attachment 3537101View attachment 3537103View attachment 3537104View attachment 3537105
For those of you with Barred Rocks, should their legs be that color?

You probably have some fake barred rocks. The legs on my BR’s are white and yellow. And they are fake

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

You probably have some fake barred rocks. The legs on my BR’s are white and yellow. And they are fake

That is ok. To partially steal a quote of yours. "Fake barred rocks need love too."

 

[featherhead007]

That is ok. To partially steal a quote of yours. "Fake barred rocks need love too."

Exactly! I’m totally fine with my fake gals. Their love isn’t fake, their eggs are real too!

 

[featherhead007]

Exactly! I’m totally fine with my fake gals. Their love isn’t fake, their eggs are real too!

 

[bgmathteach]

Oooh. Can you link to the bigger one? I have a big fan but it isn’t rechargeable which makes it a bit of a pain outdoors.

I will try to find the same thing online - I bought it at Ocean State Job Lot at the 'end of season' clearance.

Oh - it is on amazon with a reasonable price! (Everything considered)

 

[bgmathteach]

Now we have another name change for the EE chick. I cannot have a Frick if I do not have a Frack. Mom was looking them over good for the first time this evening. She also has taken a shine to the little EE. Decided she has not claimed any chickens as hers since we got the leghorns and she is claiming it with the right to name her. After careful inspection decided s he had beautiful eyes and had the look of a owl to her.
So now everyone meet Owly.
View attachment 3537082View attachment 3537089
With EEs there is no telling what they will look like for sure as adults, my gut tells me she is going to be striking. The attitude she has, the floofy cheeks, if I loose this one I will be gutted, and I really did not want EEs not too long ago.
With the passing of the tiny silkie cross Raven really snapped out of sitting in one place. I think she knew something was wrong with it. They ventured out of the coop for a hour today with supervised free range time. She is still not ready to let anyone close to the chicks but they explored around outside the coop and the building. Her natural hatched ones are a week old tomorrow and the ones I purchased will be a week old Monday. Today watching them I saw thriving healthy chicks, I am starting to relax just a tad. Everyone also has learned to stay out from under momma's big feet thankfully as she was digging up the yard looking for worms and other insects.
Here are some more pictures I took once everyone was up for the night.
View attachment 3537094View attachment 3537095View attachment 3537096View attachment 3537097View attachment 3537098View attachment 3537099View attachment 3537101View attachment 3537103View attachment 3537104View attachment 3537105
For those of you with Barred Rocks, should their legs be that color?

With the young chicks, my BRs chicks legs are yellow to a light orange, with a 'dusting' of black or grey on the legs.