Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

New visitor

This beauty caused some eggcitement with the gang this morning

I despise snakes so I cannot force myself to say it is pretty. I am also rooting for your chickens to eat said nope ropes. That snake is not ugly though. I still would not touch it. Maybe if all that showed up in my yard were harmless I would not be so anti-snake. Unfortunately my yard, subdivision and the barn are copperhead central. Rosie loves the creek and like all children wants to play in it with her friends catching crawdads. I'm tired of yelling stay out of the creek. Anymore it is if you get bit not taking you to a er, eat some Benadryl. Thinking about it, I need to loan Rosie out for you one summer. She could weed your cactus's and help with the horses. She would also be catching all the nope ropes and then calling me asking could she bring it home as a pet.

 

[rural mouse]

Those late developing cockerels hit you like a punch in the gut. Especially when they are one's you have fallen for and are sure they are girls and plan on keeping them. Last week everything about him screamed pullet, everything. I am now seeing a color change happening too. That soft golden brown is being replaced by a vibrant orange/red in spots like his wings. Crap. Excuse me, I need to go hide and cry for a few minutes.

Me too. That 2nd video made those oranger spots pop.

 

[Lilion]

I'm not convinced. I will have to see if it develops more, or remains like that. If you look at her all black hen, she has a couple of tail feathers like that. I also have a few hens with a couple of slightly curved tail feathers - but they aren't to the full extent of a roosters. If they get more curved and longer...OR if s/he gets drapey 'rump' feathers at the base of the tail, then yes. At this point, though - it could be nothing or it could be the beginning....again, wait and see if it develops more or not. Presently no 'worse' than some of my hens. And the saddle feathers are still quite rounded at this point, instead of the drapey pointed roo feathers.

(Okay, so 'drapey' is a word I've made up recently. I have used it quite a bit over the last year or so. How do you all think it should be spelt? 'Drapey', Drapie" or Drapy' - I kind of thing the last would be pronounced 'drap - ee' with a soft a, ????)

Drapey is definitely a word.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

Oh I am certain it’s Martin, I just need to look at the neck feathers coming in to see that. I am just surprised there is no crowing….

What a shame. Martin/a is so pretty.

 

[Ponypoor]

I'm not convinced. I will have to see if it develops more, or remains like that. If you look at her all black hen, she has a couple of tail feathers like that. I also have a few hens with a couple of slightly curved tail feathers - but they aren't to the full extent of a roosters. If they get more curved and longer...OR if s/he gets drapey 'rump' feathers at the base of the tail, then yes. At this point, though - it could be nothing or it could be the beginning....again, wait and see if it develops more or not. Presently no 'worse' than some of my hens. And the saddle feathers are still quite rounded at this point, instead of the drapey pointed roo feathers.

(Okay, so 'drapey' is a word I've made up recently. I have used it quite a bit over the last year or so. How do you all think it should be spelt? 'Drapey', Drapie" or Drapy' - I kind of thing the last would be pronounced 'drap - ee' with a soft a, ????)

Well a/he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so I have time to figure out if he is a she or not

I despise snakes so I cannot force myself to say it is pretty. I am also rooting for your chickens to eat said nope ropes. That snake is not ugly though. I still would not touch it. Maybe if all that showed up in my yard were harmless I would not be so anti-snake. Unfortunately my yard, subdivision and the barn are copperhead central. Rosie loves the creek and like all children wants to play in it with her friends catching crawdads. I'm tired of yelling stay out of the creek. Anymore it is if you get bit not taking you to a er, eat some Benadryl. Thinking about it, I need to loan Rosie out for you one summer. She could weed your cactus's and help with the horses. She would also be catching all the nope ropes and then calling me asking could she bring it home as a pet.

We have rattlers here but they are an endangered species so not very plentiful. I am more worried about the rat problem in my barn!

Milksnakes are not venomous so they can stay around here. They are entertainment for the chickens hahaha! The Garter Snake is also not venomous ,

Drapey is definitely a word.

View attachment 3552980

OK then drapey it is

 

[Ponypoor]

Me too. That 2nd video made those oranger spots pop.

I have a third video I will post later on, lot's of visitors today. I also did some video of Tippy, and Rico for comparison.

 

[Lilion]

Okay all...NOW I'm worried about Eenie. I stuck the camera in to get a photo of her on the nest and she does not look well! I was kind of shocked when I blew up this picture. She looked okay walking around yesterday. If you enlarge it, her wing feathers look bare and she looks...disheveled. She is eating and drinking and pooping. I'm no longer concerned about the heat. I stuck in a thermometer and it's actually a couple degrees cooler in the nest box than it is in the rest of the coop. But she doesn't really look healthy.

I can't catch her and look her over without my husband to help, but I can check her out more closely tomorrow. What should I look for? What does everyone think?

I suppose it could be from the rooster...poor Sheba is bare at the top of her wings...

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I want to say it is a blessing having a experienced breeder behind you to give advice and pointers when you are out of your comfort zone. Talked to her a bit today. We discussed the pros and cons of using the incubator or hen hatched. With 15 years behind her incubating silkies I learned of a mistake when I have tried to incubate my own. Apparently like marans, silkies also need a different humidity. She told me she has the best hatch rate when she incubates exactly at 41% and hatches at exactly at 61%. Any fluctuations either way and it effects viability and hatch success. Even with me stalking my incubator I can keep it in range but not a steady percentage the entire time. We then got to talking about how I have more success and how I prefer my hens to do the hatching and rearing. Upon her advice I am taking the gamble to let Perdita have these eggs. It will be a risk either way and I will probably second guess myself with either option. When it all boils down though for the most part my hens do out perform the incubator almost every single time.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

I despise snakes so I cannot force myself to say it is pretty. I am also rooting for your chickens to eat said nope ropes. That snake is not ugly though. I still would not touch it. Maybe if all that showed up in my yard were harmless I would not be so anti-snake. Unfortunately my yard, subdivision and the barn are copperhead central. Rosie loves the creek and like all children wants to play in it with her friends catching crawdads. I'm tired of yelling stay out of the creek. Anymore it is if you get bit not taking you to a er, eat some Benadryl. Thinking about it, I need to loan Rosie out for you one summer. She could weed your cactus's and help with the horses. She would also be catching all the nope ropes and then calling me asking could she bring it home as a pet.

Luckily Copperheads aren't as venomous as other snakes, such as Timber Rattlesnakes, Pygmy Rattlesnakes, Eastern/Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes, and Coral snakes. I would much rather be bitten by a copperhead than those. Oh, not to mention Cottonmouths. They are quite venomous.
Unfortunately I have all those venomous snakes (except western Diamondbacks AND copperheads. I'm stuck with the big, venomous snakes.)
Although I have some non-venomous snakes that I try to catch, until my dad looks my way....

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

Well a/he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so I have time to figure out if he is a she or not


We have rattlers here but they are an endangered species so not very plentiful. I am more worried about the rat problem in my barn!

Milksnakes are not venomous so they can stay around here. They are entertainment for the chickens hahaha! The Garter Snake is also not venomous ,


OK then drapey it is

What type of rattlers? Haha, I'm interested! I'm gonna look it up! What "state" are you in? Ontario? Montreal? Or does all of Canada share the same snakes?