Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sally PB]

Bur he doesn't care to be touched. Due to not handling that much when younger?

He was a year+ old when I got him, so I didn't have him as a chick. He's a BIG boy, so I'm not going to try to touch him if he doesn't want me to. He's polite to me and that's a lot more than I could say about my first rooster.

 

[featherhead007]

He sure is a beauty

Mr P knows I am not a threat to his girls. Now Marty on the other hand, she is a terror! I went to pick up a chick on Saturday and the chick was squawking up a storm well Marty came out a beat the crap out of me! And that’s not even her baby! Can you imagine if she had chicks?!

Marty is full of personality!

 

[featherhead007]

She just stands by and lets me handle them, Henny Penny was raised by me so she knows I am part of her flock she will bring them over to me and drop them off hahaha.

Drop the kids off at grandmas huh?

 

[RoyalChick]

I agree, I hate messing with their biology, eap young ones her age.

I have a feeling she will soon start to slow up, Buttercup was very reliable, but this summer I noted she started to skip days laying. She is 2.5 yrs now. So I bet Babs will start to slow up her not being a high production breed, the most important thing I would ensure is to keep her active, as I feel once they get over 2 they start to slow up in their activities. Just like people.

She is pretty active. She is probably my most dedicated forager - so much so that the others follow her around to see what she is digging up.
She no longer flies though.

 

[Lilion]

Hey everyone! Just popping by for a few. The girls are starting to look better! They don't have all their feathers back, but I'm pleased with Eenie's progress.

Sheba is starting to grow new feathers now that Manny isn't on her back, thank goodness. She even has some downy black feathers in her bare spots on her wings. Tres has yet to start sowing his wild oats, thank God. He's HUGE, way bigger than the hens. I still haven't decided what his fate will be. He's totally cowed by the ladies. Even Eenie chases him down and steals his goodies. It's so funny to watch when he's so much bigger. Poor hen-pecked fella. Here's a perfect example. He's so scared of Meanie it's embarassing. Like, show a little backbone big guy!

Hope all is well with you and yours!

 

[rural mouse]

Hey everyone! Just popping by for a few. The girls are starting to look better! They don't have all their feathers back, but I'm pleased with Eenie's progress. View attachment 3703428

Sheba is starting to grow new feathers now that Manny isn't on her back, thank goodness. She even has some downy black feathers in her bare spots on her wings. Tres has yet to start sowing his wild oats, thank God. He's HUGE, way bigger than the hens. I still haven't decided what his fate will be. He's totally cowed by the ladies. Even Eenie chases him down and steals his goodies. It's so funny to watch when he's so much bigger. Poor hen-pecked fella. Here's a perfect example. He's so scared of Meanie it's embarassing. Like, show a little backbone big guy!

Hope all is well with you and yours!

He's young...and they're educating him early. My ladies will do that, too. Usually when the young idiots are eyeing the ladies. Thinking about trying to pester the ladies....who then puncture the ego before it becomes an EGO. He will be a better roo for it....and will court the ladies rather than maul them.

 

[bgmathteach]

Babs worries me. Her tail is really ratty now but she shows no sign of molting and she lays every day. I am wondering if I should try and black out the Chicken Palace windows to increase her darkness. The trouble is the roof ridge vents and soffit vents will always let in some light. I really wish she would slow down.

I hate to say this, @RoyalChick , but it MUST BE your chicken tending - every single one of Babs' sisters molted and stopped laying - and only a few have picked back up (I'm getting 2-4 adult eggs a day - the rest are pullet eggs from this year's girls - and I'm only getting 7-9 total chicken eggs daily.) I don't know what is up with Babs - she is half DC, and while they are decent layers, they certainly are not super layers - they are 4 eggs a week type layers. Maybe it is hybrid vigor?

BABS: Listen to me - you don't have to make up for Eli - take a break and chilax!!!

 

[bgmathteach]

Wait - why is she bald and where is she bald, if she's not moulting? Mr P's attentions?


What is a "nest box moult"? Is that pulling your own feathers out?

No, it is insisting on hiding in the nest box when molting (common behaviour for some, but many don't.)

 

[RoyalChick]

I hate to say this, @RoyalChick , but it MUST BE your chicken tending - every single one of Babs' sisters molted and stopped laying - and only a few have picked back up (I'm getting 2-4 adult eggs a day - the rest are pullet eggs from this year's girls - and I'm only getting 7-9 total chicken eggs daily.) I don't know what is up with Babs - she is half DC, and while they are decent layers, they certainly are not super layers - they are 4 eggs a week type layers. Maybe it is hybrid vigor?

BABS: Listen to me - you don't have to make up for Eli - take a break and chilax!!!

OK. Blackout curtains it is!

 

[bgmathteach]

OK. Blackout curtains it is!

I do hope that helps - I am sorry she is such a prolific layer - she definitely got the foraging genes from Mom...she should have also got some of the 'common sense approach to laying' genes, too!

About 16 months I think.
@bgmathteach have I got that right?

Yes, she hatched in August '22

You know, while it is not usual, she hatched late enough and got her adult feathers in February ish - maybe she won't molt this year? It would be nice if she did just to stop laying for a bit - but maybe she won't .....definitely black out the windows and see if the little bit of extra dark slows or stops her laying. I've found for the young ones (i.e. hatched too late to start laying in the fall), it doesn't take too long after the solstice for them to start laying - so yes, I would do the black-out, hope it stops/slows her laying, and hope it gives her a month or so of laying break.