Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Some Sad News Regarding Phyllis (at least Phyllis thinks so)

As we have been celebrating some significant Hatchdays around these parts, it should be apparent to everyone that the tribe is starting to age a little. Most times in hens you really can't tell as they may slow down a little but they look like they have always. Except for poor Phyllis.

Phyllis is turning grey.

You can see it on the tips of her feathers. Check out these close ups from today's fluffy bun photos and look closely.

View attachment 3744143View attachment 3744144

I have noticed before that the feathers on her head would whiten as the year went on but I really couldn't prove it. There are so many and they move about so much. But these tips turning white are undeniable.

What is disturbing Phyllis the most is that there is no real feather dye for chickens. Sadly for her, she is going to have to wear the proof of her age proudly.

For those who don't know Phyllis will be 5 in October so she's about 4.5 years old right now.

Grey frosting is extremely stylish and I have confidence that it will simply add to Phyllis's elegance!

 

[Ponypoor]

Some Sad News Regarding Phyllis (at least Phyllis thinks so)

As we have been celebrating some significant Hatchdays around these parts, it should be apparent to everyone that the tribe is starting to age a little. Most times in hens you really can't tell as they may slow down a little but they look like they have always. Except for poor Phyllis.

Phyllis is turning grey.

You can see it on the tips of her feathers. Check out these close ups from today's fluffy bun photos and look closely.

View attachment 3744143View attachment 3744144

I have noticed before that the feathers on her head would whiten as the year went on but I really couldn't prove it. There are so many and they move about so much. But these tips turning white are undeniable.

What is disturbing Phyllis the most is that there is no real feather dye for chickens. Sadly for her, she is going to have to wear the proof of her age proudly.

For those who don't know Phyllis will be 5 in October so she's about 4.5 years old right now.

For a second there I was a bit worried !

Phyllis not to worry on you Grey looks glamorous

 

[Ponypoor]

Tax for being gone for so long
Kali
View attachment 3743821
Photogenic Lightning
View attachment 3743822
Bessie

View attachment 3743824
And I believe this is Parvati
View attachment 3743823

That last photo should go in the next Caption Contest.

Thread 'Official BYC Caption Contest Photo Submission - Thread #9'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...on-contest-photo-submission-thread-9.1602528/


They currant one has ended and the winner was announced here on page 5.

Thread 'Official BYC Caption Contest 02-02-24 Pic by Ponypoor'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ion-contest-02-02-24-pic-by-ponypoor.1610539/

 

[RoyalChick]

Well I am glad I took that photo of Bernie’s pretty brown eggs because this morning Piglet and Pooh broke into the servant’s quarters (strictly off limits to chickens) and went on a vandalism spree.
There is egg everywhere. I think there were 10 eggs in the container.
How they broke in is a mystery to be solved another day!
It is possible that this was all provoked by Pooh laying her first egg. But I can’t be sure until I can access the nest boxes without slipping up in egg yolk.

 

[BY Bob]

Well I am glad I took that photo of Bernie’s pretty brown eggs because this morning Piglet and Pooh broke into the servant’s quarters (strictly off limits to chickens) and went on a vandalism spree.
There is egg everywhere. I think there were 10 eggs in the container.
How they broke in is a mystery to be solved another day!
It is possible that this was all provoked by Pooh laying her first egg. But I can’t be sure until I can access the nest boxes without slipping up in egg yolk.
View attachment 3744202

What a tragedy! Are you sure it was your ladies and not something else?

 

[RoyalChick]

What a tragedy! Are you sure it was your ladies and not something else?

A very good question except I caught them in the act. However they got in, they couldn’t get out again so they were trapped and fluttering around in between mouthfuls of egg.

 

[RoyalChick]

A very good question except I caught them in the act. However they got in, they couldn’t get out again so they were trapped and fluttering around in between mouthfuls of egg.

Oh no!
I just realized - now I am nearly out of eggs.

 

[BeastBaby]

I’m not an expert! I love looking at them though, and ID’ing is fun for me. Try Broad-Winged Hawk. Fits the area too. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Broad-winged_Hawk/id

The only thing I know about is to look at certain elements showing on the body and what they generally mean. So- yes, the red across-the-breast stripes and the banded tail would send you to Coopers or Sharp-Shinned. But the upper mottled markings look like a juvenile, because mature hawks of those have a more solid grey, slate solid coloring. There’s a “cap” look to the head and nape also, and here the nape is pretty vertical stripes. So then, when you guess immature and check a picture, you see that the breast markings there are completely different, they are vertical brown stripes. It can’t be an immature Sharp or Coopers.

Wow this is fascinating! I hadn’t been down this rabbit hole before and am now perusing buteo vs accipiter vs falcon silhouettes. Thanks for the info!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

@lightm @BY Bob
I’m so behind. 30 pages in one day, how is that possible???

I’m not an expert! I love looking at them though, and ID’ing is fun for me. Try Broad-Winged Hawk. Fits the area too. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Broad-winged_Hawk/id

The only thing I know about is to look at certain elements showing on the body and what they generally mean. So- yes, the red across-the-breast stripes and the banded tail would send you to Coopers or Sharp-Shinned. But the upper mottled markings look like a juvenile, because mature hawks of those have a more solid grey, slate solid coloring. There’s a “cap” look to the head and nape also, and here the nape is pretty vertical stripes. So then, when you guess immature and check a picture, you see that the breast markings there are completely different, they are vertical brown stripes. It can’t be an immature Sharp or Coopers.

So then I went looking at the “similar species” information, looking for the right combination of banded tail, sideways striped breast, mottled upper markings & striped nape. Also, geographical distribution. From the possibilities there, and without size indications, Broad-Wing fits. This is a big bird, a buteo, not an accipiter. Buteos have big blunt shaped wings, big bodies, they are birds that soar, accipiters have lean bodies, long pointed wings, fast maneuvering agile flyers.

@lightm I’m sticking with it after reassessing and looking again. You would see more facial markings in a Merlin or Peregrine, and the feather markings aren’t right for either - whether it’s male, female, adult, juvenile or in-between. Also, very strange in my opinion to see one end a hunt on the ground, just my intuition is saying these birds want to end up perching on a branch or something, they don’t do a lot of hopping around once landed.

You’ve given more information re size. The light morph Broad-Wing still fits. It is a very small big bird - roughly 13 to 17 inches long. Hunts in forests, under the canopy, the blunt wings give them the ability to do tight turns, but they don’t have speed with it I don’t think.

@BY Bob Another possibility is that it’s some weird in-between stage for a juvenile /adult Sharp-Shinned or Coopers, but the nape feathers still don’t seem right. The better long-shot match is a Red-Shouldered Hawk, but that’s going bigger than any here, 17-24 inches.

 

[BeastBaby]

Well I am glad I took that photo of Bernie’s pretty brown eggs because this morning Piglet and Pooh broke into the servant’s quarters (strictly off limits to chickens) and went on a vandalism spree.
There is egg everywhere. I think there were 10 eggs in the container.
How they broke in is a mystery to be solved another day!
It is possible that this was all provoked by Pooh laying her first egg. But I can’t be sure until I can access the nest boxes without slipping up in egg yolk.
View attachment 3744202

Ah! Such mischief. I’m sure they were easily found out, they left their footprints everywhere for the sleuths!