Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Have a politically correct day _____________ everyone.
Me and my chooks will have a great CHRISTMAS day ️

 

[RoyalChick]

I had a couple last year but did not offer them up, instead pointed them in other directions. Twig proved that Branch could breed with the big girls and that he was not missing all of the time. It will have to have a cover, Momma Hen and the leghorns would be able to fly right out of it if not. Actually, most of them could if they flew up to a roost and then over. They are smart, used to using stall boards to get up to the roosts, they would figure it out in a day. Eventually I want a tin roof and I will get one, maybe even when we build it this week depending on how things go. If not, I talked to dad and we agree for the time being a tarp will work for the moment to keep them in. Right now, keeping them in, and dry is the most important. We can fine tune it later and tweak it where needed. Maybe this summer also add a extension that would not need covered for Branch and his girls. I would love, love it if I could finally end up with 3 to 4 silkie hens one way or another. Luck just has it that I have not been able to have more then 1 at a time.

Are you feeling any better this morning? Hope so!

Are you thinking that once your chickens are accustomed to their new home that you will let them out to free range when you are around to supervise?
Something to think about is that with a roof, the run will soon become a dustbowl with no vegetation and few bugs or worms (too dry).
Your chickens are used to foraging for some portion of their food - so you may find your feed bill goes up and they will crave 'green stuff'.
The way I have solved this problem - which is not perfect but works reasonably well - is to extend their covered run with a large area protected by an electric fence (solar powered). The chickens can fly over the fence and sometimes do (though not all that often), but it should give a dog, coyote or fox a reason to reconsider chicken dinner.
I only let them out in the fence area when I am home - so sometimes they spend days on end confined to their (very spacious) Chicken Palace - but whenever I let them out they are very keen to get out into real vegetation.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

A tough decision but I see the wisdom. Their safety is paramount. My heart breaks for momma hen though. And how will the Marshmallows get their flying practice in?

If things come together like I hope the we will be able to extend the horse stalls roof so it has height as well. I want it as tall as possible so they also can have different levels of Roosts to use. I do worry about the leghorns. I will give them time to hopefully adjust, if they can't I will do what is best for them and rehome them. I cannot have them keep going down to the barn, it is just asking for trouble. It will really cause problems with potential theft if they are left to their own devices come this spring and show season. The coyotes are still a problem. That one devil one is still around and even locking everything up it still makes a pass in the middle of the night in the yard setting off everything waiting for me to slip up. Momma hen and the leghorns, well, over half the flock really also love that hillside. If I do not do something quick those nighttime visits will eventually turn into a afternoon hillside snack. It is smarter then me and sneaky. One day/night it will slip up, I just do not want anymore casualties to happen before it does. I also have a new neighborhood dog who thankfully so far has managed to stay inside it's fence. It is a huge doodle thing who from a distance is a pretty dog. I will give the new neighbors credit even though I have not met them. They stay with it in the yard. When it is outside unsupervised on their big deck all day it is barking at the chickens out back.

 

[BY Bob]

Merry Christmas Bob and Mrs @BY Bob

Merry Christmas @Marie2020

 

[Ponypoor]

Did someone say pink eggs!

View attachment 3711927

I knew HRH was a Silkie at heart

(Does she think silkies aren’t chickens also???)

 

[Ponypoor]

I would send you Muffy and Little Grey if I could sneak them across the border

 

[Ponypoor]

A tough decision but I see the wisdom. Their safety is paramount. My heart breaks for momma hen though. And how will the Marshmallows get their flying practice in?

That fence better be higher than 6’ and covered hahaha mine get up 6’ easy peasy! And those doors in the summer house are almost 8’ - yes I bet they will be looking for a way to fly out!

 

[Ponypoor]

I had a couple last year but did not offer them up, instead pointed them in other directions. Twig proved that Branch could breed with the big girls and that he was not missing all of the time. It will have to have a cover, Momma Hen and the leghorns would be able to fly right out of it if not. Actually, most of them could if they flew up to a roost and then over. They are smart, used to using stall boards to get up to the roosts, they would figure it out in a day. Eventually I want a tin roof and I will get one, maybe even when we build it this week depending on how things go. If not, I talked to dad and we agree for the time being a tarp will work for the moment to keep them in. Right now, keeping them in, and dry is the most important. We can fine tune it later and tweak it where needed. Maybe this summer also add a extension that would not need covered for Branch and his girls. I would love, love it if I could finally end up with 3 to 4 silkie hens one way or another. Luck just has it that I have not been able to have more then 1 at a time.

That’s actually a great plan - a tarp is perfect - do you get a lot of snow though? That is the one reason I haven’t covered my run yet, the heavy snow would tear it down, anything I cover it with will need support with at least 18’ apart and my run is 18’ wide so I would need 20’ 2x8 which at 18’ apart would be incredibly expensive.

I thought about just covering the 16’ portion by the barn here and letting them out there but that’s just dirt there no grass or trees. Boring for them.

I thought of putting support poles and just getting 10’ 2x6’ but even that’s really expensive. So far I have been lucky enough to use lumber that’s been hanging around here and stuff my BIL got rid of. Guess I will have to think about forking out money for lumber now.

How big is your run going to be?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Diane Ida went after my insulated gloved fingers yesterday and I thought I'd try @knoturavggrl 's (?) suggestion of that intimidating lean and look chickens do. I lifted my hand and leaned a bit over her. She backed down and stepped away. That worked twice, then she didn't step away and jumped up and tried to grab a finger. I tapped her on the neck/shoulders, but that just engaged her. We lightly sparred, she’s jumping up to get my fingers, her neck hackles came out, her growling increased and just as I was thinking, "This is obviously not working" Popcorn zoomed in from behind my left and told Diane to knock it off, pushing her away from me. Diane tried walking around a pole back to me twice, and Popcorn followed, moving her off until she walked away.

The gang last night

 

[Ponypoor]

If things come together like I hope the we will be able to extend the horse stalls roof so it has height as well. I want it as tall as possible so they also can have different levels of Roosts to use. I do worry about the leghorns. I will give them time to hopefully adjust, if they can't I will do what is best for them and rehome them. I cannot have them keep going down to the barn, it is just asking for trouble. It will really cause problems with potential theft if they are left to their own devices come this spring and show season. The coyotes are still a problem. That one devil one is still around and even locking everything up it still makes a pass in the middle of the night in the yard setting off everything waiting for me to slip up. Momma hen and the leghorns, well, over half the flock really also love that hillside. If I do not do something quick those nighttime visits will eventually turn into a afternoon hillside snack. It is smarter then me and sneaky. One day/night it will slip up, I just do not want anymore casualties to happen before it does. I also have a new neighborhood dog who thankfully so far has managed to stay inside it's fence. It is a huge doodle thing who from a distance is a pretty dog. I will give the new neighbors credit even though I have not met them. They stay with it in the yard. When it is outside unsupervised on their big deck all day it is barking at the chickens out back.

Yes a great plan, they will adjust - and of course when your around to let them out they will enjoy their time outside.

Chickens are very smart I have found, and they adjust really well to different situations - it’s likely why they are so prolific!