Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Piglet takes her inspiration from Hattie.

There are definitely worse role models. Like this one.

 

[BY Bob]

I got to pick up and carry Tassels.


View attachment 3674376

ETA: she rewarded me by delivering the most enormous pile of poop on my little table where I set her down. She is a big chicken, but her insides seem to believe she is a horse!

How wonderful for you.

 

[BY Bob]

My old VAIO turns its fans on full blast when doing practically nothing. Very warm air.
@BY Bob : there is a VAIO, a Leghorn, and, most importantly, a Cream Legbar, which lays BLUE EGGS!View attachment 3674417
View attachment 3674414

What a great post! Some of my favorite things.

 

[Marie2020]

I love the straw bedding it looks so nice and comfy!

For the winter I have a made up hardwood divan on feet with cardboard and wood chips on top, before adding that pine straw.
It's only straw and wood chips when the weather heats up.

The coop was thoroughly scrubbed out last month and set up ready. I remove all every morning and add more and more straw as it gets colder .

@RoyalChick Found me a good way of heating under their bed , good old hand warmers, they're brilliant!. Plus I wrap up a hot water bottle and tuck it in at the back of the coop. This will all be put in every night as the frost starts.

I've also found a heated recharable dehumidifiers, all of the above added together they were toasty warm last year.

 

[BY Bob]

9 days away from our Pink concert. I think I am going to hire Maddy next door to take care of the chickens. We will be gone all day as it is in Louisville which is a almost 5 hour drive. I will not bother dad about them. The 11th also happens to be opening day of gun season for deer, his Christmas. I hope he is too busy dragging something off the hill to worry about them. The coop will need to be opened and everyone let out and the feeder filled up. Then she will have to come let Poppet out of her tote with fresh food and water. Around 5 she will need to put Poppet back in her tote for the evening and block it off and open up the coop so the rest can come to roost. Around dark she will then need to do a sweep and carry any of Ravens group who insist on roosting on the porch to the coop. There is still 3 that like special treatment of being packed to bed and close it up. She will also need to gather eggs. Besides myself and Rosie, Maddy is the only one who knows where everyone sleeps and where all the nests are and can handle all of them without any fuss. Raven is also broody and wrongly thinks she is going to be allowed to hatch again. She has taken over her old porch nest box so she is also being packed to the coop at night to her displeasure. I hope by then I have her broody butt broke but if not, Maddy is not afraid of Raven. She packed her to the coop for me last night when I was locking everything up. She is afraid of 1 hen only, Momma.

Seems like the best possible solution.

 

[BY Bob]

Unfortunately the health issues are a permanent thing. Osteoarthritis Osteopenia, Scoliosis, Stenosis, Spondylosis, Degenarative disc disease, herniated discs, Diabeties 2 (A1C is down to 5.8! woohoo!) Tendonitis, stomach issues, heart issues..... I could go on but I hate typeing. Hubby has been taking care of the chooks and I have groceries delivered because my neck and back are so bad I currently cant stand or walk for more than about 5 minutes because Im so weak. Still doing injections and ablations in the neck and back.
Ill try to get current chook photos.

 

[Marie2020]

Unfortunately the health issues are a permanent thing. Osteoarthritis Osteopenia, Scoliosis, Stenosis, Spondylosis, Degenarative disc disease, herniated discs, Diabeties 2 (A1C is down to 5.8! woohoo!) Tendonitis, stomach issues, heart issues..... I could go on but I hate typeing. Hubby has been taking care of the chooks and I have groceries delivered because my neck and back are so bad I currently cant stand or walk for more than about 5 minutes because Im so weak. Still doing injections and ablations in the neck and back.
Ill try to get current chook photos.

I'm so sorry.

 

[Marie2020]

Chickeeens!

They are underfoot all morning! I have been trying to finish off the Hen House B and they have been getting in my way I am dangerous today, I have almost fallen off the step ladder 3 times (my balance is wonky today), I tripped over I don’t know how many chickens, slipped in a bunch of cecal poop…

Come on chickies stop it!

You know what it is right? They want out - but the bad girls make it bad for all of them - I don’t have time to be chasing their butts all over the place!!

Topsy telling me off

View attachment 3674527

I hope she doesn't swear

 

[BY Bob]

How is Hattie doing on her metcam? Still 'running for the money' to avoid you/dosing in the morning? And how old is Sydney - Both her and Hattie are getting up there, no, in chicken years? And, well, Lady F IS an Orpington, you know - they are very well studied in the nonchalant 'hanging out' AND she has Hattie to show her the ropes in that regard. too!

(correct me if I am wrong, but Syd is just 1 year younger that Hattie??? )

Here are the current ages for everyone, oldest to youngest:

1. 5.3 years old Hattie
2. 4.7 years old Aurora
3. 4.1 years old Sydney
4. 4.0 years old Phyllis
5. 1.5 years old Glynda & Lady Featherington

Hattie is still doing well on metacam. We are down to about every other day. If I don't get her before the sun comes up then the likelihood of me catching her is almost zilch as she zips around. She still has the pressure sore on her chest. She does not spend much time roosted. She is down on the coop floor eating most nights. I think sleeping on the coop floor is causing the sore to remain. The nights are too long for her now. She has to get up and eat and will not reroost after she gets down.

 

[BY Bob]

For the winter I have a made up hardwood divan on feet with cardboard and wood chips on top, before adding that pine straw.
It's only straw and wood chips when the weather heats up.

The coop was thoroughly scrubbed out last month and set up ready. I remove all every morning and add more and more straw as it gets colder .

@RoyalChick Found me a good way of heating under their bed , good old hand warmers, they're brilliant!. Plus I wrap up a hot water bottle and tuck it in at the back of the coop. This will all be put in every night as the frost starts.

I've also found a heated recharable dehumidifiers, all of the above added together they were toasty warm last year.

They are lucky ladies!