Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Gigachad poultry]

Welcome to Fluffy Butt Acres - normally By Bob would welcome you, but I figured I would welcome you - we are a chatty bunch and love posting photos of our chickens - we love seeing photos of new people chickens also.

Especially chicks

I've got the perfect chicks and chickens I can show you guys!

 

[rural mouse]

Last night's "mug" (night mode really scoops the light in)

And in chicken mugs, today's focus is Havoc

And Havoc was joined by Enigma and Tuff

 

[BY Bob]

Mugs Monday

Frosty
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Henny Penny
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Penne - another awesom comb! Mixed with black pigments
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Cappy
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Diamond I think another Roo (or could be Eli-too can’t see white spots on chest)
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Some really great faces in your group these days. Great pics!

 

[BY Bob]

I've got the perfect chicks and chickens I can show you guys!

We can't wait to see them.

 

[featherhead007]

He feels you’re a threat to his harem.

Hey what’s going on with the chicks?

The neighbor chicks still come around to eat the good stuff.

 

[Sally PB]

My dad also says that I need to find a way to make my birds food, because he is done buying it... Any suggestions on how to make HEALTHY food?

This is a BIG topic in other threads. The short answer is: Commercial feed is almost always cheaper and better quality than you can make yourself.

There are certain amino acids referred to as "limiting amino acids," meaning, if you don't get enough of those in the feed, the birds will suffer. One of them, Methionine (often referred to as "Met" for short), is critical to physical development, especially in chicks. If they don't get enough Met when they're young, there's no way to make it up and correct the problems that can ensue.

There are very few plant sources of adequate Met. In fact, in organic feeds, a certain amount of synthetic Met is allowed, just because otherwise, the feed would be deficient in this critical amino acid. And that's just one of the critical amino acids.

Yes, you could feed your chickens leftovers and let them forage. They might be fine. They might be fine for a while. They might have health issues right away. It's hard to tell.

In the tool and die trade, we used to say, "Cheap, Fast, Good. Pick any two." Meaning, if it's cheap and fast, it won't be any good; if it's cheap and good, it won't be fast; and if it's good and fast, it surely won't be cheap. (For "fast," in this case, substitute "easy.")

There is a Cheap, Fast, Good option for feeding your chickens: Commercial feed. If you can find ways to stretch it, then it's even cheaper.

I'll be stretching out my feed by gathering Japanese Beetles when they arrive. But I will spend an hour a day collecting them. I can give my chickens great entertainment and some food by giving them a bucket of weeds from my garden. Another time commitment.

Please talk to your dad about this. Pick a time when he's not stressed about something else. Maybe write down what you want to say beforehand. Offer to pay (or work for) some of the feed cost.

 

[Ponypoor]

I've got the perfect chicks and chickens I can show you guys!

Wee look forward to seeing them

 

[Ponypoor]

The neighbor chicks still come around to eat the good stuff.

They likely think of you as home base now

Ok all have to run, putting up hay today; only 300 so hopefully it goes fast.

 

[featherhead007]

“Attention all units, suspects spotted by helo, route 144 at Town/Center. Be advised.. armed and dangerous. Handle code 3. Dispatch out! “

 

[Lilion]

How eggciting ! Oh I cannot wait to see her with her babies.

I would suggest having your hubby build a small brooder run were you can move her once the babies are hatched. A safe place for a couple weeks until that wee ones get big enough to run / fly away.

How eggciting

We can move them to the old coop, which can be moved over next to the main run. It's a little 4x8 thing. Would that work?