Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

I have netting around the magnolia tree to close off areas that become vulnerable to Cooper's hawks after the leaves have dropped. Even with all of my losses to the hawks I can't keep them locked in all the time. It does not protect them for me to be out with them. The hawks don't care.

Their best protection is their own system of defense. My ladies always have someone filling the roosters duty as a Sentinel. It is obvious who is responsible for everyone else's safety. Mine have learned the hard way that this is necessary and they are quite diligent about it. The role is shared but some never take it. Hattie is never Sentinel. I believe this is because she was on duty the day the hawk killed Sylvie and they no longer trust her. Phyllis is also never Sentinel as she cannot see upwards. The rest all take turns. Glynda and Lady Featherington have been taught the danger and the job by the others. These lessons are learned and passed down. I expect that @RoyalChick tribe will be making adjustments and will be much safer moving forward.

RC, did it get very quiet before the attack? Did the song birds stop talking? That has happened before all of my Cooper's Hawk attacks. The song birds know they are there and go into hiding. That is a warning hopefully your girls now know.

That does not happen when a red-tailed hawk attacks. They come from much higher up and everyone is surprised.

Yes. It was silent. I didn't notice until afterwards when the song birds started up again and the mice started hopping around in the dead leaves. Lesson for me - I just didn't notice it was so quiet.

 

[BY Bob]

Yes. It was silent. I didn't notice until afterwards when the song birds started up again and the mice started hopping around in the dead leaves. Lesson for me - I just didn't notice it was so quiet.

You will next time. Lesson learned for you as well.

 

[rural mouse]

I was walking Sherlock about a week ago. He spotted a red tail hawk gliding down the creek valley. We watched as it kept going in lazy loops over the pasture below, then it arc'd over my place. Being as I was WAY too far away to even call a warning (almost a 1/4 mile), I held my breath. It kept going. No swoops down towards the ground until after it crossed the neighbor's and the road. The boys spotted it a sounded the "get under cover and FREEZE" call. That particular call is VERY quiet...and gets INSTANT responses. They stay frozen (not even moving their head) until the boys crow "All is well". They'll even freeze in a dust bath.

 

[rural mouse]

That is too nasty. Be careful. Please.

Staying home, minimizing time outside. Let Sherlock out early this morning. He's REFUSED to head back out since. Castor has been fed, water bowl has frost around the rim, but is liquid in the bottom (those bowls are getting thorough tested!). Coop has water and food in it, will top up at some point after daylight. Meanwhile, hot beverages, hot food, layers, covered skin, warm up after being outside carefully.

 

[BY Bob]

I was walking Sherlock about a week ago. He spotted a red tail hawk gliding down the creek valley. We watched as it kept going in lazy loops over the pasture below, then it arc'd over my place. Being as I was WAY too far away to even call a warning (almost a 1/4 mile), I held my breath. It kept going. No swoops down towards the ground until after it crossed the neighbor's and the road. The boys spotted it a sounded the "get under cover and FREEZE" call. That particular call is VERY quiet...and gets INSTANT responses. They stay frozen (not even moving their head) until the boys crow "All is well". They'll even freeze in a dust bath.

I have seen the freeze call too many times. It is amazing to see. So quiet. It's like they are whispering but everyone hears it immediately.

We have had a lot of crows here lately. I love that they are hanging around.

 

[RoyalChick]

The morning after

The wind and rain have made the runs completely soaked (even though they both have a solid roof). Not a bad thing as it encourages composting and worms, but it makes everything look muddy and sad and damp.
The ladies however were keen to come out into the run (yesterday they wouldn't leave their house and some wouldn't leave the nest boxes).
They all ate a hearty breakfast of mash with some stewed beef, chopped nuts, shrimp tails and some kitchen scraps.
I watched everyone very closely. Everyone ate, drank, and moves normally. For a moment I thought Pooh might be favoring a leg when she jumped down off things but I think I am being paranoid. I will keep a close eye.
Pooh is also being much more vocal than normal. It doesn't sound like fear or pain or distress. More like she is telling everyone about her exploits. She is having her Henry V Saint Crispian moment (@Ponypoor, this one is for you!):

Gather round ladies and listen up,

...
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
...
...
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
...
...
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

William Shakespeare, Henry V​

I think Bernie has lost some of those long flight feathers and some feathers on the crown of her head. Babs may have been more involved than I thought as she has some ruffled patches on her side.

@BY Bob did tell me to examine Pooh and Bernie last night, but when it came to it I really wasn't sure because as @RebeccaBoyd said I was worried about really tipping them into shock. Pooh in particular still looked really terrified when I went back out in the night with the intention of taking her off the roost to examine her. I just couldn't do that to her.
That may have been the wrong decision but I did what I thought was best in the moment, and what is done is done (or rather what was not done was not done).

I will definitely examine them tonight and will watch for signs of infection over the next 3-5 days. I will see if I can book a vet appointment for mid week (I can always cancel it). If there is infection it should be obvious by then and the vet can help me properly examine her.

Pictures of Pooh this morning and one of Bernie showing her long wing feathers not sitting quite right.

 

[RoyalChick]

An hour ago, it was -38. Now it's -39. Staying home and not going out to the coop for at least another couple of hours. Sporadic snow yesterday. Only critters moving around outside were the magpies.

I can't even imagine that cold. Will you do anything special for the chickens? Or will they be OK?

 

[RoyalChick]

I was walking Sherlock about a week ago. He spotted a red tail hawk gliding down the creek valley. We watched as it kept going in lazy loops over the pasture below, then it arc'd over my place. Being as I was WAY too far away to even call a warning (almost a 1/4 mile), I held my breath. It kept going. No swoops down towards the ground until after it crossed the neighbor's and the road. The boys spotted it a sounded the "get under cover and FREEZE" call. That particular call is VERY quiet...and gets INSTANT responses. They stay frozen (not even moving their head) until the boys crow "All is well". They'll even freeze in a dust bath.

Wow that is amazing. So glad it didn't visit your place.

 

[RoyalChick]

putting a hoop roof over the alleyway between the paddocks and the run, it’s 16’ wide and about 100’ long. So that’s rather pricy to do.

I am thinking of something that is a cross between an awning and a ship's sail using deer netting. I need to be able to easily take it down at the peak period of leaf fall and in snow as well as in the summer.
I am thinking nylon rope that I can use to pull it up and hooks on the fascia board below the gutter.
I need to do some sketches to refine the idea.

 

[Ponypoor]

I have netting around the magnolia tree to close off areas that become vulnerable to Cooper's hawks after the leaves have dropped. Even with all of my losses to the hawks I can't keep them locked in all the time. It does not protect them for me to be out with them. The hawks don't care.

Their best protection is their own system of defense. My ladies always have someone filling the roosters duty as a Sentinel. It is obvious who is responsible for everyone else's safety. Mine have learned the hard way that this is necessary and they are quite diligent about it. The role is shared but some never take it. Hattie is never Sentinel. I believe this is because she was on duty the day the hawk killed Sylvie and they no longer trust her. Phyllis is also never Sentinel as she cannot see upwards. The rest all take turns. Glynda and Lady Featherington have been taught the danger and the job by the others. These lessons are learned and passed down. I expect that @RoyalChick tribe will be making adjustments and will be much safer moving forward.

RC, did it get very quiet before the attack? Did the song birds stop talking? That has happened before all of my Cooper's Hawk attacks. The song birds know they are there and go into hiding. That is a warning hopefully your girls now know.

That does not happen when a red-tailed hawk attacks. They come from much higher up and everyone is surprised.

The kiddos here listen to the jays and ravens, when they are kicking up a fuss they all take notice, that is how twice they were alerted to fox in the area, and a big red tail once when Pangoo was still here.

My big worry are the silkies they just don’t run fast and can’t see well. They are sitting ducks.