Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Last night it was 1030 when kid and I got home. Butte, MT does its fireworks display on July 3 (I've tried finding out why, but so far, the best I can do is that it started in 1913, and has gone on every year since. This includes during covid shut down: park gathering spots were closed but people statewide were being encouraged to be outside (spread out) so the display went on). We have an annual get-together with friends. The in-lawscome too. This year, both of my sisters and families came too. Son and I both have to work today so ended up leaving before the display.

Pop door on coop was left open all night. 615, Cheetah is up by the house crowing. 626, he's still going and Whiskey just went off. I guess it's breakfast time. Have a bag of peels, rinds, and other food scraps from the prep for yesterday.

Looks like they approve.

 

[RoyalChick]

Size doesn't necessarily mean higher. Adventurous doesn't necessarily mean higher either. My experiences with adventurous are it usually means lower. In the wild, the adventurous one is away from the tribe, making themselves an easier target for predators to pick off. What we see as adventurous frequently means the bird in question is giving way to those higher for food. As such they're foraging farther away while the highers eat the choice pieces. Once those are finished, the "adventurous" one comes in to the "choice bits" and cleans up (like a pride of lions: who eats the fresh kill first).

Hmmm. Piglet is both first to all food and first (with Sylvie) to rush into new situations.

 

[RoyalChick]

El Syd in Trouble
Thinking back some more on yesterday's observations, Sydney was also in trouble with Aurora, not just Hattie. There was a time yesterday after I emptied the pool skimmer, when Aurora and Phyllis were calmly sharing the bugs from the skimmer together.

Right! I was shocked. But it really happened. Aurora really does not share the skimmer proceeds with anyone and here she was letting Phyllis have some.

Well Sydney came up to join in and Aurora first verbally warned her. Sydney, as usual, did not listen and back off. So Aurora pecked her. Syd stepped back and then went around behind Aurora to try and sneak some. Aurora knew the move wheeled, pecked Syd again and then chased her leaving Phyllis alone with all the skimmer bugs.

I was sure that Aurora would drive Phyllis off when she came back but the two of the them just started chatting while eating.

Strange as it may seem, Phyllis and Aurora were seen together quite a bit yesterday peacefully coexisting.

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I wonder what crime Sydney has committed.
I love her anyway.

 

[RoyalChick]

Here is a Twofer Tuesday from Sylvie and Piglet.

It took me a while and some cropping to get that shot as I was contending with this from Calypso.

 

[featherhead007]

Here is a Twofer Tuesday from Sylvie and Piglet.
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It took me a while and some cropping to get that shot as I was contending with this from Calypso.


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Everyone wants to be in the picture!

 

[Ponypoor]

This is true except in tribes of mixed birds. I have ladies with different activity levels. Glynda and Phyllis are not lay around birds. They are always in motion. Hattie is like a cow now. She she grazes until her craw is full and then literally lays down to digest. Sydney and Aurora don't always lay down with Hattie but they stand with her grooming, etc. Once they are full. Poor Lady Featherington I think wants to lay down with Hattie but her besty Glynda keeps talking her into more exploring.

So high energy birds could seem to be lower in the order than they are.

To truly discern pecking order takes a lot of observation and knowing of your chickens personalities.

I think night time roosting will tell you who is where in the pecking order. For instance here Penelope gets the choice spot and she doesn’t even have to peck any one. Then Blanche and Sophia roost with her. This past several months Rose has decided she is going to be with The Three queen bees. And now that Sophia is brooding Rose has taken over her spot.

It will be interesting to see what she does once Sophia is back in the mix!

 

[Ponypoor]

Here is a Twofer Tuesday from Sylvie and Piglet.
View attachment 3565477

It took me a while and some cropping to get that shot as I was contending with this from Calypso.


View attachment 3565482
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That’s a perfect job, well done! You should post that for the POW

 

[Ponypoor]

I figure at this point I'll ask the vet next time Enzo has his appointment. She seems fine in every other way.

Yes as long as she is doing good I would say it’s likely nothing. She looks great!

 

[Ponypoor]

El Syd in Trouble
Thinking back some more on yesterday's observations, Sydney was also in trouble with Aurora, not just Hattie. There was a time yesterday after I emptied the pool skimmer, when Aurora and Phyllis were calmly sharing the bugs from the skimmer together.

Right! I was shocked. But it really happened. Aurora really does not share the skimmer proceeds with anyone and here she was letting Phyllis have some.

Well Sydney came up to join in and Aurora first verbally warned her. Sydney, as usual, did not listen and back off. So Aurora pecked her. Syd stepped back and then went around behind Aurora to try and sneak some. Aurora knew the move wheeled, pecked Syd again and then chased her leaving Phyllis alone with all the skimmer bugs.

I was sure that Aurora would drive Phyllis off when she came back but the two of the them just started chatting while eating.

Strange as it may seem, Phyllis and Aurora were seen together quite a bit yesterday peacefully coexisting.

View attachment 3565437

Awww poor Syd - I find here that alliances come and go, it’s very fluid, but the top dog remains Penelope and no one bothers her, all she has to do is turn around and look at someone annoying her and the go away!

I rarely see her pecking anyone but she did peck Misty yesterday when she got in her way of viewing Sophia and the chicks.

Yee gads I hope she doesn’t decide to go broody - 7 yrs old ? and never broody before? She would be a ferocious mama I think.

 

[Ponypoor]

Last night it was 1030 when kid and I got home. Butte, MT does its fireworks display on July 3 (I've tried finding out why, but so far, the best I can do is that it started in 1913, and has gone on every year since. This includes during covid shut down: park gathering spots were closed but people statewide were being encouraged to be outside (spread out) so the display went on). We have an annual get-together with friends. The in-lawscome too. This year, both of my sisters and families came too. Son and I both have to work today so ended up leaving before the display.

Pop door on coop was left open all night. 615, Cheetah is up by the house crowing. 626, he's still going and Whiskey just went off. I guess it's breakfast time. Have a bag of peels, rinds, and other food scraps from the prep for yesterday.

View attachment 3565439View attachment 3565440Looks like they approve.

6:15…. Hmmm it was 4:45 this morning here hahaha. So far my neighbours haven’t complained - I think I likely am more bothered by it as I keep my windows open at night.

Now I have 4 crowing - sheesh!

And I just caught Penne tidbitting and Blanche came over to see what he was offering he ran off a bit as he is still young and not sure what to do after tidbitting. He will be 10 weeks old Thursday- so far he has been a good boy, not bad like Rico who has at time been terrorizing the silkie Hens. Rico was so bad last week attacking poor Curly that I grabbed him by the tail as he ran by and held him while I finished doing water.

He has been pretty good since that episode. Mr P needs to put him in his place but hasn’t yet.