Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

They joined the mass exodus for breakfast al fresco this morning

Chia, Tuff, Zulu, Pippa, and Jessica

Tuff, Indigo, and Mera

 

[BY Bob]

The coop is clearly Raven's base of operations. Let everyone out of the box once again at the corner of the sawdust pile. Once I place the last chick down she let out a call and they were all in the coop in under a minute. If she does what she has the last 2 morning she and the chicks will spend a good part of the morning inside the coop digging around. I really do need to fix them a spot to sleep in it tonight. I do not want to though. Decided last night around midnight I was not sleepy so I went and sat out on the front porch beside Raven. At one point I had 5 sleeping chicks piled in my lap. I cannot do that if they are locked away.

That would be very hard to give up. I understand how torn you must be.

 

[featherhead007]

Raven, you are killing me! Can’t you just submit to the higher authority at your place? RB is that authority, and you and your brood could not survive without her very long! So shake off your black feathered head and try to understand what is happening. Maybe even go squawk an apology for your misconduct!

 

[featherhead007]

Raven, you are killing me! Can’t you just submit to the higher authority at your place? RB is that authority, and you and your brood could not survive without her very long! So shake off your black feathered head and try to understand what is happening. Maybe even go squawk an apology for your misconduct!

Raven…. I’m talking to you!

 

[featherhead007]

Oh, and Raven, I don’t mean to offend you in any way, so don’t take it personally and try to forgive me (I’m just a sarcastic old man, who hasn’t had his Coco today!)

 

[featherhead007]

Good morning all, just thought I would share some of the gardens here, it's been so wet that everything is green and growing. Personally I would like some warmth but it's not snowing so I will take it!

Lupins are doing well, they are nice but don't last long
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Giant Hosta, these like shady locations and last all summer, my cat hangs out under those leaves and plays jungle kitty
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The mosquito hatchery, those 'birds' aren't doing their job
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Columbine also don't last long but they are pretty
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Pink Peonies
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Red Peonies - neither last very long either
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Petunias - chickens LOVE Petunias, which is why I don't have any at the barn anymore.
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Hey what about us chikinz?

Penne sure is a boy
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Foggy the little light grey silkie pullet
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Frosty the little splash silkie pullet
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I am sure my friend will have different names for the silkies when they go back to her place to live

Seems you have some beautiful flowers there, very nice.
My wormwood and cannabis plants are thriving too. The crabgrass is also growing wildly! (I’m so kidding )

 

[Ponypoor]

The coop is clearly Raven's base of operations. Let everyone out of the box once again at the corner of the sawdust pile. Once I place the last chick down she let out a call and they were all in the coop in under a minute. If she does what she has the last 2 morning she and the chicks will spend a good part of the morning inside the coop digging around. I really do need to fix them a spot to sleep in it tonight. I do not want to though. Decided last night around midnight I was not sleepy so I went and sat out on the front porch beside Raven. At one point I had 5 sleeping chicks piled in my lap. I cannot do that if they are locked away.

I hear you

I thought about locking the beasties out of my office, I just swept and washed the floor. But if I do that then I won’t have them sleeping on my lap, or roosting on my shoulder pecking my earrings

 

[Ponypoor]

Pretty (garden and chickens)!

I need to go out and see what flowers survived the downpour and high winds yesterday. I suspect the peonies are toast.

The house gardens are my mums domain, I would rather have grass (weeds) and just mow it a couple times a week.

So much for my clean floor…

 

[Ponypoor]

I hear you

I thought about locking the beasties out of my office, I just swept and washed the floor. But if I do that then I won’t have them sleeping on my lap, or roosting on my shoulder pecking my earrings

I know me thing, I need netting up to keep the mosquitoes out! Having the front door open for the chooks all day makes the barn full of them.

Oh now they are going to snooze in here.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Oh, and Raven, I don’t mean to offend you in any way, so don’t take it personally and try to forgive me (I’m just a sarcastic old man, who hasn’t had his Coco today!)

I feel Raven and Coco would get along. She is actually a very good and proven broody and does her job well. I am impressed with her skills as a mother, I did something right. Raven was not broody raised but incubator hatched and raised by me in one of my first ever incubator hatches. She is very tolerant of me being hands on to a point with the chicks. As long as they do not let out a distress cheep, or I speak to them I can do whatever I want. The only reason she takes her hits in the evening when I am rounding everyone up is the chicks are complaining loudly about the whole situation. Yes she is hitting me in the back of the legs, but she is very restrained about it, she is a big girl and she could hurt if she wanted to. She could actually do more damage then momma hen who is bat crap crazy but she does not. Their tote on the porch where they spend the night is very protected and covered at night so they are safe. Just as safe as if they were locked in the coop to be honest which is another reason I am in no rush to keep them in there at night. I love our morning and nighttime routines. Before I take them off the porch for the day I give the chicks a snack of starter feed as now that they are free ranging Raven has no use for it and keeps the chicks away from the easy food. I have roughly 30 minutes of bonding with the chicks as I can hold them while she sits in the tote while they eat breakfast. Raven also gets her breakfast of whole corn and layer feed and I drink my morning coffee. When Raven stands up that is her signal she is ready to start her day. So I collect the chicks and pack them off the porch for her and set them loose at the corner of the sawdust pile. It is a good spot if she chooses for bugs and worms but she heads straight for the coop to evict any hens who may think of laying inside. They do their thing all day spending both time in the coop and all over the back yard. Roughly around 7:30 to 8 I go collect the chicks, fight off Raven and bring them back to the tote. Give the chicks a nighttime feeding of starter which they really do not need as their crops are full and a bedtime snack for Raven. Once back on the porch Raven is completely settled down in just a few minutes and once again I can handle the chicks. Yes I have favorites with these chicks but I am making a point to handle each one twice a day. They are getting the best of both worlds. Being raised with a experienced mother hen but also receiving key socialization from me just as if I were brooding them myself. I have many excellent mothers, but very few of them will willingly let me handle and interact with the chicks like she does. For the most part I have to socialize chicks after their mothers are done raising them.