Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Way to go Raven!

Yes she received some good praise for that! I have noted that my nieces hens are starting to hang out with Mr P and his Harem, Rico was roosting on a stall door this afternoon while his Harem was in with Mr P and his ladies.

Raven (aka Blackie) is earning her keep.

 

[BY Bob]

So beautifully told.

I agree @RebeccaBoyd wonderfully put.

 

[Ponypoor]

Not even a sneak attack at night to gram him and have a quick look?

Like me giving Mr P a quick grope I think he is starting to enjoy those hahaha.

 

[BY Bob]

Larry has an unusual part green comb, it’s a very rare trait seen only in BR birds born in Canada…..

I thought that was supposed to be maple leaf shaped for Canadian hens?

 

[BY Bob]

Ps. (It’s not a real car, it’s a rideable toy)

Like Eve's Barbie Lamborghini?

Tax

 

[BY Bob]

Wow 16300

Am I the chatty one? Or is it Alex ?

The pair of you have taken over. I'm just along for the ride these days.

 

[BY Bob]

Quartz video

And Pear is out amongst assorted groups. I saw several stare downs. View attachment 3617793With Havoc and Tuff. She's really getting around, so looking good for Queen, but I'm not ready to state that with certainty. Need to observe the others some too.

View attachment 3617794They laid eggs in rows?!

And possibly excavating a new nest site?View attachment 3617796One of the fakes is in the heap, too.

She is limping pretty good but she does seem to be standing ok.

 

[Ponypoor]

These guys were roosting this way, and stayed there until morning! Not a case of going in and out of warm / cool places. But yes, better cooler than hot. Yesterday in the sun first they sunbathed, then ran around, and two began panting and they went into the shade.
Brought them down in the tote
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I had showed them water which they ignored, maybe didn’t recognize was water in a new dish even though I tapped it and dipped my finger in it, but then when I put my finger with a drop in front of them they drank and drank and got the picture eventually.

PS Popcorn has discovered it is really satisfying to peck them, and has begun hunting them in between foraging. So now the chicks are afraid of them all, I’m not sure they’ve zeroed in on who to watch out for yet. Popcorn is lowest ranking; Butters doesn’t care much, she protects the feed she’s eating (their feed) with a look when a chick comes close; Hazel, top hen, is either hands-off or is afraid of them, she won’t come near and watches with a really tall neck at times.

Yesterday I set up more and better obstacles to big hens and had the chicks exploring a more protected spot with less access. Because in last the two days, they’ve been more exposed, and twice I tapped Popcorn on the neck and back hard after she practically grabbed and almost threw one. So since then I’ve moved my body in between her and the chicks, twice, and as she moved to go around me I would move too and she got the message and moved off. So yesterday she came around again once, and I see her watching me watch her. She saw an alley, moved toward it, and then saw me move slightly and she left and didn’t come back. But she would look from a distance.

I figure when they are a bit bigger they will be better able to fend for themselves, they seem too tiny for the rough treatment Popcorn wants to dish out now. They haven’t been in the exact same physical setup each day out either, making it harder for them. Think I’ve found the right setup now though so will stick with that for several days. The run area for them is not finished so I can’t put them in there yet.
Out back day before yesterday
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All my chicks learned very fast to stay clear of Marty - she hunted them like a velociraptor! Just evil about it too! A couple times she got hold of a couple of them wee ones 2 weeks old, before I could intervene - lot of screaming from chicks a lot of swearing from me, and I swear Marty would smile an evil smile hahaha.

The babies would run and hide but were quickly back out running around. They really fast learned to run and hide when they saw Marty.

 

[Ponypoor]

The pair of you have taken over. I'm just along for the ride these days.

You hear that Alex?! We are in charge of something!

 

[BY Bob]

I promised to post a pic. I am not a great photographer by any means! The best chicken portrait I have is of my late great Toby, a Dominique. Behold!

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Then there is Rojo, my current rooster. He is always surrounded by his entourage of about 7 or 8 hens; he is a great favorite with the ladies!

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Finally here is a pic of most of my flock enjoying their afternoon treat under the watchful eyes of their LGDs, Sammy (left), and Gracie (right), both Shelties, who enjoy the corn and dried mealworms as much as do the chickens. Supervising all is Diva, the black cat in the center.

View attachment 3617882

Toby was a real looker.

So nice to see them all again. Thanks for dropping by.