Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

So.....
Diane-Ida 's gotten into trouble, somebody (Popcorn probably?) has laid into her and drawn blood, looks like it happened earlier today by the fresh color. I saw them in person first around noon today outside but didn't look closely, everybody was acting normally.
Below, a video still with flash as it was about 4pm when I realized it wasn't dirt but blood and tried to get pictures.

Diane-Ida-Biter, a.k.a. "The Bruiser"

She went for my hand right away, first off, today when I was doing chores but I said a strong No and picked her up near the litter, turning her a bit on her side, held her like that for 10 seconds and she didn't fight me. She behaved pretty well after that and I didn't offer her a chance at my hands for awhile, then later we foraged together a little in wet leaves and she didn't try for my hand. Late in the day she did attack my boots, I said No several times, she was growling and keening, then Popcorn trotted over ready to rumble and she ran away.

I don't think of Popcorn or Hazel as ones to pick fights. I assume one of them dispensed this for a good reason? I hope it was a smack-down for something earned and it's some kind of Idiot Stage she will outgrow, and accept her place. Bob called her feisty, is she an Ambitious pullet? The Spuds are 21 weeks old as of last Monday.

Then again Dakota spent the night with @featherhead007 because of Flash and they are two years old (?) or so?

Seems peaceful enough in there now, and it's looked that way every evening....I don't know about early mornings though.

Peaceful foraging around the blueberries yesterday afternoon -
Tedi in front, Diane-Ida then Anna in back.

Popcorn

Hazel

 

[Ponypoor]

Today's Take. Much, much better than just a couple of weeks ago with only 4-6 eggs a day. Lots of littles have started laying, and a few of the older girls after molting.

i View attachment 3713420


If they keep this up, will be able to buy 1 weeks worth of feed with a month's worth of eggs soon. (Hint, hint girls...ALL you youngsters should be laying...)

@BY Bob Good Glynda, recharging her paint sprayer! And is it Queen Aurora that left her pink egg there, too, or is it a Lady F or Sydney egg?

Wow those are gorgeous eggs So colourful, and those dark ones are very pretty.

 

[Ponypoor]

So.....
Diane-Ida 's gotten into trouble, somebody (Popcorn probably?) has laid into her and drawn blood, looks like it happened earlier today by the fresh color. I saw them in person first around noon today outside but didn't look closely, everybody was acting normally.
Below, a video still with flash as it was about 4pm when I realized it wasn't dirt but blood and tried to get pictures.
View attachment 3713438

Diane-Ida-Biter, a.k.a. "The Bruiser"
View attachment 3713439
View attachment 3713440

She went for my hand right away, first off, today when I was doing chores but I said a strong No and picked her up near the litter, turning her a bit on her side, held her like that for 10 seconds and she didn't fight me. She behaved pretty well after that and I didn't offer her a chance at my hands for awhile, then later we foraged together a little in wet leaves and she didn't try for my hand. Late in the day she did attack my boots, I said No several times, she was growling and keening, then Popcorn trotted over ready to rumble and she ran away.

I don't think of Popcorn or Hazel as ones to pick fights. I assume one of them dispensed this for a good reason? I hope it was a smack-down for something earned and it's some kind of Idiot Stage she will outgrow, and accept her place. Bob called her feisty, is she an Ambitious pullet? The Spuds are 21 weeks old as of last Monday.

Then again Dakota spent the night with @featherhead007 because of Flash and they are two years old (?) or so?

Seems peaceful enough in there now, and it's looked that way every evening....I don't know about early mornings though.
View attachment 3713458

Peaceful foraging around the blueberries yesterday afternoon -
Tedi in front, Diane-Ida then Anna in back.
View attachment 3713459

Popcorn
View attachment 3713460

Hazel
View attachment 3713461

Such beauties, your pullets are very lovely they sure have grown to be beautiful little hens

And I love Hazel and Popcorns rich mahogany colour. Just gorgeous.

 

[Ponypoor]

So.....
Diane-Ida 's gotten into trouble, somebody (Popcorn probably?) has laid into her and drawn blood, looks like it happened earlier today by the fresh color. I saw them in person first around noon today outside but didn't look closely, everybody was acting normally.
Below, a video still with flash as it was about 4pm when I realized it wasn't dirt but blood and tried to get pictures.
View attachment 3713438

Diane-Ida-Biter, a.k.a. "The Bruiser"
View attachment 3713439
View attachment 3713440

She went for my hand right away, first off, today when I was doing chores but I said a strong No and picked her up near the litter, turning her a bit on her side, held her like that for 10 seconds and she didn't fight me. She behaved pretty well after that and I didn't offer her a chance at my hands for awhile, then later we foraged together a little in wet leaves and she didn't try for my hand. Late in the day she did attack my boots, I said No several times, she was growling and keening, then Popcorn trotted over ready to rumble and she ran away.

I don't think of Popcorn or Hazel as ones to pick fights. I assume one of them dispensed this for a good reason? I hope it was a smack-down for something earned and it's some kind of Idiot Stage she will outgrow, and accept her place. Bob called her feisty, is she an Ambitious pullet? The Spuds are 21 weeks old as of last Monday.

Then again Dakota spent the night with @featherhead007 because of Flash and they are two years old (?) or so?

Seems peaceful enough in there now, and it's looked that way every evening....I don't know about early mornings though.
View attachment 3713458

Peaceful foraging around the blueberries yesterday afternoon -
Tedi in front, Diane-Ida then Anna in back.
View attachment 3713459

Popcorn
View attachment 3713460

Hazel
View attachment 3713461

Well seems that she is learning the way of the chicken! Mine also squabble and sometimes they get wounded from pecks.

It’s usually nothing serious and they quickly get over it. Of course we on the other hand have way more stress over these shenanigans!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

How about a cat instead to start with. Dogs can be quite a handful if you’ve never had one before. They are like kids and need both love and Discipline unequal measure. Cats are more easy to handle a they tend to be indifferent to any sort of formal training. But they can be very loveable and social.

I agree with you except on the point on training cats. They are not indifferent to formal training and can be taught a lot of things. You just have to appeal to and work with their natural instincts. They don't have the pack drive to please but do want to learn to fit in, be accepted, get food and affection. They do figure out what it takes to get along and get their needs met, whether the human has a clue about it or not, so in that way they can be easier than dogs, if you can meet very basic requirements.

 

[BeastBaby]

Hello all! There’s a major gas leak on our block, so we’re all waiting to see if we get evacuated. Oh geez.

While waiting and watching the fire trucks, I got the girls out: it was basically a repeat of yesterday.

Sweet Perry bee lined for the sand box. She both dust bathes with oomph, and doesn’t mind the paparazzi lol.

Okay, so I stood there right by her side the whole time and kept having to shoo away the flock bullies (Whiskey and Albert). I’m wondering whether chickens are able to understand what I was doing? Because don’t broodies protect their chicks for however many weeks, and then once weaned, the rest of the flock has learned to let them be? I’m wondering whether me protecting Perry for any amount of time will make integration easier on her. Maybe only if I learn the proper “Buk buk buk”.

I’m pleased to see that Quincy, the other apple-headed Easter egger showed (friendly!) interest in her. “By golly, that’s one of me!”

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hello all! There’s a major gas leak on our block, so we’re all waiting to see if we get evacuated. Oh geez.

While waiting and watching the fire trucks, I got the girls out: it was basically a repeat of yesterday. View attachment 3713463Sweet Perry bee lined for the sand box. She both dust bathes with oomph, and doesn’t mind the paparazzi lol.
View attachment 3713464

Okay, so I stood there right by her side the whole time and kept having to shoo away the flock bullies (Whiskey and Albert). I’m wondering whether chickens are able to understand what I was doing? Because don’t broodies protect their chicks for however many weeks, and then once weaned, the rest of the flock has learned to let them be? I’m wondering whether me protecting Perry for any amount of time will make integration easier on her. Maybe only if I learn the proper “Buk buk buk”. View attachment 3713467

I’m pleased to see that Quincy, the other apple-headed Easter egger showed (friendly!) interest in her. “By golly, that’s one of me!”View attachment 3713469

Perry has a beautiful fade-to-black going on with her wing feathers! It's great you can give her that dust-bath time there.
Hope your neighborhood stays safe!

 

[Ponypoor]

I agree with you except on the point on training cats. They are not indifferent to formal training and can be taught a lot of things. You just have to appeal to and work with their natural instincts. They don't have the pack drive to please but do want to learn to fit in, be accepted, get food and affection. They do figure out what it takes to get along and get their needs met, whether the human has a clue about it or not, so in that way they can be easier than dogs, if you can meet very basic requirements.

You are of course correct all my cats know how to sit, beg, high-five, jump through my arms, leap from chair to chair, talk (sometimes too much ha!); they can be quite food motivated

Now if only I can get them to clean the kitty litter

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Yes. I know dogs are a lot of work. Maybe I will get one when I retire...

If you have never had a dog before you could always adopt a older to senior dog. You will get all the love with the added bonus of sparing yourself the puppy stage. Puppies are cute, puppy breath is great, puppies are also nightmares. It is starting to hit me now that my golden Gracie is a senior at 10. 20 years now I have had a golden retriever in my life. I really do not want to think of not having one, it is wrong on so many levels. The urge is starting to start looking at breeders again. I also keep telling myself I am crazy. Having raised 2 so far I know what I am in for, and while they are wonderful dogs, they do not come programmed to be the worlds perfect dog. I have gotten both of my girls at 9 weeks, both times in the winter months. These were family dogs, yet housebreaking and all the midnight, 2 am, 4 am walks, somehow, I was the one who froze. They are smart and easy to housebreak, still, lots of walks as they cannot hold it all night. Teething, teething is terrible for any puppy, but goldens who naturally want to have something in their mouth, landsharks. You survive the housebreaking, you survive the teething and they know several basic commands and at 6 months old you start gloating. Insert teenage phase. They become the equivalent to a hormonal teenage idiot roo, just bigger. They forget every single thing you have spent months teaching them and will instead give you the furry finger. You want to kill them, they try to kill you, they start thinking curse words are their names and you question your sanity and why did you need a dog. Finally something magical happens, they turn a year and a half old. If you have managed to stick it out they become overnight the smart, reliable, calm even tempered gentle dogs they are bred to be. You forget every single struggle, every sharp needle tooth nip, and have a best friend for the rest of their lives. Call me crazy, but yes, I am starting to look at golden pups again. Hopefully Gracie makes me wait a few more years, but, I am looking.

 

[Ponypoor]

Hello all! There’s a major gas leak on our block, so we’re all waiting to see if we get evacuated. Oh geez.

While waiting and watching the fire trucks, I got the girls out: it was basically a repeat of yesterday. View attachment 3713463Sweet Perry bee lined for the sand box. She both dust bathes with oomph, and doesn’t mind the paparazzi lol.
View attachment 3713464

Okay, so I stood there right by her side the whole time and kept having to shoo away the flock bullies (Whiskey and Albert). I’m wondering whether chickens are able to understand what I was doing? Because don’t broodies protect their chicks for however many weeks, and then once weaned, the rest of the flock has learned to let them be? I’m wondering whether me protecting Perry for any amount of time will make integration easier on her. Maybe only if I learn the proper “Buk buk buk”. View attachment 3713467

I’m pleased to see that Quincy, the other apple-headed Easter egger showed (friendly!) interest in her. “By golly, that’s one of me!”View attachment 3713469

Oh gosh I hope everything will be ok, do you have an evacuation plan for your chooks? I had one but now I have at least 10 chooks so not sure how I would clear them all and put in the truck!!