Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Based upon wing feather growth, I guessing hatch order was blonde, chocolate/black, black, marked blonde (probably by at least 12 hours). Off the nest Tuesday morning, so last hatched Monday evening, 1st Saturday evening/early Sunday morning.

 

[rural mouse]

This photo

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everything fine. Still pullet

 

[rural mouse]

I this vacate I won’t send the photos of Butterscotch’s face

Butterscotch? Wait a minute....new name or baby?

 

[Ponypoor]

RM is doing NOTHING to separate it from Mama Storm, unless noticeable problem. Storm is feisty about defending her babies. I want to keep it that way while NOT making myself an "attack on sight" target. If it gets left behind, stops eating, has a blood on it, eat, then I'll step in. At the moment, there is nothing I can put a finger on. Just  seems slightly behind the rest physically. Will definitely keep an eye on it, but until it's more than "seems", mama Storm is doing just fine.

Not what I meant

I meant you are being very diligent keeping an eye on all of them - I am loving reading the frequent updates You are all their mama - Mama RM that chick looks fine drinking and looks very alert.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

If there was ever any doubt that Butter was the Queen of my flock, and there was not it is evident in her passing. The pecking order is broken and chaos reigns in my flock at the moment. I wrongly assumed that Momma Hen would take back over the top spot that Butter took from her. Nope, she has other things on her mind, she is very close to laying again and we know where that will eventually lead to. I have 3 girls currently vying for the top spot and 2 are surprising.

Heir Apparent #1 Holly.
Besides Momma Hen, Holly would have been to me the obvious choice to take over the top spot. Holly is trying to take over. She has always been ruthless on the roost. If she deems you unacceptable you are not allowed to roost beside her and she will unmercifully throw you down. She has carried that over to her daytime behavior now. Everyone is getting pecked if she does not get her way. If she succeeds to become top hen, she is another Aurora in the making.

Heir Apparent #2 Squirrel.
Never saw this hen trying to be top hen. She has always been a go with the flow and not upset the apple cart kind of girl. Butter is gone and she is challenging everyone. She wants to eat first, get the best roosting spot now and prime dust bathing spots. If you do not give in she pecks on the head hard. If they do not take the hint a hen fight breaks out.

Heir Apparent #3 Chiquita.
This tiny terror is giving both Holly and Squirrel a run for their money. She was already high up in the pecking order as Butter's partner in crime. Like Butter a stern look is all she has to give to have a hen back down. With the exception of Holly and Squirrel. I have lost count of the hen fights that the boys have had to step in to break up this past week.

All that being said, there is another hen who I think is sitting back on the sidelines for a moment and will eventually be top hen. That hen is Raven. Raven is still busy mothering her now 8 week old chicks or else she would probably be in the midst of the fighting. She has already whipped the other 3 girls soundly after they turned their attentions to her chicks. I cannot see her holding onto her chicks much longer. When she lets them go if the top spot is not settled she will not tolerate the shenanigans' that are going on. Even if one of the other girls secures in miraculously in the next day or so if they try to dominate Raven she has already proven she will not submit without a fight.

I have never lost a dominate hen before to a predator. I was not ready for the chaos that ensued when the pecking order is thrown totally out of balance.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Did you post it in the Calendar Contest section? I haven't had a chance to check today - chasing chickens around....

I didn't know there was a contest about that right now.

 

[Ponypoor]

RM is doing NOTHING to separate it from Mama Storm, unless noticeable problem. Storm is feisty about defending her babies. I want to keep it that way while NOT making myself an "attack on sight" target. If it gets left behind, stops eating, has a blood on it, eat, then I'll step in. At the moment, there is nothing I can put a finger on. Just  seems slightly behind the rest physically. Will definitely keep an eye on it, but until it's more than "seems", mama Storm is doing just fine.

It looks like it’s same size as the others - I am sure your suggestion of it being last born is likely correct.

 

[Ponypoor]

Based upon wing feather growth, I guessing hatch order was blonde, chocolate/black, black, marked blonde (probably by at least 12 hours). Off the nest Tuesday morning, so last hatched Monday evening, 1st Saturday evening/early Sunday morning.

Not too much of a time difference then.

And clue as to adult colours?

 

[Ponypoor]

everything fine. Still pullet

It’s all these darn Roos here! I am in a panic sometimes thinking what if there’s another one I don’t know of ??

 

[Ponypoor]

Butterscotch? Wait a minute....new name or baby?

School chick, I am sure it’s a pullet. Her brothers have very noticeable wattles

School chick pullets:
Little Grey (the blue grey one)
Petunia (the black with brown breast feathers)
Muffy (splash with muffs beard)
Eli-too (black some white breast feathers)
Butterscotch (splash clean face)