Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I believe it's a cottonmouth

Yep - could kill chicks no problem.

 

[Ponypoor]

Think cool thoughts! View attachment 3562728

Go away!

Hahahahaha! Yuck!

 

[featherhead007]

In all this heat, the Chooks finally decide to come out and play. I’m running the mist system in the run
It’s not working well at the moment

 

[Ponypoor]

Poor weanlings

The silkie chicks and Penne still want their mamas they were up on the ledge - Fluffy and Henny Penny were pecking and chasing them up there so I went out and put them in their nest box.

Then I came back in the house to watch my tv show Sister Bonaface; checked the camera again and Frosty was hopping up onto the ledge.

First step…

Second step…

Up on the ledge!

And hiding behind mama Curly to get away from mama Fluffy.

Finally deciding Mr P was a safer bet to stick by!

I will keep an eye on her and move her down again when I go out and do evening chores.

Poor babies

 

[Sally PB]

I just run water from the hose onto the ground so the ground is wet, they dig around in that, cools their feet.

I dump the wateres at lock up, and pour the water on the ground. Those areas seem to be the favorite lounging spots, because the earth is cooler.

 

[GregnLety]

Yep - could kill chicks no problem.

Venomous, more so than a copperhead so it could kill a pup or chook and make a person downright sick.

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh Frosty what are you doing?

I might have to send them to my friend sooner than later if those chicks keep trying to be with mamas - too dangerous for wee silkie chicklets to be up on that ledge.

 

[rural mouse]

Maybe I'll crack them (one at a time in a bowl of course) and freeze them for this winter when the laying stops.

Up to 87 here and we just finished our outdoor chores. There's more we could do, but this fat lady has had enough sweating this week.

More Eenie drama. Both of Sheba's marked eggs have bit the dust. Found them out of the nest, room temp at best. We didn't bother to candle them, since this was the 2nd time out of the nest for one of them. Then the real craziness began...

First, I caught Manny giving Eenie (on her nest) a few good pecks through the curtain! I ran him off, but a bit later caught him in the nest box with her. I managed to get him to leave again and noticed he'd scratched down to the concrete. Could he be looking for the mice? The bwack bwack bwaGOk of both Manny and Meanie after I ran him out was deafening. They carried on for ages.

Anyway, later, I caught him there again. That time Meanie took the opportunity to horn in too. She's laid today...so she has no business in there again.
View attachment 3562556
View attachment 3562546

What on earth would make a roo sit in the nest box? I'm more than a little worried that they're trying to force Eenie off the nest. Maybe that is why eggs are being kicked out? She's down to three.

I'm worried now about the plan to give her chicks. Maybe she's just too submissive to protect them if the other's don't want them?

Roo is saying is a good place to lay eggs. He's being a good boy and finding (and suggesting) "good" places to nest. Sound sort of half way between the tidbit and the purr.

 

[rural mouse]

Think cool thoughts! View attachment 3562728

You said "cool" not "frigid".

 

[Ponypoor]

Venomous, more so than a copperhead so it could kill a pup or chook and make a person downright sick.

Wise move to get rid of it in that case.

Thankfully we don’t have too many poisonous things here.