Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Oops. Late start to day and I already owe SHRA tax as @bgmathteach already suggested using roost dividers.
I still think it is worth a try.

SHRA tax: The odd couple tanking up in the early evening. That is the refill after supper and before the bedtime refueling.
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Oh, I am glad you had to pay SHRA tax....your odd couple is even better that the TV version....and prettier, too!

 

[bgmathteach]

Has anyone ever seen a soft shelled egg with an appendage attached to it like this one??

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I accidentally pulled it off the egg when I was inspecting it. But this what it was like.

Yup - it is just a bit of extra membrane. That is not terribly common, but also not uncommon on a 'rubber egg' (what I call a shell-less one with full membrane. Not sure of the technical term.)

Do you know who laid it? It is more common in stressed hens......(like predator lurking, being overly harassed by roo - especially in evening, when egg is 'in process' but not through the shell gland - I think that is a common time for these as that is when I find most of mine - late evening or laid overnight.

 

[RoyalChick]

This morning has been so peaceful. Took Sherlock and navy son (arrived Friday evening) over to see grandpa. Good visit. Lots of family has arrived. LATE dinner. Sherlock was nervous about being there at first. Then he played with the German Shepherd (@10 months).View attachment 3614654View attachment 3614655View attachment 3614656View attachment 3614653


The both of them even settled with bones (She's usually territorial about the bones, except when MIL distributed them)View attachment 3614658


Then he played with the heeler (a year, who bonded with MIL). The heeler had a tough time at first. Sherlock decided FIL was pretty special and hung out with him for a bit, then the kids found him. Sherlock wrapped all the kids (and several adults) around the tip of his tail. Had kids hinting about needing another dog at home, adults commenting on how sweet he is, and another offering to "let him go home with them on loan for a month or 2". That offer came from the 20+ hour drive crew.

Sherlock mostly ignored the chickens, got several opportunities to practice sitting off to the side while vehicles drove in or out, and completely missed dinner last night. He also slept the whole way home and went back to sleep here, inspite of me putting out food for him. He brought home "his" bone (deer or antelope", and is asleep again under my chair.

More gathering today, so....I'm going to figure it won't be a 3-4 hour visit and bring his dinner with us.

Everyone is still getting tossed about rough waves in little dinghys, but we got some good laughs and comfort out of the day.

So glad to hear this. Exactly what you all need and Sherlock sounds like a pretty special pup.

 

[RoyalChick]

Pony Sunday

I just want to clarify that yesterday was Caturday Saturday not Pony Sunday - silly me!

Today I give you some photos of my friend’s horses in Cairo

October 2000

Solomon a half Arabian gelding he was 30 yrs old on this photo
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Maleka Arabian mare
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Fatima (I think) Arabian mare
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Edit- gosh I feel so old now!

Such lovely photos.

 

[bgmathteach]

How are the chickies? Did both girls accept their babies ?

So, yes and no. Interestingly enough, my young girl ( 1 year old Black Jersey Giant) accepted one of the chicks, but not the other - she was pecking and harassing the older of the two chicks I gave her, but fully accepted the slightly younger one. However, my good DC girl took that one in this morning with her other 4. (last night she was fine...but I also did it after dark...she started buk-buk-buking to them right away last night when they started peeping, so thought all was well. But upon checking early this morning -she was protecting the younger one from the others in her flock, but would peck aggressively the other one..to the point of chasing it and it was hiding in a crevice! So, packed it off hoping DC girl would accept it. She was in full on momma mode this morning (not 'hatch mode), and when we snuck it under her, she didn't bat an eye. Which is really wonderful, as I was concerned about her last night. When I snuck the littles under her, she started pecking me hard (not unusual), but then started pecking aggressively the exposed bottoms of the chicks. I turned the light off, and pushed them further under her. Seems once the light was off and my hand was out of there - she only pecked them if they popped out from under her. Still, I was a bit nervous...but all was good this morning with her (she has raised chicks each year, but I never had her 'adopt' chicks before, as I always moved her to my broody hut and she successfully hatched eggs. But with so many broodies this year, and her going later - as per her usual - all my available options were in use! (2 different plastic dog crates, my broody hut, and I have one in my mudroom with her chicks! And then a couple more who were high enough in the pecking order to hatch/raise them fully integrated.This has been an exhausting & crazy year for broodies and babies....but I think I am now out of the woods regarding this. And my new broody hut I hope to finish this weekend - so the one in the mudroom can go out with the flock and her littles and integrate. It needs to be done soon, too, as her littles aren't so little anymore, and she will be abandoning them soon - need to get them out there with the flock before she does so they can integrate!!!!

Anyways, the short answer to your question is: yes, all are good. Not initially how I planned, but all are good!

 

[featherhead007]

I wanted to give this an 'informative" "i", but 4 feet per bird is excessive (though more roosting space would be helpful), but square feet of roosting space?? She would need to make the whole coop a platform!!!! ( oh, silly me, that is what the coop floor already is!!)

Seriously, though, @RebeccaBoyd if you can add an additional roost, and on the current roost(s) put up (a?) barriers (sheet/pillow case hung strategically so there is a visual barrier to 'break the roost' into sections might help.

EDIT to add: Or, even like what @BY Bob did in the cluckle hut - a barrier of chicken wire so no pecking through it. - on the roost. Unfortunately with you, you have multiple hens that are antagonists - not just the one Phyllis, so you will probably need to add a roost (new, and slightly lower than the others, so old girls won't want it but newbies will have a space), plus put up 'barriers' on each of the current 2 roosts - that might give them enough places (5 ) to find a roost and not have the bullies harass them - especially if they learn to roost a bit later, once the bigs are settled and it is dark enough they may not switch roosts to harass.

 

[featherhead007]

You want EEs? I can get you eggs for hatching...lots of eggs

My chooks don’t have the patience to hatch eggs

 

[GregnLety]

Do I see a sea bright sitting on the seat?

Yes you did

 

[bgmathteach]

My chooks don’t have the patience to hatch eggs

One word: incubator!

 

[featherhead007]

One word: incubator!

That’s four words: “in - que - bait - ore “
Right Greg?
(Fishing terminology)