Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Firsttimehens1234]

Today was such a special day for one of my girls
To give you some background info, when I got her last july she was super shy(still is shy,but she does trust me and walk to me when I call her)
She was also some what brain. damaged,might be a little blind and deaf.

She is just a weird hen,she is also old and lays when ever and where ever she wants to
She is not sick, she does not have lice or mites she just looks ruff and is a little bald

Anyway back to today, my hens get the option to free range, she has not ever wanted to since she came here last July BUT today when I called her name she came out of the coop and stepped into the grass. Safe to say she loved it and completely ignored when the rooster called all the hens inside

I was over the moon happy, and I knew that one day she would be ready to go outside the coop, she had a hard life before she came to me so it means a lot to me that’s she is acting like a hen now and that her personality is shining and she is just a lovely hen

 

[Ponypoor]

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.

That was wonderfully told

It’s so nice to be able to start and close out the day in such a way

 

[Ponypoor]

Today was such a special day for one of my girls
To give you some background info, when I got her last july she was super shy(still is shy,but she does trust me and walk to me when I call her)
She was also some what brain. damaged,might be a little blind and deaf.

She is just a weird hen,she is also old and lays when ever and where ever she wants to
She is not sick, she does not have lice or mites she just looks ruff and is a little bald
View attachment 3542611
Anyway back to today, my hens get the option to free range, she has not ever wanted to since she came here last July BUT today when I called her name she came out of the coop and stepped into the grass. Safe to say she loved it and completely ignored when the rooster called all the hens inside

I was over the moon happy, and I knew that one day she would be ready to go outside the coop, she had a hard life before she came to me so it means a lot to me that’s she is acting like a hen now and that her personality is shining and she is just a lovely hen
View attachment 3542617

That was so lovely

Thanks for sharing - I am so glad she got a home with you such a lucky girl

 

[RoyalChick]

Today was such a special day for one of my girls
To give you some background info, when I got her last july she was super shy(still is shy,but she does trust me and walk to me when I call her)
She was also some what brain. damaged,might be a little blind and deaf.

She is just a weird hen,she is also old and lays when ever and where ever she wants to
She is not sick, she does not have lice or mites she just looks ruff and is a little bald
View attachment 3542611
Anyway back to today, my hens get the option to free range, she has not ever wanted to since she came here last July BUT today when I called her name she came out of the coop and stepped into the grass. Safe to say she loved it and completely ignored when the rooster called all the hens inside

I was over the moon happy, and I knew that one day she would be ready to go outside the coop, she had a hard life before she came to me so it means a lot to me that’s she is acting like a hen now and that her personality is shining and she is just a lovely hen
View attachment 3542617

How wonderful.

 

[featherhead007]

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.

You need to lay on the ground, so that you and Raven can see eye to eye!

 

[notabitail]

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…
View attachment 3542598

 

[notabitail]

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.
View attachment 3542601

Get a screen like mine. Keep the skeeter out but the chooks in.

 

[featherhead007]

This girl has a hatchday coming up.
July sixth is the day and we are going to have a party for her. I’m baking a cornbread cake with kernels and meally worms ( no salt)
I will invite all the chooks to join us.

 

[rural mouse]

Today was such a special day for one of my girls
To give you some background info, when I got her last july she was super shy(still is shy,but she does trust me and walk to me when I call her)
She was also some what brain. damaged,might be a little blind and deaf.

She is just a weird hen,she is also old and lays when ever and where ever she wants to
She is not sick, she does not have lice or mites she just looks ruff and is a little bald
View attachment 3542611
Anyway back to today, my hens get the option to free range, she has not ever wanted to since she came here last July BUT today when I called her name she came out of the coop and stepped into the grass. Safe to say she loved it and completely ignored when the rooster called all the hens inside

I was over the moon happy, and I knew that one day she would be ready to go outside the coop, she had a hard life before she came to me so it means a lot to me that’s she is acting like a hen now and that her personality is shining and she is just a lovely hen
View attachment 3542617

Fantastic!!!!

 

[Ponypoor]

This girl has a hatchday coming up.
July sixth is the day and we are going to have a party for her. I’m baking a cornbread cake with kernels and meally worms ( no salt)
I will invite all the chooks to join us. View attachment 3542752

Awesome