Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I'd give her more time. Mine who sleep in nest boxes when moulting look good but aren't finished yet. They stay there for a few more days than I think they should, then...a switch flips and they're back on the roost and enforcing their position with vigor.

I agree with this!

 

[BY Bob]

Pooh may be really smart or really dumb. She jumped into the frozen water bowl and tried to jackhammer the ice with her beak.
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Look at that Fluffy bum.

On most days I would expect that she could break through the ice crust. How cold did it get out your way that the bowl is frozen solid?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

These are great and I think I recognize those hens!

Me too!

 

[RoyalChick]

Look at that Fluffy bum.

On most days I would very that she could break through the ice crust. How cold did it get out your way that the bowl is frozen solid?

I had a look at the bowl - there is a tiny film of melted water underneath about 2" of ice. It got down to about 26F last night and the bowl is out and fully exposed. It didn't get below freezing inside the Chicken Palace sleeping area which is roofed and well sheltered on all sides. Amazing what a bit of shelter can do.
Even inside the run the hanging waterer was not frozen this morning and it is only sheltered on one side by the wall of the enclosed coop area.
The sun is up and shining on the bowl now so I am sure it will be melted in just a few minutes.

Edited to clarify that the film of water is below 2" of ICE

 

[BY Bob]

I had a look at the bowl - there is a tiny film of melted water underneath about 2" of water. It got down to about 26F last night and the bowl is out and fully exposed. It didn't get below freezing inside the Chicken Palace sleeping area which is roofed and well sheltered on all sides. Amazing what a bit of shelter can do.
Even inside the run the hanging waterer was not frozen this morning and it is only sheltered on one side by the wall of the enclosed coop area.
The sun is up and shining on the bowl now so I am sure it will be melted in just a few minutes.

You have sun! No fair! We haven't seen the sun here for what seems like forever.

Tax

 

[bgmathteach]

A Special Christmas Gift
I wanted to do something special for a dear friend of mind who has chickens. I was stumped trying to think of what I could do when I saw Mrs BY Bob's polish chicken ornaments I got her last year. For those that don't remember I got her 3 polish to commerate Phyllis Betty and Gucci.

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I got these pre-made off Etsy.

So I reached out to them to see if they would do custom chickens for me. They agreed to try and so I sent them photos of my friend's chickens. Here is what they were able to make. They are simply amazing!

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My friend is thrilled.

I promised when they agreed to make these for me that I would tell everyone I knew about the special job they did. So if you are looking for that special gift for your friend with chickens or even a way to memorialize your own chickens, here is someone who can do so in an amazing way.

Tell them BY Bob sent you.

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Wow, they did an amazing job!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I'd give her more time. Mine who sleep in nest boxes when moulting look good but aren't finished yet. They stay there for a few more days than I think they should, then...a switch flips and they're back on the roost and enforcing their position with vigor.

@RoyalChick
This sounds reasonable. I think they go where they want to / need to go. The chickens here, I think Peanut and Butters both found the chopped hemp in the nest box warmer and more comfortable. Hazel when she was moulting slept there a lot too, and she didn't have a hard molt.
The Spuds, for awhile they all were hiding in the nest box and they wanted to be together, like when they were chicks they always slept next to each other. They would run Popcorn's pecking gauntlet getting into the coop and scramble back there away from her. Hazel would be in there too and they would all crowd in. Now Hazel is usually on the roost platform most nights and it seems only one Spud is in the nest box pretty regularly and the other two are out with Hazel. Popcorn tends to perch on the divider between the areas, then move to the platform too.

I found a kitty litter scoop that has bigger slots and works pretty well in sifting the chopped hemp. So it's not too big a deal to clean the nest box out.

 

[RoyalChick]

You have sun! No fair! We haven't seen the sun here for what seems like forever.

Tax
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Sorry to hear that. Yes! I have bright glorious sun. Not really clear blue sky, but clear enough that there are real shadows.
Weekend is going to be warm - like 57F but raining. We need the rain but I was hoping to have a dry day to do some Chicken Palace tinkering.

 

[RoyalChick]

@RoyalChick
This sounds reasonable. I think they go where they want to / need to go. The chickens here, I think Peanut and Butters both found the chopped hemp in the nest box warmer and more comfortable. Hazel when she was moulting slept there a lot too, and she didn't have a hard molt.
The Spuds, for awhile they all were hiding in the nest box and they wanted to be together, like when they were chicks they always slept next to each other. They would run Popcorn's pecking gauntlet getting into the coop and scramble back there away from her. Hazel would be in there too and they would all crowd in. Now Hazel is usually on the roost platform most nights and it seems only one Spud is in the nest box pretty regularly and the other two are out with Hazel. Popcorn tends to perch on the divider between the areas, then move to the platform too.

I found a kitty litter scoop that has bigger slots and works pretty well in sifting the chopped hemp. So it's not too big a deal to clean the nest box out.

I think you are all right. I will leave her be.
Interestingly, neither of the things I have worried about have come to pass so far.
First I thought she would get a poopy butt from sitting in her own waste all night. I even pondered giving her a block of 2x4 to 'roost' on inside the box. But so far it isn't necessary.
Second I thought that because she chose the favorite laying spot that my eggs would be poop covered. Turns out Babs and Piglet (the only ones laying at the moment) took one look at the poopy nest box and went next door to lay!

On clean-out I have it even easier - no scooping needed. All my nest boxes are dishwashing bowls with bedding. So I just empty the bowl on the floor and refill with clean bedding. It is a little wasteful of bedding but I use pine shavings which are not expensive, and shredded paper which is free. And it is always good to add stuff to the deep litter on the floor so it is a win win.

 

[bgmathteach]

Sorry to hear that. Yes! I have bright glorious sun. Not really clear blue sky, but clear enough that there are real shadows.
Weekend is going to be warm - like 57F but raining. We need the rain but I was hoping to have a dry day to do some Chicken Palace tinkering.

I haven't had much sun lately either - and rain just enough - or frequently enough - that it has been hard to bag DRY leaves! I only have 25 bags of dry leaves (leaf-bag size) and 1/2 dozen of smaller 50lb grain bag size. So frustrating as my 32 bags last year ran out in late Feb, so I was hoping to get 40-45 bags this year.

I have put a couple of tarp-fulls of damp/wet leaves in their runs, but I need them dry to bag them (so bags don't rip and leaves don't get moldy - but also because I mix it with shavings for extra warmth/loft in the coops.) And, while it has been dry since Tuesday night, it hasn't been warm/sunny enough, nor breezy enough, to dry them out - and it is supposed to rain yet again Saturday.

Good news is, though, that some of my pullets are starting to lay - so cute getting their tiny first few eggs. Odd, the Blue-bell chickens lay a pretty but odd, slatey-blue color! I'll have to try to get pics uploaded. Using my hubby's old computer makes uploading pictures a pain - it will only upload the entire batch (not one at a time) to the computer - then they can't be uploaded to BYC because the 'file is too big'. I have to copy and paste each picture....pics of the interesting color coming soon...... not sure the picture does the actual color justice, though!