Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Still dark here and Sir Jaffar decided not to crow in the house. That’s fine with me.

 

[RoyalChick]

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!

Slate blue sounds lovely!
The picture thing is one of the arguments in favor of a Smart Phone. My pictures go straight from my phone into BYC (or e-mails or wherever I need them).

 

[bgmathteach]

Yes, some are quite poopy - they haven't all figured out to lay in the nest box - instead they are in random spots! Just for comparison, the egg in the center, though slightly elongated, is a standard large size egg (from my older hen) The others are all pullet eggs.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Thirsty Thursday
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And also, Lake Isabella, which is about 50 miles from me.
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I see how those little water cups would work well to not dip wattles in while drinking. That would be great in cold weather. Do they work in freezing temperatures?

 

[SimpleJenn]

Six fluffy butts!

 

[RoyalChick]

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Yes, some are quite poopy - they haven't all figured out to lay in the nest box - instead they are in random spots! Just for comparison, the egg in the center, though slightly elongated, is a standard large size egg (from my older hen) The others are all pullet eggs.

Lovely!

 

[BY Bob]

Wow, they did an amazing job!

They really did. I was so happy when I saw them.

 

[BY Bob]

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.

The sun came out here too. It's so exciting. I can't stop smiling today.

 

[Sally PB]

After a period of no-sun, a day of any-sun will make me smile.

In the spring, I have been known to walk around with a goofy grin on my face on the first nice sunny day after a cloudy spell.

Tax (BFTP): Button's Fluffy Butt

 

[BY Bob]

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.

This lady sleeps in the nest box but always has a nice clean bum.

HAPPY FRIDAY from HATTIE!