Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Desertvalleychickens]

A crowing session.

Onyx is Done Molting!

And a lot of dustbathing!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I am making this proclamation now. After the first of the year Karen will be allowed to hatch. This poor chickless hen is broody, again! This I think makes her 7th time being broody with 5 of those times coming this year. I have always had to break her up as her timing has just been terrible, or nest spots terrible. Today nest spot, terrible, gets wet when it rains and even though she is hidden by the hay she would be easy to step on. I do not need them, but if she is difficult to break I am tempted in a week and a half to see if she would move her nest just a bit. If so, I would almost give her 2 eggs to let her finally have chicks to raise.

 

[featherhead007]

Here’s the dilemma. Do I have black chooks with white stripes?, or a white one with black stripes?

 

[bgmathteach]

Can’t really say that. They’re not LAY-dees, cause they’re not LAY-ing .
What you see here is freeloading feathered lawnmowers.

Ohhhh, but then they aren't free-loading if they mow your lawn. Lots of parents would LOVE it if their 'kids' willingly mowed their lawns for them.

 

[bgmathteach]

Here’s the dilemma. Do I have black chooks with white stripes?, or a white one with black stripes?

@rural mouse is the experts on color genetics - she can answer that one!

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Ohhhh, but then they aren't free-loading if they mow your lawn. Lots of parents would LOVE it if their 'kids' willingly mowed their lawns for them.

So they are ONLY feathered lawnmowers.

 

[rural mouse]

@rural mouse is the experts on color genetics - she can answer that one!

Depends upon if are roos or hens. Roos: white with black stripes. Hens: reverse that.

 

[Ponypoor]

I am making this proclamation now. After the first of the year Karen will be allowed to hatch. This poor chickless hen is broody, again! This I think makes her 7th time being broody with 5 of those times coming this year. I have always had to break her up as her timing has just been terrible, or nest spots terrible. Today nest spot, terrible, gets wet when it rains and even though she is hidden by the hay she would be easy to step on. I do not need them, but if she is difficult to break I am tempted in a week and a half to see if she would move her nest just a bit. If so, I would almost give her 2 eggs to let her finally have chicks to raise.

Awwww poor Karen, I still have Marty and Curly broody - the old bats. I let Marty be as she is rather bald and I am sure cold otherwise if she was off the nest. Also she has been having issues with soft eggs, so her taking a break is fine by me.

Who’s eggs will you give her? Are your Roos still breeding? The only one I see Mr P breeding right now is Tippy.

I am still very tempted to borrow my friends silkie Roo next spring to cross with my silkies.

What do you think? Oh I know your answer to that it’s too bad your not closer to the border, I would bring you some eggs then!

 

[RoyalChick]

You need to spend some time observing her in that case.

Fully agree. @notabitail the diagnostic process needs to start with a very thorough set of observations. Critical in diagnosing a chicken are (as Pony says):
- Crop empty/full in the morning and if full what it feels like
- Poop
- Egg laying
- Standing posture
- Breathing, sneezing, mucus from nose or eyes
Whether you or your sister do it doesn't matter but you need to look at all of that. And if she is not even drinking then you will need to figure how to get some fluids into her.

 

[Ponypoor]

Ohhhh, but then they aren't free-loading if they mow your lawn. Lots of parents would LOVE it if their 'kids' willingly mowed their lawns for them.

Lots of kids would prefer if their dads didn’t use the mower and run over a paving brick and break the blades…. Ok ya it was over 20 yrs ago, yes he replaced the blade, but I mow the lawn always have - I know where all the tree stumps are, and buried bricks etc. (don’t ask how I know, or how many blades I have broke!), and I have to baby my old Sears lawn mower - I can’t afford a new one! Sheesh the cost of them!!!

Tax
Sophia and Blanche on the old roosts