Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I am sooo sorry, RIP pretty boy Floyd. This one hurts. I understand the anger and frustration with the boys, when they cross a line their fates are sealed. I came so close to wringing Twigs neck if I could have caught him when he turned on Branch and almost killed him. I loved that boy, tried everything for it to work out but it was not meant to be and no one messes with Branch. If Bubba were to turn on Branch out of the blue I would end him or get rid of him as well. I have got to get my act together and rehome the 2 boys in Raven's group of chicks. Mom is falling for one of them and I sort of like the other. After the Twig fiasco I just cannot take a chance on a 3rd boy. No, I could, but I will not.

I am the same here, I don’t want anything to happen to Mr P and with me away a lot I just can’t take the risk with another Roo here.

My blacksmith is out here today to trim feet so I will ask if her boyfriend has contacts for processing them for me.

 

[BY Bob]

I am sooo sorry, RIP pretty boy Floyd. This one hurts. I understand the anger and frustration with the boys, when they cross a line their fates are sealed. I came so close to wringing Twigs neck if I could have caught him when he turned on Branch and almost killed him. I loved that boy, tried everything for it to work out but it was not meant to be and no one messes with Branch. If Bubba were to turn on Branch out of the blue I would end him or get rid of him as well. I have got to get my act together and rehome the 2 boys in Raven's group of chicks. Mom is falling for one of them and I sort of like the other. After the Twig fiasco I just cannot take a chance on a 3rd boy. No, I could, but I will not.

This has to be so hard. I know how sad I was when I sent Ned to be with his Dad and I knew he would have a great home and could see him again.

Ned on my head

 

[Ponypoor]

Last check in on the Spuds - they have spread out. The one standing just settled down on the platform and looks pretty content. (I put squishy grabby shelf liner on there to help them get used to the little bars first without slipping.)
View attachment 3640902

They look very comfortable, they should be fine

 

[Ponypoor]

Ah but I am using vinyl gutter with the clips and whatnot. It's a blinding white too, I wanted brown. The run is not a thing of beauty to begin with! The Rainsaver system https://hallsrainsaver.com/ looked great and totally my speed and I think I could clamp it on something. But the whole system is only available in the U.K. The brackets are available here, but it's made for 3" half-round pipe and I couldn't find that and didn't want to make it, and 3" might not be adequate for the torrential rains we get here...and could it handle piles of snow and ice and stay clamped on? I basically loved that it requires no tools essentially. I do appreciate tools, but I just love putting things together without them. Anything snap-together. Legos, Lincoln Logs, etc. The chicken's run is that way actually and the coop only required a screwdriver.

I must be tool-phobic.

Anti-Tool tax
The Spuds are at least twice as big now!
View attachment 3640474

I would say that those clips would be torn off when snow slides down the roofing.

But I like the idea of clip on troughing!

 

[BY Bob]

Thirsty Thursday
It's been a long time since I had a photo for this day. Here you go. The old watering trough.

 

[Ponypoor]

My cuties! Kasumi is looking so regal and speckly. View attachment 3640477
They were watching the dog after I chased him away from the coop. Liara is always flaring hackles at everything, it's so funny.

Also the marinara is done. The dark bits are purple basil.
View attachment 3640478

Wow they sure are growing!

I'm glad you were able to rehome him. Roosters are truly different than hens and present challenges that are very different. One should go into keeping roosters with their eyes open and options identified.

Yes Roos are a challenge, same as stallions or bulls, or Billy’s and rams. They all have a primary focus of breeding - not as pets or friends.

I lucked out with Mr P.

Here is your answer.

The Frost White Legbars have all-white feathers. The white feather coloring is a recessive trait occasionally thrown by Cream Legbars. Frost White Legbars were created by selective breeding of the white only Cream Legbars and will breed true. Frost White Legbars may be crested, have a floppy comb, and yellow legs.

It is essentially a mutant cream legbar.

My little mutant.
View attachment 3641065

A beautiful mutant

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

This has to be so hard. I know how sad I was when I sent Ned to be with his Dad and I knew he would have a great home and could see him again.

Ned on my head
View attachment 3641070View attachment 3641071

It is very hard. I find it extremely difficult for many reasons. I love the boys, I actually prefer the boys over my girls. I have always even as a child had a soft spot for roosters. Add in my flock hatching percentages are skewed to a higher percentage of boys, who I should but cannot eat, it can get me into trouble emotionally. One day, I do not know when but one day I will live my dream. I will not have a single hen, but every unwanted rooster out there. Remove the girls from the equation and have only bachelor groups and sometimes they can peacefully live together. This does exclude game roosters though, but those are a whole different ball game. Darn cockerels, they get you when they are still tiny balls of unsexed fluff. They are almost always the sweetest and friendliest of a group of chicks and manage to worm their way into your heart before you know it.

 

[RoyalChick]

She's your silver welbar, correct? I love the patterning on her snow.

She is. And she doesn’t look like any pictures I have seen.
I sent a picture to the breeder and he said he had never seen one like her before.
He thought she looked very cool.
Assumed it was some mutation.
Now I am hoping he doesn’t ask for her back to breed from her!!
I will be curious to see if she changes as she ages and maybe ends up looking like she is supposed to - for now we know I have a truly unique little chicken!

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes as far as I know the same chances. I think 1 in 100 lays white eggs, maybe someone can confirm this, or not. Same as my Azurs who are LeghornxAracauna hybrids.

Funnily enough my Azurs are not as much into flying up into high places as my chicks are. Sophia’s chicks are not at all interested in flying to high places either.

It’s interesting to see how some like to fly up into high locations and others not so much.

Glynda is not one of the ones that lays white eggs.
She already laid blue eggs.
Then for some reason the color faded.

 

[BY Bob]

I lucked out with Mr P.

I don't think that's so. You know I hate to generalize but Polish roosters are know to be like Mr. P. If I decided I needed a rooster I would look for a Polish first.