Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Poor sweet baby Peanut.

Thank you . I can't hope for anything but a peaceful passing for her.

 

[Skyewatcher]

The circle of life is quite the learning experience for everyone. Celebrating birth/hatch day and mourning the coming passing and those that have already passed- slightly bitter sweet- treasuring the happy memories while also acknowledging the pain of death of a Loved one!!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Ask Aurora
Today's Question comes from @RebeccaBoyd Peep and the Marshmallows.

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And they ask..........

Dear Aurora,

Hi, it is Peep and my fellow Marshmallow crew here. We caught our hooman mom busy tending to the new chicks and I made a break for it and snuck in her window. We want to know what is "Hooligans" and why is she saying it around us like it is a bad thing? We were not doing anything wrong, just testing out our wings. Yes we were using the neighbors chain link fence like it was a tight rope. Yes we also launched ourselves off it into the top of the tree when she spotted us and came to shoo us down. It was fun! We would have stayed in it longer except dad came around the corner and we did not want to get into trouble with him. Momma Chiquita has given up and now just threatens to tell our father when we have fun. Did you know we can now fly up to the top of the main big roost between the stalls from the ground? Half the other flock cannot do that, they have to use the stall boards. I think we can fly higher, I've been eyeing the roof. Our Hooman mom see this and dares us to do it saying we will get in trouble if she has to climb a ladder and chase us down. Uncle Dirt says do it, we are only young once. Also do you have any advice on how to catch a squirrel? We terrorize the birds and cats that come into the yard but the sneaky squirrel is smart. He jumps as good as we can fly. He stole some of our corn yesterday before we spotted him, the nerve. Our queen Butter says we are growing up and it is time to act like ladies. Acting like respectable ladies sounds boring, do we really have to? If you were our Queen you would not make us act like boring chickens would you? We all agree you would come up with fun games to play. How many Squirrels live at your house? Maybe if we had more then one to chase we could figure out how to catch them. Ooh gotta go, I hear our Hooman coming around the house, do not want to get caught on the computer and be called a hooligan again, I think.

Respectfully yours
Peep and the Marshmallows.


Dear Peep and the Marshmallows,

I have been delayed somewhat in replying to your inquiry. I apologize for that, but a Queen’s life is not easy and there are always things that need to be done. You know, Phyllis needs pecked, I need to steal food from Hattie, Sydney needs reprimanded for something, Glynda needs instruction on what it takes to be a great leader, etc. etc. The demands on my time are endless.

First off, your name, I love it. I swear I heard a song once by a band with that name. I wonder what it was………

Maybe it will come to me later.

My hooman servant tells me you are leghorns. From the way he talks about leghorns you would think they are the best chickens to ever roam the earth. We all know that is not true as you do not have beards and muffs so there is no way you could be the best. He did explain that you have big wings and look much like Glynda. I very much like Glynda. She is willing to take on our cat which is more than 4 times her size. I like a chicken that is not afraid of big challenges and who can punch way above their weight. It kind of sounds like you lot might be much like her. If so, then you are OK in my book.

You are blessed with large wings and can fly well then fly. Fly for all you are worth. Don’t limit yourself to the ground like the rest of us. It is the nature of chickens to explore and be curious. Go flying and have adventures. That way you have stories to tell on the roost at night. This will make you very popular with many other chickens who can’t fly and explore like you. Frankly who wants to hear one more time about the giant nightcrawler that Hattie caught that one time which was so big she could not swallow it all in one bite. She had to pull it back out and break it up so it would fit in her craw. If I have to hear that story one more time……….Well let’s just say we could use a little adventure around here. If you can reach the roof, you go up on the roof and come back and tell everyone else what you saw.

Now squirrel hunting is a serious business. The queen here before me, Lilly, was a great squirrel hunter. She would put on her squirrel hunting hat and she would encourage us all to join in.

View attachment 3567433

Her and Phyllis, if you can believe it, once cornered a squirrel and would have killed it but for the squirrel’s ability to climb. She actually got several whacks on its head before it escaped. My best friend Maleficent was an excellent hunter. She worked with Lilly and the queen before her, Patsy, to organize a chipmunk hunt one time. I participated in this hunt, and we nearly had it when it wiggled under the fence and got away.

What makes a good hunt? Communication and Coordination.

You must talk to each other and work together. You want to spread the marshmallows out and coordinate movements. The idea is to herd the squirrel into an area from where it cannot climb out or run away. You need to identify a fence corner or something similar. Then you need to slowly drive the squirrel towards that location. It is important to tell your teammates when the squirrel is headed their way. Slowly keep driving the squirrel towards the corner. When you finally have the squirrel cornered you will need to take turns attacking its head until you land the knockout blow. Whenever one attacks, the others keep the squirrel cornered. This is the only way to beat the squirrel. They are wily opponents. They are cheeky and will steal your food whenever they can. Lilly was never able to kill one, but she truly believed it possible.

A famous hooman servant named Laurel Thatcher Ulrich once said “Well-behaved women seldom make history”. The same holds true for hens as well. Butter truly sounds like an old bitty. I bet she is an Orpington. Old bitties like to say behave yourself, follow the rules, do things the right way and they will never change anything. They want things to stay as they are. I bet they would love Hattie’s stupid worm story. I bet Butter looks something like this.

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You be you. If you want to play in the mud, play in the mud. You white chickens repel mud like water off a duck’s back. You want to chase cats, Glynda likes to chase cats and she kinda looks like a leghorn, you chase cats. You think up a great new game, you play it and encourage others to do so. You want to eat pepper plants in the garden, well you should be careful there. Hooman servants are touchy about their plants. You show everyone how much fun it is to be adventuresome and maybe you can offset the Old Bitties a little bit. Who knows maybe you can change chicken life where you are for the better. Besides, I’m willing to gamble that Butter is unable to catch you to peck you anyway.

I do feel a little reminder is in order. Butter is your better. In most things she will be right. Don’t let her control your fun but you MUST listen to her in all other things. It is “The Way of the Chicken”. Despite everything you are still chickens and need to follow “The Way”.

By the way, I think Hooligan is a compliment. My Hooman servant called me one the other day when I stole Hattie’s tomato............I mean when I replaced Hattie’s overripe tomato with a fresh green one.

Queen Aurora

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Another great one, oh Queen! Heartwarming and comforting to me today, thanks.

 

[rural mouse]

That is a well hidden nest. That one is a tough call. I put that in Momma Hen category on nest spots. I prefer enclosed area's if possible but my girls do not always cooperate. Truth be told when Momma Hen pulled her stunt in December on the hillside that was not the smartest choice. She was exposed to coyotes, coons and possums, but due to the location I was left to pray for the best. There is actually more cover there then Momma Hen had. Are you planning on mowing that area? If yes break her up. If not and you would not mind the chicks monitor closely but know you are taking a risk. Actually I take back that monitor closely, you do not want to lead any scent at all besides hers to that general location.

I followed her out, just to find it. Glad to hear it ranks with Momma Hen's choices. Thank you.

I've also tramped all over the hillside looking for her, so my scent is all over. Plan to "wander" the hillside again, just to mix up the scent while avoiding that spot. As she has chosen to nest on the "outside of the Russian olives, I have ZERO plans to mow it. Depending upon how the rest of the summer goes, I may change my mind on that, but not until after she's hatched...if she's successful. Now I've seen the eggs, and you've confirmed she's got good cover, I'll let her go for it.

Possibly 13 babies....may have to engineer more roosts....going to have to mull that one a bit. Probably should have an idea in mind if it's ever needed anyway.

 

[rural mouse]

Peanut is not doing much better on the painkiller. Just talked to the vet call center, she's looking to see if the vet on duty can come here tomorrow to help Peanut pass. She offered to check if I could bring Peanut up there today, but unless it's cancelled due to thunderstorms (actually likely) I have a gig in the opposite direction today and have to leave here by 4. It also would be added stress on Peanut to travel, it would be altogether less stress all around, me included to not travel for it...

I'm sitting with her with the side door to the nestbox open. She's confined herself here today, and though the Meloxicam has perked her up as far as catching flies, preening a little, gathering a little nest box hemp to her breast, she's not moving much except to adjust her sitting and raise up a bit and forward to poop. She doesn't want to drink any water. She is taking some blueberries and a little scrambled eggs & sunflower seeds. Her crop seems full and I wonder if things aren't moving.

Her belly is not tight like it was but it is filling again, and she is panting and seems hot. She stood a bit wingspreading and then slowly settled down like she didn't want the strain of standing. Or I'm imagining that. But the chopped hemp is warm and holds her heat. I might put her on the roost platform next to this where it is much cooler, especially since there's a big hole below with hardware cloth and screening in the poop tray now. If she wants to move back I'll help her if she can't.
Edit - I just left her there on the hemp. She might be feeling vulnerable and wants to feel hidden in the nest box darkness.

 

[RoyalChick]

I followed her out, just to find it. Glad to hear it ranks with Momma Hen's choices. Thank you.

I've also tramped all over the hillside looking for her, so my scent is all over. Plan to "wander" the hillside again, just to mix up the scent while avoiding that spot. As she has chosen to nest on the "outside of the Russian olives, I have ZERO plans to mow it. Depending upon how the rest of the summer goes, I may change my mind on that, but not until after she's hatched...if she's successful. Now I've seen the eggs, and you've confirmed she's got good cover, I'll let her go for it.

Possibly 13 babies....may have to engineer more roosts....going to have to mull that one a bit. Probably should have an idea in mind if it's ever needed anyway.

Her chosen nest site makes a good argument for deploying a drone to monitor your chickens - you could sit on the porch with a beverage of your choosing and look all over the field!

 

[Lilion]

Yikes - it didn’t even occur to me that it might be an issue with the well itself.
Yikes.
Taking deep breaths - nothing I can do until the guy gets here other than finding all my hand sanitizer bottles.

Sorry. Didn't mean to freak you out. Could be something super simple and cheap to fix.

Thank goodness my house well is a dug well, haul lid off, drop bucket on to ape down, haul up - repeat yep done that before!

I literally didn't think those still existed outside of movies anymore!

Peanut is not doing much better on the painkiller. Just talked to the vet call center, she's looking to see if the vet on duty can come here tomorrow to help Peanut pass. She offered to check if I could bring Peanut up there today, but unless it's cancelled due to thunderstorms (actually likely) I have a gig in the opposite direction today and have to leave here by 4. It also would be added stress on Peanut to travel, it would be altogether less stress all around, me included to not travel for it...

I'm sitting with her with the side door to the nestbox open. She's confined herself here today, and though the Meloxicam has perked her up as far as catching flies, preening a little, gathering a little nest box hemp to her breast, she's not moving much except to adjust her sitting and raise up a bit and forward to poop. She doesn't want to drink any water. She is taking some blueberries and a little scrambled eggs & sunflower seeds. Her crop seems full and I wonder if things aren't moving.

Her belly is not tight like it was but it is filling again, and she is panting and seems hot. She stood a bit wingspreading and then slowly settled down like she didn't want the strain of standing. Or I'm imagining that. But the chopped hemp is warm and holds her heat. I might put her on the roost platform next to this where it is much cooler, especially since there's a big hole below with hardware cloth and screening in the poop tray now. If she wants to move back I'll help her if she can't.
Edit - I just left her there on the hemp. She might be feeling vulnerable and wants to feel hidden in the nest box darkness.

I'm sorry.

 

[LhickenChicken]

2:21am your time I assume ? It states 5:21am my time.

Please be safe - wear a mask Alex the soot and chemicals burning are bad for your lungs.

It was 3:21 my time. I'd be a grouch any day if that happened! The only danger of fire for me is forest fire.

 

[Ponypoor]

Submersible pump? By the time he gets it all pulled up, fix is then simple. Attach new pump, drop it all back down, re connect, good to go. (Unless it gets dropped and he has to go fishing for it. NOT fun!) He's got all the right tools. As long as the new pump doesn't have to be ordered....

View attachment 3568849

Those chicks of yours are wonderful, and growing so fast!

 

[Ponypoor]

Peanut is not doing much better on the painkiller. Just talked to the vet call center, she's looking to see if the vet on duty can come here tomorrow to help Peanut pass. She offered to check if I could bring Peanut up there today, but unless it's cancelled due to thunderstorms (actually likely) I have a gig in the opposite direction today and have to leave here by 4. It also would be added stress on Peanut to travel, it would be altogether less stress all around, me included to not travel for it...

I'm sitting with her with the side door to the nestbox open. She's confined herself here today, and though the Meloxicam has perked her up as far as catching flies, preening a little, gathering a little nest box hemp to her breast, she's not moving much except to adjust her sitting and raise up a bit and forward to poop. She doesn't want to drink any water. She is taking some blueberries and a little scrambled eggs & sunflower seeds. Her crop seems full and I wonder if things aren't moving.

Her belly is not tight like it was but it is filling again, and she is panting and seems hot. She stood a bit wingspreading and then slowly settled down like she didn't want the strain of standing. Or I'm imagining that. But the chopped hemp is warm and holds her heat. I might put her on the roost platform next to this where it is much cooler, especially since there's a big hole below with hardware cloth and screening in the poop tray now. If she wants to move back I'll help her if she can't.
Edit - I just left her there on the hemp. She might be feeling vulnerable and wants to feel hidden in the nest box darkness.

I am so sorry, I think you are doing the right thing with not giving her added stress.