Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Happy Tuesday everyone.
Here are two pretty chickens.
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And two headless chickens
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And I could do with some advice.
It seems to me that Bernie is becoming more actively aggressive to the Pentagonists.
Could it be something to do with them getting closer to laying? She particularly has it in for Sylvie who I think is getting close - her comb and face are red and she has checked out nest boxes and oyster shell.
I thought they would become more acceptable to the flock queen as they came into lay. Have others seen this? It is not yet drawing blood and the Pentagonisys are fast and fly well so they escape pretty well. Any experience? Anything I can do (probably not)?

Nope when she actually starts laying - she will become more 'accepted', but remember, they will still be on the bottom of the totem pole unless one wants to challenge Babs or Bernie.

Once they all start laying, the order will be 'resettled' after a bit of turmoil, and all will be right with the chicken world again. Just take a deep breath, count to 5 as you slowly release it (and maybe shut your eyes so you don't see the pecking/chasing) and it will all be okay!!!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I think Bernie is my roo! I worry she might get really aggressive with anyone who tried to mate her hen Babs!

Chicken politics are not pretty, do not watch if you can help it. You are probably right, the pentagostists are coming close to laying. One way to quickly shake up the pecking order is to add some new layers to the mix. Bernie is just laying down the law now before anyone gets ideas in a few weeks. As hard as it may be do not intervene unless she harms them and draws serious blood. Intervening will only draw out the process in the long run.

 

[featherhead007]

I do love Dakota, but when she poops on me I get …

 

[featherhead007]

I do love Dakota, but when she poops on me I get …

That was random I know, but accurate!

 

[RoyalChick]

Chicken politics are not pretty, do not watch if you can help it. You are probably right, the pentagostists are coming close to laying. One way to quickly shake up the pecking order is to add some new layers to the mix. Bernie is just laying down the law now before anyone gets ideas in a few weeks. As hard as it may be do not intervene unless she harms them and draws serious blood. Intervening will only draw out the process in the long run.

I am definitely not intervening and TBH Sylvie seems well able to take care of herself.
She isn’t supposed to be a flying kind of chicken but she never got that memo so she just launches herself vertically - a bit like how a flushed game bird does - and is able to steer mid-air so it is unpredictable where she will decide to land.
Piglet does that too but isn’t being attacked by Bernie so I think she just does it for fun. Well, and she is a Legbar.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Twofer - the dotty ladies are beginning to show some pink coloring in their combs already. They grow up so darn fast.

 

[LhickenChicken]

Overheated.

I'm so sorry. I imagine that Abigail was like your Lhicken. They all die so young, don't they?

 

[Lexicon]

Two fer Tuesday featuring Cordelia and Chukki:

 

[featherhead007]

Manny is such a pretty Roo love his colouring.

Re: poop - yep I use a ledge with my kiddos, I put a fine layer of shavings there; in the morning I clean poopies off the ledges I have a spatula I use to flick them into a small pail. Takes me about 3 minutes to clean all the ledges (Hen House and Summer House), then I have a small garden hand rake that I smooth the shaving on the floor with and pick poops from there. Tops 5 min.

Sweeping the barn alleyway about 10 min though - ugh. Slippery stuff chicken poop!

It’s a slippery slope that we walk on, wherever chickens are concerned!

Shut up Alex!

 

[RoyalChick]

It’s a slippery slope that we walk on, wherever chickens are concerned!

Shut up Alex!

Don’t! Bernie just left a deposit worthy of a small dog right by the door into the servants quarters. I nearly went A-over-T skidding in it as I went in to distribute melon.