Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Fowl language

Bok Bok Bok
Buk Buk Buk
Bwak Bok Bwak Bok

 

[Ponypoor]

Crabapples! Fudgecicles! Holy crab! Fudgenuckeles!

Jiminy Crickets...

 

[Ponypoor]

As the child of a hobbyist bee keeper, here are the "rules" for being around stinging insects.

1. Loud noises and sudden movements scare them. Scared stingers attack as first line of self defense.

2. Bees stingers have a barbed tip. They can only sting once. It will kill them. Wasps stingers have a smooth tip. They can pull it out and sting again. Some of them also bite (yellow jackets).

3. Red/vibrant colors attract bees. Blue/muted colors do not.

4. If stinging insects are around, move slowly and quietly, not suddenly or jerkily.

5. Speak softly and in lower register tones. Loudly or higher registers are threatening.

6. Do not step right in front of the hive entrance. You're a threat.

7. Anything threatening the queen is attacked. Protect the queen at all costs.

8. Death to hive members emits a pherome the rest of the hive can detect. Killing a bee or wasp leaves the pherome on you and can be considered a threat.

9. Aerodynamically, they shouldn't be able to fly, but they can. Water unbalances them so they can't. As such they WILL NOT fly during a rain storm.

10. Chickens (and other insect eating creatures) won't generally eat honey bees.View attachment 3593863

Good to know - I still haven't dealt with that jellow yacket nest

I was trying to remember to get rid of them at night but I keep forgetting!

 

[Ponypoor]

Pony (puppy) Sunday View attachment 3593885Duke loves the swingView attachment 3593886Lobo is starting to make Duke look smallView attachment 3593887Estrella is growing like a weed.

Everyone is smiling looks like they are enjoying time with 'dad'

 

[Sally PB]

Picture this. A big run, with multiple "slabs" of chicken wire. We used zip ties (or something similar) to attach those "slabs" of wire together. In this one area, the "slabs" aren't attached very well. The possum could easily craw under the overlapping wire because it's not attached well enough.

I used the wire wrapped around the roll of chicken wire to "sew" the overlapping "slabs"of chicken wire together on the roof of my run.

Yours doesn't have eyeliner - mine has eyeliner - is that normal? Do any of yours have eyeliner?

This is Pip at about 3 weeks. Eyeliner?

 

[Ponypoor]

Aww come on! Everyone on this site has spoken FOWL to their birds, and you can’t tell me they didn’t!

Yup - Penne and Rico both got some fowl language today. They are back out with the gang, it's too much trouble trying to keep them in.

 

[Ponypoor]

I used the wire wrapped around the roll of chicken wire to "sew" the overlapping "slabs"of chicken wire together on the roof of my run.

This is Pip at about 3 weeks. Eyeliner?
View attachment 3594182

Yes - that dark line running from the corner of the eye to the back of the head.

 

[Sally PB]

Yes - that dark line running from the corner of the eye to the back of the head.

Yup, all my Bielefelders had that.

 

[rural mouse]

Good to know - I still haven't dealt with that jellow yacket nest

I was trying to remember to get rid of them at night but I keep forgetting!

Smoke makes them somulent (not sure if 1 m or 2). Cold makes them lethargic. Dark keeps them still also.

 

[GregnLety]

I don't recommend pushing the mower overtop of a yellow jacket nest in the ground.

Or the riding mower either

I whole heartedly agree. I stepped in a nest as I was running from a nest that I just torched. Over two dozen stings. I would have likely gone into shock if not for the nurse next door loading me up with antihistamines.