Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

My numbers are just as bad. On a good day, 8 sometimes 9. On a bad day, like yesterday, 3. My layers are molting, or recovering from attempting to go broody. It is going to be a sparse winter as far as eggs are concerned. I will count on the leghorns all winter and that is it. Corona may pick back up if she ever lets go of those chicks. 14 weeks now, and she treats them like they just hatched. I was not able to put into place a plan of having a late September hatch with a few hens like I did last year. It worked as the 3 girls who did it last year let go of their chicks before the end of November and laid right through the winter. In the last month and a half I have had to break Raven, Karen, Goose, Baby and Holly from broodiness. Goose is back to laying and Raven is laying every other day. Baby just laid her first egg a few minutes ago. They may, may lay this winter but I will not trust it. The 6 pullets I have from Ravens last brood are 17 weeks old. Looking at them, I do not see them maturing and laying by the middle of November so I expect them to start late January. I might get a egg from Spooky, maybe. She is a 2nd generation Silkie x Marans cross. If she takes after the Marans side I can see her laying at 5 to 5 1/2 months. If she takes after the silkie side, who knows. The speckled sussex, barred rocks and Owly the EE are all new to me. The rocks seem to be maturing the quickest but still look like they have a ways to go.

I thought Tippy was laying, but don’t see eggs, she is 24 weeks, and the school chicks 21 weeks. A couple of them squatted for me last week so lay eggs soon maybe??

Sophia’s chicks are 14 weeks so I also don’t see them laying eggs in the winter.

Today I got 5 eggs, 3 Azur, 1 Silkie, and Rose’s egg - the Azurs are laying every day - sure hope they take a break soon.

 

[LhickenChicken]

I would have said kind rather than weird!

weird to me because I've never had that done

 

[notabitail]

weird to me because I've never had that done

Someone gifted me one too

 

[Ponypoor]

If anyone can make a liar out of me it is Momma Hen, but here goes. I am now confident Momma Hen is done laying. Her last brood was sold I think end of April or the first of May. Years of experience with that hen I know her patterns, especially during the spring and summer months. She should have started back up laying within 2 to 3 weeks. This is a hen who hatches 3 to 4 clutches every year like clockwork. She starts laying. The first week and a half to 2 weeks lays in obvious places. Then she hides them, to build a clutch to go broody. If you find them and try to break her up she finds another hiding spot. She did not do that. Instead she went through a heavy hard molt that started immediately after her chicks were gone. Her molt was finished by the middle of August and she is just beautiful right now. I have not had one single egg from her. No interest in nest spots obvious or previous hidden haunts. No interest in anyone else's eggs either. I really feel she is done. I don't know how I feel about this to be honest. I am in no way upset that she may be done, if any hen has earned her retirement it is her. To be fair though I envisioned myself fighting that hen beak and nail over broody nonsense until her final days. She is my best broody hands down even though the sheer aggravation has made me want to throttle her. I should be happy I may no longer will have to deal with the demon. Instead I feel it is the end of a era and I am sad.

Maybe the stress of the dogs this year has unsettled her.

I would wait for next Spring to call her done and retired.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

@rural mouse and @bgmathteach you both may be right. She may lay a few eggs next spring and go broody again. She may never lay again but steal another hens eggs and try to brood time will tell. I do know she is now at least 10 if not older. I do not know how old she was when she was brought to the fateful horse show she escaped from. All I can say for sure right now is this is very non Momma Hen. She is by no means ill or in what I would think of as a decline so no worries there. I had my hands on her to her displeasure about 2 weeks ago. weight wise and body condition wise she is perfect to be going into winter. Truthfully the best really she has been in a bit considering she is always nearing the end of raising a brood when winter rolls around and is skinnier then I would like. She may not be actively raising her own chicks but she has influenced this years different groups of chicks in some ways. She has one of the leghorns now roosting beside her in her favorite tree at night. Ravens group has followed her lead and now fish with her since the creek level is low. She has them all, including helicopter momma Corona and her crew foraging for bugs and whatnot on the hillside. Like I said, if any hen has earned her retirement and never lays another egg or broods another group of chicks it is her. She will just go from being called Momma Hen to Grandma or Granny Hen. It is way nicer calling her that instead of ole bat or worse when she is flogging me for trying to assist her in taking care of chicks.

 

[Ponypoor]

@Ponypoor, here are side views of the two different colorations of my Bielefelders.
Also tax for ranting about weed block fabric.
View attachment 3652647
Robin the Red
View attachment 3652648
Squeaky

Robin and Sunny are the Red girls. Squeaky and Pip are the Blondes. Robin's comb and wattles are the most red of the pullets, and I have seen her looking into the nest box.

Sunshine shows the barring on their backs better, but today we have rain and grey skies. Pip has the most barring, but she was busy with a dust bath when I was out there, so I didn't get a picture of her.

Yes I see the barring, and the spotty necks.

I guess when she starts laying eggs I will get a better idea on her background. And the others also.

Sue is the only one who is solid red-chestnut.
I seem to catch her doing her tap dancing

 

[notabitail]

Since broody seems to be a trending topic:
Today one of the Butt Orpingtons was laying, and when I peeked in the box, it screeched. Putting my hand close to my motion activated no batteries required screecher caused it to move and attempt to peck my hand.
Not sure I'm looking forward to the gift of broodiness from 5 chickens next spring. That would mean the littles will only have 5 functioning nesting boxes if they go broody.
Cypriano the Cockerel just told me that he's looking forward to meeting his children in the spring and wishes "many hen pecks to those who interfere with broodiness".

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Since broody seems to be a trending topic:
Today one of the Butt Orpingtons was laying, and when I peeked in the box, it screeched. Putting my hand close to my motion activated no batteries required screecher caused it to move and attempt to peck my hand.
Not sure I'm looking forward to the gift of broodiness from 5 chickens next spring. That would mean the littles will only have 5 functioning nesting boxes if they go broody.
Cypriano the Cockerel just told me that he's looking forward to meeting his children in the spring and wishes "many hen pecks to those who interfere with broodiness".View attachment 3652733

Be careful what you wish for is all I am going to say. Who is to say they plan to wait until spring? I had to break Karen up last week again. I will also say having allowed it to happen a few times, I sort of like fall hatches. Same as early spring hatches weather wise with possible cold snaps but the momma's do fine. A bonus with a fall hatch. The hen would normally take a break anyway in the fall to molt and stop laying through winter. Raising a brood they are not technically freeloading. A plus is the pullets that hatch out, are ready to start laying themselves with the spring rush. Hen pecking will happen regardless with a broody. Either trying to stop them, check the eggs to make sure no one has laid a extra one or even offering food to the new chicks. Hens are going to growl and peck. How hard and viscous is the question.

 

[notabitail]

Be careful what you wish for is all I am going to say. Who is to say they plan to wait until spring? I had to break Karen up last week again. I will also say having allowed it to happen a few times, I sort of like fall hatches. Same as early spring hatches weather wise with possible cold snaps but the momma's do fine. A bonus with a fall hatch. The hen would normally take a break anyway in the fall to molt and stop laying through winter. Raising a brood they are not technically freeloading. A plus is the pullets that hatch out, are ready to start laying themselves with the spring rush. Hen pecking will happen regardless with a broody. Either trying to stop them, check the eggs to make sure no one has laid a extra one or even offering food to the new chicks. Hens are going to growl and peck. How hard and viscous is the question.

Not as viscous right now, but I'm sure that will change. Felicitas at one point was full on with scream and peck but never went broody. Agathae went broody instead and didn't mind me taking a look or two.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder tax

I am finally back from my trip. Flight was delayed so it was close to bedtime when I got in yesterday.
This morning though I can’t quite get my mind around how big the Pentagonists have grown.
It is definitely Piglet who started laying while I was away - such cute tiny blue eggs! I can tell it is her by the way Bernie treats her. She chases her away now like she does with Sylvie, the only other Pentagonist to be laying.
Anyway, I was surprised they were so pleased to see me. I thought they would all run from me.
View attachment 3652436View attachment 3652437View attachment 3652441View attachment 3652442

They really grew up into beautiful birds! Such lovely young ladies.