Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I LOVE her stylish eyewear! So 'chic'

I would can her Specs

EDIT: call not can (sheesh!)

 

[Lilion]

But if the air is moving it is helping with any evaporation of moisture - hence how the swamp cooler works. If it were me here I would have the fans on my gang, esp as the temps are all over the place - it's been high 80's and 90F, then like today 64F... I am freezing here, I got used to the heat and now it's darn chilly for me.

We're high alpine borderline desert.....so it's rained everyday for almost 2 months.... ordinarily our air is on the dry side, unless a storm is about to break. The hose running down the hill creates a moving current. Moving water does move air just above it. Even if it doesn't move the air much, it does move....and our well water comes out pretty cold which helps too. If I were in town, I'd me more inclined to take some buckets, old lunch meat tubs, or other plastic containers, fill them with goodies: dried bugs, berries, veggies scraps, grains, sprouts: then fill with water and freeze. Pull one out on a hot day and dump the whole thing out where they can get at it. Refill the container and keep using it until the thing breaks. Any newly filled containers would go on the bottom of the stack in the freezer. I'd save the buckets (if I could make space in the freezer) for the extra hot days and the days we would be gone most of the day.

Here it's been pretty steady in the mid 80s to low 90s, which it's supposed to go back to by Sunday. That's pretty moderate for here. The chooks haven't seemed to mind the heat so far, but this quick little heat wave has me concerned. Last year we had a couple weeks of 100+...but I didn't have chickens then.

The coop is located at the NW corner of a larger uninsulated metal shed. There is lots of ventilation. That end is also in the shade in the afternoon. But hot is hot even in the best shade.

I froze some veggies, tomatoes mostly, last year just for the chickens. I'll have the husband give them some tomorrow.

It's Eenie I mostly worry about, on that nest with no breeze.

How is your hen today? is she still standing odd?

Really, she's almost back to normal. Her tail isn't hanging as low. She laid again today. All in all, I'm pretty sure she's fine.

 

[Ponypoor]

She makes me think of the Michelin Man, or the Dough Boy - all big and fluffy head to toe! See @RoyalChick - wouldn't you like a lap chicken like that sitting on your lap all cozy????

I know she is so fluffy - Curly is like that when she molts. I think you already told me - but it's a 50% chance to get a frizzle if I breed to a normal silkie right?

 

[Ponypoor]

Here it's been pretty steady in the mid 80s to low 90s, which it's supposed to go back to by Sunday. That's pretty moderate for here. The chooks haven't seemed to mind the heat so far, but this quick little heat wave has me concerned. Last year we had a couple weeks of 100+...but I didn't have chickens then.

The coop is located at the NW corner of a larget uninsulated metal shed. There is lots of ventilation. That end is also in the shade in the afternoon. But hot is hot even in the best shade.

I froze some veggies, tomatoes mostly, last year just for the chickens. I'll have the husband give them some tomorrow.

It's Eenie I mostly worry about, on that nest with no breeze.


Really, she's almost back to normal. Her tail isn't hanging as low. She laid again today. All in all, I'm pretty sure she's fine.

When you temperatures are steady everyone gets a chance to acclimate - which is a good thing!

I am so happy to hear your hen is doing better - makes a person really nervous when they are not well.

 

[bgmathteach]

I know she is so fluffy - Curly is like that when she molts. I think you already told me - but it's a 50% chance to get a frizzle if I breed to a normal silkie right?

Um, that is @RebeccaBoyd and @rural mouse 's area of expertice - genetics!

 

[Ponypoor]

Here it's been pretty steady in the mid 80s to low 90s, which it's supposed to go back to by Sunday. That's pretty moderate for here. The chooks haven't seemed to mind the heat so far, but this quick little heat wave has me concerned. Last year we had a couple weeks of 100+...but I didn't have chickens then.

The coop is located at the NW corner of a larger uninsulated metal shed. There is lots of ventilation. That end is also in the shade in the afternoon. But hot is hot even in the best shade.

I froze some veggies, tomatoes mostly, last year just for the chickens. I'll have the husband give them some tomorrow.

It's Eenie I mostly worry about, on that nest with no breeze.


Really, she's almost back to normal. Her tail isn't hanging as low. She laid again today. All in all, I'm pretty sure she's fine.

Can you put a fan for Eanie?? Move the air a bit for her.

 

[Ponypoor]

Um, that is @RebeccaBoyd and @rural mouse 's area of expertice - genetics!

Ooops silly me!

But those frizzles are sure really neat!

And yet again another reason I find chickens amazing with all the extreme colours, feathers, sizes… egg colours! Outstanding!

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

Okay, I think that I am going to try to convince my dad to get chicks. I will even find some money I have to buy them!
Willow is not doing well. She looks severely depressed and dehydrated. I gave her some frozen watermelon today. She is light as a feather (I think she is about a pound right now) and she has not been eating. I have been putting food and water in front of her.
I need her to get off of the nest, or I think that I may lose her. I do want her to be able to be a mom, and I don't want to stress her out by kicking her off the nest everyday.
Also, I didn't build that broody area for nothing.

 

[rural mouse]

Um, that is @RebeccaBoyd and @rural mouse 's area of expertice - genetics!

I haven't really looked into HOW to breed a frizzle. I looked long enough to learn 2 things.

1. Frizzle to frizzle makes incredibly brittle feathers, that can break in a light breeze (we got WIND).

2. The feathers don't work well to keep them warm in winter. We have WINTER.

Instant decision: they're cute and getting any/breeding any without special facilities for them wouldn't be fair to them. hard no. No need to learn more about them.

 

[rural mouse]

Ooops silly me!

But those frizzles are sure really neat!

And yet again another reason I find chickens amazing with all the extreme colours, feathers, sizes… egg colours! Outstanding!

Agreed. I'm constantly fascinated by the variety

Example:

Shan (Havoc almost perfect behind)

Mother: Primula or Belladonna (dark Brahma)

Father: Kren (due to green legs)

Or

Lark

Father: Cheetah
Mother:

Either Blanche or PITA

Blue-black-splash genetics....