Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Marie2020]

A not so clean, fluffy butt Friday

 

[knoturavggrl]

Well the reason I went off layer feed is that it is low ish protein 16%.
The All Flock feed I give them is 20% protein.
But, in the summer they supplement their protein with bugs and worms more easily, so that is why I was thinking to do similar.
Do you feed them back their eggshells? Mine are not that interested in oyster shell but they love crushed up eggshells.

I do give them back their eggs/ shells quite often but my Orps are low on the pecking order so they dont get as much of the goodies as my older girls do.

Nutrena feather fixer has both the added calcium and 18% protein and that is what I picked for my trial run.

 

[rural mouse]

Assorted fluffy bums from the other day (some appeared multiple times

(Leghorn just for @BY Bob)

 

[BY Bob]

Some tax:
View attachment 3766206
View attachment 3766207
View attachment 3766210

Great pics!

 

[BY Bob]

That is an interesting idea. I had been pondering something along those lines. Of course that is assuming Calypso ever decides to lay!

I think this is Calypso - she and Tassels look similar unless you can see either comb or feet. Or have a good sense of scale as Tassels is BIG!

View attachment 3766108

I'm struggling with what feed to use this year. Hattie is essentially a rooster now. Do I switch to all flock? I wanted to start with at least 1 bag of layer but do I move on to all flock now? I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

 

[Lilion]

I gotta go now, I’m feeling kinda bummed out about Chaco.

I was reading to catch up and saw your awful news. I'm so sorry.

It certainly could be bullying, but her comb is in good shape. I would think that she would have a few bruises or scabs up there if she were being bullied.
Perhaps the others are helping her out by plucking those pesky pin feathers out?

I would separate her out into the small coop for a couple of weeks to see whether the pin feathers start to grow in unbothered, but set it up right in the room with the rest of the flock but fenced off so she isn’t lonely.

She's moved. The coops are side by side, so when everyone is out they can all see each other. It's the best I can do.

 

[BY Bob]

Hey all! Life just isn't allowing me to do much more than lurk these days. I keep popping on and trying to read a bit...but you folks all know hour fast this thread moves. Hope all is well.

We're pretty good here...except poor Sheba. She just can't catch a break. I've decided that I badly misjudged my roosters. I hope they're happy in their new homes.

But Sheba, I guess this is bullying. I suppose I should have caught it sooner, but at times I don't get out to the coop except for shutting it up and my husband...well, observant he's not. Her bald patches never grew back in...but today I found this: View attachment 3766246View attachment 3766247

She isn't bleeding. She doesn't act injured. All the others are fine. (They look bedraggled because of the pouring rain all day.) She's being bullied, right? One of the others is doing this? I mean, this isn't moulting and no one else has bald spots. I've noticed no mites.

Other than putting her into the small coop to heal, I don't know what to do. I'd take out the bully if I knew who it was. It could be Meanie or Goldie. It's not Eenie that I can imagine. Poor girl.

Anyone have suggestions?

A saddle maybe?

Any chance you can watch and see who might be doing the bullying. Are they ganging up on her or is there a single bully?

 

[notabitail]

@BY Bob
Fluffy butt Friday.

 

[BY Bob]

Hmmmm, I am going to call you out on something here...you said you did all of the calculations - but all I see is the the formulas written down - no actual calculations (i.e. WORK) is shown. tsk, tsk, tsk

As tax, I present an actual flying chicken:
View attachment 3766396

No competition to either Glynda or Phyllis, but a flying chicken none the less!

How's about another flying chicken, and a larger lady getting some air no less.

 

[BY Bob]

If your roosters are enough taller than your hens, you can put a feeder higher placed (sifter, hanging, whatever you use) so only the roosters can reach it, and fill that with grower or all flock. They may not eat completely out of it, but they will some, and any less they eat of the layer, the better for them. (You could even try putting a small container just out of reach of the hens, but in reach of the roos, and in the morning fill it with a wet grower mash that they WILL gobble down...and if it is really soggy (enough for the pellets to break apart), then it will be difficult for them to grab pieces and drop them/tidbit with them for the ladies.

This is a very clever idea!