Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

So, going by that logic, -5 degrees means you are 'in the whole/in the red' then? I guess that makes sense, as your skin does get pretty red at that temperature!
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actually, temperature is a measure of relative energy...and somewhat arbitrarily defined. 0 Kelvin is absolute zero, unlike Farenheight or Celsius.

Ok smartie pants. Way to ruin our fun with facts.

 

[Ponypoor]

Seattle has been investing in increasing its snow plow/driver fleet. Currently they have a robust plan for all the major roads (which did not exist even a decade ago) and making sure there are bus routes still working. However, the neighborhood streets don’t get plowed… so nobody is able to leave home to get to those main streets So yea, we shut down. I suspect an inch of the stuff will cause schools to call a remote learning day.

View attachment 3728244

I wonder if their increasing spending on snow equip is due to more people or more strange weather events?

Your kiddos look like they are enjoying themselves out there

 

[Ponypoor]

So, going by that logic, -5 degrees means you are 'in the whole/in the red' then? I guess that makes sense, as your skin does get pretty red at that temperature!
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actually, temperature is a measure of relative energy...and somewhat arbitrarily defined. 0 Kelvin is absolute zero, unlike Farenheight or Celsius.

Double brrrrr on the zero kelvin!

Next week supposed to be back up above freezing point and rain - crazy weather. But I might get the chooks out for a bit in the late afternoon when I get home, last night it was just dark at 5:50pm - daylight hrs are increasing! Yay!

Thirsty Thursday

Fluffy walking in the flooded lawn last July 2023 - a summer time BFTP

 

[Ponypoor]

I agree with that. Why didn't we domesticate them when we were doing dogs? They would rule all the dog shows.

Here is a great documentary on foxes

 

[rural mouse]

Fascinating. Too smart maybe?

Found 1 article about the foxes in the UK. They started moving into London @ 1930. A bunch of skulls were studied from @ 1970. City foxes had shorter/wider noses than rural ones. Speculation occurred re: cause due to differences in diet, territory size, and intelligence needs. Rural smarter than city due to greater territory size for food needs. Concusion in article: domestication is coming but nowhere close yet. Not enough time to cement the changes in at genetic level.

https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/foxes-are-self-domesticating-in-the-u-k-so-why-not-canada/

 

[Marie2020]

I’ve gotten very behind. So sorry you had the hawk attack, I read it fearing the worst. But it seems Pooh and Bernie and Babs have come out relatively unscathed, that’s good. The hawk swooped down onto Pooh, and they tumbled around and off the open run and then on the ground? The constant motion is a good survival technique and probably prevented the hawk from getting a good grab on Pooh. She is lucky. Butters was grabbed but wriggled away losing feathers without much skin break at all, but some soreness later. I do think the fluff and feathers being slippery and thick is a saving grace! Queenie had one or two punctures but very little actual external bleeding, it was internal, from the neck grabs.

I think that some netting will help, but that it should extend to the tree and bushes and if you can extend it to the ground on the other side of the bushes (hug the tree at height and then go down I suppose), that would be best, so that they have some place to run / fly to and to put something like twigs and branches between them and the hawk during an attack from inside the netting. Optimally they would have some height available with the netting, so they can do a vertical jump-fly avoidance maneuver in any direction. If it just hangs down in front with a slot, there’s nowhere to go and I can see them getting entangled and caught against it, and the hawk will use that.

If you’re out there with them when you deploy this then you’re helping to buy some time. But because the ends by the poles are not enclosed it’s not really a deterrent as much as an options limiter (that’s something though) for a Coopers Hawk, or even a Red Tail (the Red Tail here just dropped down onto Butters beside where the netting canopy ended). So if you’re there and watchful that will be good. To the hawks it’s a tunnel to easily figure out and fly around / into / through. Coopers Hawks are pros at woodland hunting, they understand the woodland understory and flying under and between branches. Pooh was at the edge of the open run in the picture, she will be vulnerable there. So give them room to escape to, thus the extended front edge over the bushes.

But I am wholly in the paranoid camp, as you know. If you can create a netted area that is really totally enclosed, even just a temporary spot you can feel assured they’re protected in, so you can nap and relax out there with them, I’d fully endorse that!

I'm so pleased that hawk didn't manage to snatch butters, queenie or pooh.
I would have been a wreck. Good for you finding a solution

 

[Marie2020]

Here is a great documentary on foxes

Video not available here.

 

[RoyalChick]

So, going by that logic, -5 degrees means you are 'in the whole/in the red' then? I guess that makes sense, as your skin does get pretty red at that temperature!
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actually, temperature is a measure of relative energy...and somewhat arbitrarily defined. 0 Kelvin is absolute zero, unlike Farenheight or Celsius.

I define absolute zero as the point at which I need to go back to bed to get warm. I am at that point now.

 

[Marie2020]

I would say it’s likely around the freezing point in the barn with the horses in there, their water buckets won’t be frozen. They generate a good amt of body heat.

The hen houses will likely be around 2c or even 5c with an overnight of -11c - tonight o will put the thermometer and hydrometer in the Hen House A and let you all know.

Edit: it’s -9C right now, going to be -5C o today and snow.

It was freezing to the bone here last night at -6c . I don't know how you cope with it so cold, this is new to me

 

[Marie2020]

I define absolute zero as the point at which I need to go back to bed to get warm. I am at that point now.

×2 .With my hot water bottle staying hot