Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Cash does look Bielefelder like. Sue looks like a Rhode Island Red. Ruth looks kinda like a cream legbar (maybe a cross?). Babe looks like Enigma.

I was just on Hoover site and from their coloured egg layer group they could be just about anything….

I love Sue’s colour she is such a lovely red chestnut colour, she reminds me of one of lightm’s hens.

Seeing what colour eggs they lay will be fun. Will they be blue? Or green? Olive even… my luck white!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Look who finally grew tails, and are indeed pullets and no longer speckled suspects.

Spot

Dot or Dottie

Of course Owly needed a picture

Formerly introducing Spooky. Spooky is special and I am thrilled to say pullet. What makes her special? I had one shot at this after rehoming Twig and I was afraid to jinx myself and get my hopes up. Spooky you see, is a Twig x Goose daughter. The only one I hatched and hung onto. She is the Granddaughter of both Branch and Chiquita.

 

[Ponypoor]

I've been keeping busy with the rest of the chickens today. I also dug Butters a grave, next to Peanut, who is next to the two little Spuds that died. I laid Butters in the corner of the run where she liked to rest. Popcorn and then Hazel came by, they stood and pecked around, then they both rested near her for a long time.

Later I saw them dustbathing there.

I decided to spend the afternoon working in the run and I would think about whether to have an autopsy done.

I think not. Even if it could determine the cause of death, I'm not sure how helpful it could be to me going forward. So I will bury her after I post this.

I've been digging and hoeing and hauling and got another section done, plus half the entrance to the adjoining run is prepared more or less.
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Spuds on my shoe (Tedi) and lap (Ida) right now. Okay now just Ida.
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She just went into alert mode because Hazel just came by, and Popcorn is lurking too.
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Stern Queen Hazel, who cunningly surprises the Spuds when they least expect it. She is a master and conserves her effort. Even if she just stands and stares from a distance she is scary. If she is suddenly in view 15 feet away when a Spud flys and lands somewhere, that sends the Spud running while screaming.
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The Big Bad Wolf (Popcorn), a molting terror. Not much strategy, just terror. See and pursue. Then casually rest and forage, maybe in their direction, maybe not. See and pursue at will.
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Earlier the Spuds foraged near the back of the house. They are getting some fluff! Anna is getting her muscles and coordination back from her illness. It seems she is about a week behind the others in growth / development now. Her eyes are finally starting to turn color and are greenish instead of the blue, whereas the others are pretty yellow now.
Anna
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Her feathers and fluff just seem late. She may end up being smaller. But she's got spunk and way more energy now than she had. She is flying to join the others if she gets left behind. Ida hangs with her at rest, so she is not left out. But Ida and Tedi are equal in abilities and faster and stronger. Anna on the left.
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On the back of my chair on a perch strapped to it. They preened and Anna needs a quick nap. She needs more rest than the others, she is not all well yet. I'll bring them in now.
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I agree with your not getting her a necropsy. It wouldn’t change things. It is so lovely that you will put her to rest next to the others

Those kids are looking great, Anna look sooooo much better, she will catch up fast, not to worry.

And you are doing a great job on that run! That is a LOT of hard slugging I know, and you must be aching. Wish I were there to help out

 

[rural mouse]

And I have some sad news. Had a call from the down below neighbor while I was in the shower early this afternoon. His pup (several months older than Sherlock) came up with a dead chicken. I went out to look around. Found feathers looking like possibly Cheetah. Found Cheetah under the Russian olives with Tuff, Havoc, Shan, Chia, and Enigma. Headed down to check the body. It was Zulu. Couldn't tell what killed him. Possibly the dog, possibly the other roos due to presumptive behavior. Ok, keep an eye out see if catch the dog chasing the chickens. Headed back up. Just above the fork in the track, found Nox. Headed back down to let the neighbor know. His pup is the culprit. He's charging up a shock collar for the pup and is planning on being out with the pup hence forth. We will see how that goes. At this point, I don't know how I feel. The boys started sounding all clear as I was taking Sherlock for another walk after clean up. Pear was doing some lookout duty with Cuckoo watching another direction.

Last pic of Nox, taken this morning.

Fly high, darling. Now I'm in tears.

 

[rural mouse]

I was just on Hoover site and from their coloured egg layer group they could be just about anything….

I love Sue’s colour she is such a lovely red chestnut colour, she reminds me of one of lightm’s hens.

Seeing what colour eggs they lay will be fun. Will they be blue? Or green? Olive even… my luck white!

I'm going to say brown.

 

[rural mouse]

Look who finally grew tails, and are indeed pullets and no longer speckled suspects.

Spot
View attachment 3652014View attachment 3652016
Dot or Dottie
View attachment 3652017
Of course Owly needed a picture
View attachment 3652019View attachment 3652020
Formerly introducing Spooky. Spooky is special and I am thrilled to say pullet. What makes her special? I had one shot at this after rehoming Twig and I was afraid to jinx myself and get my hopes up. Spooky you see, is a Twig x Goose daughter. The only one I hatched and hung onto. She is the Granddaughter of both Branch and Chiquita.
View attachment 3652036View attachment 3652039

They're turning out to be beauties all of them

 

[Ponypoor]

Look who finally grew tails, and are indeed pullets and no longer speckled suspects.

Spot
View attachment 3652014View attachment 3652016
Dot or Dottie
View attachment 3652017
Of course Owly needed a picture
View attachment 3652019View attachment 3652020
Formerly introducing Spooky. Spooky is special and I am thrilled to say pullet. What makes her special? I had one shot at this after rehoming Twig and I was afraid to jinx myself and get my hopes up. Spooky you see, is a Twig x Goose daughter. The only one I hatched and hung onto. She is the Granddaughter of both Branch and Chiquita.
View attachment 3652036View attachment 3652039

So happy Spooky is a pullet for you

And those speckled suspects are lovely

 

[Ponypoor]

I'm going to say brown.

Well hopefully blue or green seeing as how they are supposed to be part of their assorted coloured egg layer special, though with my luck they will be brown

I think we can rule out Marans from the list of possibilities.

(https://www.hoovershatchery.com/assortedcoloredegglayers.html)

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

And I have some sad news. Had a call from the down below neighbor while I was in the shower early this afternoon. His pup (several months older than Sherlock) came up with a dead chicken. I went out to look around. Found feathers looking like possibly Cheetah. Found Cheetah under the Russian olives with Tuff, Havoc, Shan, Chia, and Enigma. Headed down to check the body. It was Zulu. Couldn't tell what killed him. Possibly the dog, possibly the other roos due to presumptive behavior. Ok, keep an eye out see if catch the dog chasing the chickens. Headed back up. Just above the fork in the track, found Nox. Headed back down to let the neighbor know. His pup is the culprit. He's charging up a shock collar for the pup and is planning on being out with the pup hence forth. We will see how that goes. At this point, I don't know how I feel. The boys started sounding all clear as I was taking Sherlock for another walk after clean up. Pear was doing some lookout duty with Cuckoo watching another direction.

Last pic of Nox, taken this morning. View attachment 3652048Fly high, darling. Now I'm in tears.

I am so sorry. I have been in your shoes several different times this summer with a coyote and 2 separate dogs. I pray your neighbor takes responsibility and contains and trains the pup. I would be worried, killing 2 means the pup had fun and will always be a danger in the future.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Butters has passed. She was still breathing when I checked her on camera at 5:40 this morning. Her body is stiff but still warm. No big spasm, her head and feet look like she was sleeping though she had moved forward from before. Rest In Peace dear Butters

It is a mystery what ailed her, her molt had been progressing with the tube feeding and then her own eating, but seemed to slow, and on Monday her weight was down again.

Rest in peace sweet Butters. She was a beautiful hen and well loved.