Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

Pics
Date sort Score sort
ManueB said:
Pony Sunday, long horse ramble.

I went to see old Gribouille this morning. He has been living alone for a few months now the mare that was with him has passed. We try to go see him every week and the old neighbor Claude still comes at least four times a week. Still he always whinny when I leave him, I think he's lonely.
View attachment 3537541View attachment 3537542View attachment 3537546

Also I wanted to share some news about the rescued Arabian horse See you I also talked about last year. He has been having problem with his feet ever since he's been here. The first farrier that came to shoe him screwed the job, and it turned out he has really fragile hooves. In summer they are dry and crack and in winter and spring he has thrush. He has to stay on soft ground and that means he can't go on our paths and tracks. His owner couldn't find another farrier that agreed to come up here to have his feet trimmed. Two months ago, there was one that agreed to see her horse in a village down the valley. She didn't expect any problem, but they never managed to get See you in the trailer. Before he was abandoned, he used to go every weekend in a truck to race, but that was more than 18 months ago.
All that to say I'm really glad I changed my mind and did not get ponies like I intended. Chaco's sudden passing made me realize that a horse needs specialized care, and we just can't get it here.
Click to expand...
The old horse looks really good actually. Yes I bet he sure is lonely, too bad they couldn't find another horse for him.

Too bad about See You - horses feet are prone to all sorts of trouble, I am surprised that he has issues though, Arabian horses generally have rock hard excellent hooves. As for being unable to get him in the trailer, I wonder if they just got a big open lorry or stock trailer if he would go in? Horse trailers with narrow stalls are evil contraptions to horses - also if it was dark in there and he couldn't see well that would make a difference if he wouldn't go on.

Yes, horses are a lot of trouble, unless you have proper housing and care for them, they can be noting but heartache. Chickens are enough trouble hahaha!

Hmmmm it is all of a sudden very quiet here, what are they up to???
 
bgmathteach said:
So, chicken update from Mathematical Acres (note that, abbreviated, it is MA? ha, ha)

So far, my broody BR has stuck to sitting, and with me taking her off the next every morning and locking her out (thanks to @RebeccaBoyd 's suggestion with my WR), she poops, eats drinks, and when I leave her long enough (most days), she sits & preens. She has 5 eggs under her (I put six, but she kicked one out with in 48 hours. ?How do they know so quickly?!? Now, one of my DC is broody. I set eggs with her Friday night, but Hubby forgot and collected her eggs yesterday:barnie. I had her last laid egg under her - she hasn't laid since Thursday.... I will 'reset' her tonight with some eggs from today. (he collected and washed all the eggs, so I couldn't rescue hers) So, I should have more chicks hatching next weekend, and then some in 3 weeks time. I must say, I really am upset about hubby collecting the eggs because I like to set them on Thursday night or Friday, so they hatch on the weekend when I am around. :(

And, my WR chicks are growing like weeds! They are about 3 weeks old (tomorrow & Tuesday). One is cross-beaked, but seems to still be thriving atm. I make sure there is a 'deep dish' of feed so it can bury its beak in it and eat. Of course, the Cross beak appears to be a pullet.

@rural mouse & @RebeccaBoyd here are some pics from this morning: Who is Roo & Who is Pullet?

#1 & 2 (1 in front - light color, #2 in back, dark/barred)
View attachment 3537438

#1 front and center, #3 back left. #4, headless (moved too quick!)
View attachment 3537440

#4
View attachment 3537441

#5 # 3 & 5 are very similar in coloring - I can only tell them apart if they are together (i.e. if you took one of them out, and I couldn't see the other, I wouldn't be sure which one it was.) One of them has a slightly smaller comb.
View attachment 3537444View attachment 3537446


I think #1, 3, & 4 are Roos. #2 has the cross beak. #5s comb is more pea like than #3s, so being a bit smaller but wider is not necessarily a tell. I think in another week I will have a better idea. #1 & 4 ACT like Roos, though!
Click to expand...
The pea comb is harder. I'm seeing enough pink in the straight combs to be suspicious on all of them. Acting like: raises the suspicion.

3 of my 6 act like. Too early to tell yet on them.

The babies at the inlaws: both brahmas are likely boys. One of the chippies has a larger comb (straight), so suspicious there too. One of the babies from the broodies is acting like, with a 2nd maybe there too. The lone older chick (sparked the rash of broodiness) is 6 weeks and has a very pretty comb and wattle set growing. He looks like he's a buff orp x Bielefelder (mama is a Bielefelder). Some tough decisions will have to be made.

One of the older roos (was planning on keeping him for breeding stock) earned a place on the dinner table. One of the broodies was off her nest (just before lockdown) and he decided to peck holes in some of the eggs, then proceeded to kill the babies in the shells. He became dinner that same night.
 

rural mouse said:
One of the older roos (was planning on keeping him for breeding stock) earned a place on the dinner table. One of the broodies was off her nest (just before lockdown) and he decided to peck holes in some of the eggs, then proceeded to kill the babies in the shells. He became dinner that same night.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, were none of them (or at least some of them not his? I still can't figure out HOW they can smell and tell it is their own.....too bad he wasn't more like Branch and would just 'adopt them all'. And poor Broodie hen - all that work for him to kill them.

I am fortunate that I haven't had a Roo do that (knock on wood), but then I frequently (not always, but a lot) put my broodies in a broody tractor. It has 1/2 x1/2 mesh on all but the nest box area...so they still see her - she isn't isolated from the flock, but she is 'separated' from the flock. ( the broody tractor is in the run most of the time...sometimes - like now - on the green grass near the run - they do interact when everyone free ranges. When I had everyone free range at the same time, one Roo came up (I was watching him carefully - didn't want the chicks to get hurt - it was the first time they were out together), he looked at two of the chicks, head very close...then momma chased him away. But he looked curious and gentle, not at all aggressive :)

IMG_3358[1].JPG

My 'Good Roo' that imprinted on the two chicks, then side-stepped and 'moved on' when mom didn't like him so close. He is one of my broody's from last year - that I wasn't going to keep - but he adopted my set of 9 young pullets that were 4 months older than him (so, coming into lay as he was coming into his own as a Roo). He is part EE(dad), and I am pretty sure part ISA (mom). Both the ISA and my Cuckoo Marans girl in that group have similar colored eggs (hers is VERY light for a Cuckoo girl), I didn't want to hatch one from my ISA, but must have put the wrong one under the hen. I had absolutely NO intention of keeping him - especially since he was part ISA...but he has proven to be such a good Roo...when it came time to process the extra boys, I just knew I had to keep him - even if I don't want him as breeding stock. And, here he is, proving again that it was a good decision to keep him. :)

P.S. @rural mouse : I'm glad you had a nice day for your family BBQ - I'm sure everyone was glad to see your son & visit with him. How is he liking the service?
 
Last edited:
rural mouse said:
The pea comb is harder. I'm seeing enough pink in the straight combs to be suspicious on all of them. Acting like: raises the suspicion.

3 of my 6 act like. Too early to tell yet on them.

The babies at the inlaws: both brahmas are likely boys. One of the chippies has a larger comb (straight), so suspicious there too. One of the babies from the broodies is acting like, with a 2nd maybe there too. The lone older chick (sparked the rash of broodiness) is 6 weeks and has a very pretty comb and wattle set growing. He looks like he's a buff orp x Bielefelder (mama is a Bielefelder). Some tough decisions will have to be made.

One of the older roos (was planning on keeping him for breeding stock) earned a place on the dinner table. One of the broodies was off her nest (just before lockdown) and he decided to peck holes in some of the eggs, then proceeded to kill the babies in the shells. He became dinner that same night.
Click to expand...
GASP (and some swear words...)

Yep dinner for sure! Chickens what on earth?? Sometimes I wonder at their little brains.
So sorry about the eggs and chicks :( :(

When are the rest of the eggs due to hatch?
 
bgmathteach said:
Hmmm, were none of them (or at least some of them not his? I still can't figure out HOW they can smell and tell it is their own.....too bad he wasn't more like Branch and would just 'adopt them all'. And poor Broodie hen - all that work for him to kill them.

I am fortunate that I haven't had a Roo do that (knock on wood), but then I frequently (not always, but a lot) put my broodies in a broody tractor. It has 1/2 x1/2 mesh on all but the nest box area...so they still see her - she isn't isolated from the flock, but she is 'separated' from the flock. ( the broody tractor is in the run most of the time...sometimes - like now - on the green grass near the run - they do interact when everyone free ranges. When I had everyone free range at the same time, one Roo came up (I was watching him carefully - didn't want the chicks to get hurt - it was the first time they were out together), he looked at two of the chicks, head very close...then momma chased him away. But he looked curious and gentle, not at all aggressive :)

View attachment 3537631
My 'Good Roo' that imprinted on the two chicks, then side-stepped and 'moved on' when mom didn't like him so close. He is one of my broody's from last year - that I wasn't going to keep - but he adopted my set of 9 young pullets that were 4 months older than him (so, coming into lay as he was coming into his own as a Roo). He is part EE(dad), and I am pretty sure part ISA (mom). Both the ISA and my Cuckoo Marans girl in that group have similar colored eggs (hers is VERY light for a Cuckoo girl), I didn't want to hatch one from my ISA, but must have put the wrong one under the hen. I had absolutely NO intention of keeping him - especially since he was part ISA...but he has proven to be such a good Roo...when it came time to process the extra boys, I just knew I had to keep him - even if I don't want him as breeding stock. And, here he is, proving again that it was a good decision to keep him. :)

P.S. @rural mouse : I'm glad you had a nice day for your family BBQ - I'm sure everyone was glad to see your son & visit with him. How is he liking the service?
Click to expand...
He sure is eye-candy - what a pretty boy. And brains to go with the brawn, nice.

Are you able to make sure that the other Roos are the ones breeding your hens? Or would that be too problematic (like here everyone runs together).
 
bgmathteach said:
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)
Click to expand...
I give them scratch grain in the run, layer feed inside, grass outside as well, and have watering holes in which they like drinking from and scratching around in. They have a waterer inside and outside, and plenty of high places and cubbyholes that aren't dead ends. I made most of these because of Silk. But I also have a feeling it isn't just the not-enough-to-eat for Lhicken. :(
 
rural mouse said:
Got some pics of the siblings. They're currently with the meat birds, bit won't be staying there much longer.View attachment 3537304View attachment 3537306View attachment 3537307The meaties haven't feathered in as well and are the really light birds. The buff Brahma is the one in the last pic middle, profiled. The australorp x dark Brahma is the dark one back to us, left side. She's also got about a dozen that have hatched under broodies in the coop over the last week, 3 today. I swear it looks like 2 will be cheeky crested (Thing's grand children). One black, light headspot and faint chipmunk stripes. The other brown, HUGE cheeks already, and almost no chippie stripes at all. Should be fun to see how the develop.
Click to expand...
You've got Cornish Crosses as well? You'll find they have a very high mortality rate... I lost at least six, maybe more.
 

Similar threads

PrettyBirdRocky
    • Love
Story of our raising and hatching own to process of mixed flock
2 3 4
Replies
39
Views
3K
PrettyBirdRocky
PrettyBirdRocky
speckledhen
    • Love
    • Like
The Omega Rocks: The Last & Ultimate Barred Plymouth Rock Flock
23 24 25
Replies
247
Views
10K
speckledhen
speckledhen
Kewpieteef
    • Love
Feather Heaven Flock & Friends
Replies
5
Views
334
Kewpieteef
Kewpieteef
thudson
    • Love
    • Like
Why We Raise Chickens
Replies
8
Views
3K
Daisy June
D
HoneyBeeHomestead
    • Love
    • Like
Honey Bee Homestead
2 3
Replies
25
Views
1K
HoneyBeeHomestead
HoneyBeeHomestead

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom