Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

So, what I can see says pullet.

Is there a way you can get a good tail shot of each? (profile is good - but need to see the 'saddle feathers' (ones that fall on either side of the primary tail feathers) and the tail feathers themselves - including tips.

My 5+ almost 6 week old chicks - 3 are definitely pullets, one is definitely a roo, and one is questionable. (Some hens will have 1 or 2 tail feathers that curve a bit at the tip - which is also how a young rooster's tail/flag feathers start out in their first baby molt (2nd set of feathers - before a true juvenile molt) I know others can tell by the hackle feathers, but this early, I find frequently there isn't enough difference to use those.

That said, are you sure it wasn't one of the adults attempting a crow? remember what Aurora's crow sounded like. You could tell it was a crow, but it wasn't like an adult roo crow. (I have yet to have a hen crow....but I think it is less likely when you have roosters than when you don't.)

Remember back in the winter I posted Penelope and Mr P having a crowing contest?! She could crow as well as he could!

So glad I got rid of the roosts and put in the ledge - they are much happier I feel. Less bed time drama.

 

[Ponypoor]

They might relax and spread out later. Mine start every single night in a pile in the corner. They have ever since we moved them to the big coop. So weird. They're up on the roost when we go let them out though.

They do tend to shuffle around some at night.

 

[BY Bob]

You have started my nightmares again!

The guy suggested I keep some of my empty cat litter buckets full of water with a splash of bleach so I have extra flushing capacity ‘just in case’.
Smart idea but somehow alarming!

Flush tax - evidence that I am innocent of the charge of starving Bernadette. She routinely accuses me of starving her. I offer this silhouette in my defense

View attachment 3570203

That is one well fed lady.

 

[BeefQuesoritto]

Oh, I was going to ask... now that the ladies are getting closer to laying age, I need to come up with nesting boxes. I ripped some useless cabinets out of my laundry room to replace them with better shelving. Thoughts on repurposing? I have 3 of these. Maybe just use two? 12 pullets and 1 hen.



I put it in the run already so they could get used to it, and someone already pooped in it. I've got fake eggs ordered to start putting them some place. There's no real reason to use these over milk crates besides them being free, so I'm all ears.

@RoyalChick did this make sense or am I speaking Klingon? I'm a might tired with both sisters visiting this week (1 left this morning)

That's not in Klingon, this is:

Spoiler: Dumb Joke

Qaghchugh Dachommey, cha'maH cha'logh SIbI' bop bomSIpDI' je. SoHQo' je lo'laHvam qama' vItlhutlhlaHbe', nIvbogh wIvchuq: 'e' vItlhutlh.

Silkie reD: Silkie 'Ip Huj qanHommeH naQ 'ej 'e' Silkie SIbI' qanHommeH. vaj, roo ZZ qanHommeH 'ej hen ZW qanHommeH, wa'vam purHochlaHvam chu' vItlhutlh ghoS qanHommeHvam. vaj, wI'elDajqa' W hen'achvam mab yajDu' 'ej jach wIboghDaj vItlhutlh SIbI' 'e' DamaQ. wI'elDI'ejDaq, roo'qa' Z jajHa' jIH, 'ej, reH 'e' DaSovrup qanHommeH, DamaQ (qangvIS, SIbI' mupwI' vIghojmeH) wI'elDI'ejvam DamaQvam.

Silkie roo ZZ qanHommeH non-silkie hen ZW: lo' 'Ip chay' qanHommeH roo'qa' Z jajHa' jIH, 'ej (tlhIngan HolwI' HoSDo' Hujlu'meH naQ SIbI' mup) DamaQvam DamaQ ghapwI'qang vIghojmeH. qaStaHvIS, roo'qa' (SIbI' mup loQ 'e' vIghojmeH) 'oH chay' ghapwI'qang vIghojmeH, 'ach wa'leS cha'logh.

SoH gho'vam 'oH, Bubba HIqSIpmeH Chiquita wa'DIchaw'laHbe'. vaj, Branch HIqSIpmeH (je 'e' loQ HemDI' SIbI' ghoS qaqaw) ghoS 'a vItlhutlh roulette wheel.

 

[Ponypoor]

I am not familiar with olive eggers personally. Little experience with pea combs which is why Owly worries me. What I am experienced with is Black Copper Marans and Marans crosses. Since I got the Marans lets safely say I have hatched off about 200 chicks, probably more. At least half of those have been crosses. While I have hatched off some solid black pullets I have never, never hatched off a solid black cockerel or rooster. Every single one that has been black based has gotten the Maran's markings if they are boys. This even held true with Twig who had a solid black silkie father and a Marans mother. If Tassels was or is a boy, those copper markings should already be showing around the neck AND shoulder area. Again, this is strictly coming from my personal experience.

I give you Rico - a black Roo - very handsome devil with red wattles and comb

Sophia so marked like a Maran with copper coloured neck feathers, and of course there is Mr P.

Not sure where Rico gets the solid black from - he doesn’t even have white wing feathers like his full sister Tippy - who is also solid blac except the white wing feather.

Sophia

 

[RoyalChick]

They will learn. One or two reprimanding pecks and all will be clear to them. Just like a momma dog cuffing her pup if it gets out of line.

You so underestimate Babs. She cleared them off that big roost lickety-split and then went back out for more snacking.

 

[RoyalChick]

They do tend to shuffle around some at night.

Yes trouble is two of them didn’t even make it onto the roost itself!

 

[Ponypoor]

I am not sure I have the nerves for this. There is a lot of flying back and forth. Babs has rather sensibly left the roosting area and has gone back out to the run and is having a snack to supplement the snack she had after her post-supper snack.

Go and watch TV don’t be like me and run to the barn everytime they do something silly for you to see on the cams… bad Kelly!

 

[Skyewatcher]

Oh, I was going to ask... now that the ladies are getting closer to laying age, I need to come up with nesting boxes. I ripped some useless cabinets out of my laundry room to replace them with better shelving. Thoughts on repurposing? I have 3 of these. Maybe just use two? 12 pullets and 1 hen.

View attachment 3570987

I put it in the run already so they could get used to it, and someone already pooped in it. I've got fake eggs ordered to start putting them some place. There's no real reason to use these over milk crates besides them being free, so I'm all ears.


That's not in Klingon, this is:

Spoiler: Dumb Joke

Qaghchugh Dachommey, cha'maH cha'logh SIbI' bop bomSIpDI' je. SoHQo' je lo'laHvam qama' vItlhutlhlaHbe', nIvbogh wIvchuq: 'e' vItlhutlh.

Silkie reD: Silkie 'Ip Huj qanHommeH naQ 'ej 'e' Silkie SIbI' qanHommeH. vaj, roo ZZ qanHommeH 'ej hen ZW qanHommeH, wa'vam purHochlaHvam chu' vItlhutlh ghoS qanHommeHvam. vaj, wI'elDajqa' W hen'achvam mab yajDu' 'ej jach wIboghDaj vItlhutlh SIbI' 'e' DamaQ. wI'elDI'ejDaq, roo'qa' Z jajHa' jIH, 'ej, reH 'e' DaSovrup qanHommeH, DamaQ (qangvIS, SIbI' mupwI' vIghojmeH) wI'elDI'ejvam DamaQvam.

Silkie roo ZZ qanHommeH non-silkie hen ZW: lo' 'Ip chay' qanHommeH roo'qa' Z jajHa' jIH, 'ej (tlhIngan HolwI' HoSDo' Hujlu'meH naQ SIbI' mup) DamaQvam DamaQ ghapwI'qang vIghojmeH. qaStaHvIS, roo'qa' (SIbI' mup loQ 'e' vIghojmeH) 'oH chay' ghapwI'qang vIghojmeH, 'ach wa'leS cha'logh.

SoH gho'vam 'oH, Bubba HIqSIpmeH Chiquita wa'DIchaw'laHbe'. vaj, Branch HIqSIpmeH (je 'e' loQ HemDI' SIbI' ghoS qaqaw) ghoS 'a vItlhutlh roulette wheel.

Wow, those are awesome!! A couple ideas might be...
1. Put legs on them using 2x4's waist high and you can gather eggs from the front- oh add a 1x whatever the length is in front on the bottom to make a lip.
2. You could remove the backing (I forget the name of the saw) then add hinges on the bottom and handle at too- then you can open the back-- oh a latch at the top as well.

 

[Lilion]

Oh, I was going to ask... now that the ladies are getting closer to laying age, I need to come up with nesting boxes. I ripped some useless cabinets out of my laundry room to replace them with better shelving. Thoughts on repurposing? I have 3 of these. Maybe just use two? 12 pullets and 1 hen.

View attachment 3570987

I put it in the run already so they could get used to it, and someone already pooped in it. I've got fake eggs ordered to start putting them some place. There's no real reason to use these over milk crates besides them being free, so I'm all ears.


That's not in Klingon, this is:

Spoiler: Dumb Joke

Qaghchugh Dachommey, cha'maH cha'logh SIbI' bop bomSIpDI' je. SoHQo' je lo'laHvam qama' vItlhutlhlaHbe', nIvbogh wIvchuq: 'e' vItlhutlh.

Silkie reD: Silkie 'Ip Huj qanHommeH naQ 'ej 'e' Silkie SIbI' qanHommeH. vaj, roo ZZ qanHommeH 'ej hen ZW qanHommeH, wa'vam purHochlaHvam chu' vItlhutlh ghoS qanHommeHvam. vaj, wI'elDajqa' W hen'achvam mab yajDu' 'ej jach wIboghDaj vItlhutlh SIbI' 'e' DamaQ. wI'elDI'ejDaq, roo'qa' Z jajHa' jIH, 'ej, reH 'e' DaSovrup qanHommeH, DamaQ (qangvIS, SIbI' mupwI' vIghojmeH) wI'elDI'ejvam DamaQvam.

Silkie roo ZZ qanHommeH non-silkie hen ZW: lo' 'Ip chay' qanHommeH roo'qa' Z jajHa' jIH, 'ej (tlhIngan HolwI' HoSDo' Hujlu'meH naQ SIbI' mup) DamaQvam DamaQ ghapwI'qang vIghojmeH. qaStaHvIS, roo'qa' (SIbI' mup loQ 'e' vIghojmeH) 'oH chay' ghapwI'qang vIghojmeH, 'ach wa'leS cha'logh.

SoH gho'vam 'oH, Bubba HIqSIpmeH Chiquita wa'DIchaw'laHbe'. vaj, Branch HIqSIpmeH (je 'e' loQ HemDI' SIbI' ghoS qaqaw) ghoS 'a vItlhutlh roulette wheel.

That's exactly what we made our nest boxes out of! All 3 ladies choose the floor underneath, but they're great boxes.

And I loved the Klingon. It's always great to meet another nerd in the wild.