Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I just wanna be FREEEEEEEE, mommy!

Actually, given their strength and size, it is amazing that a little stall guard keeps them in as much as they do.

Ya I know right?!

Right now I have it tied in place with a piece of baling twine as she broke the snap and I need a new one.

Sophia

 

[featherhead007]

Yup, they love the eyes.

I keep mine away from them now - those chicks are quick though and can give a quick peck in the eye, just like that!

I know this full well!

 

[Sylvester017]

Yup, they love the eyes.

I keep mine away from them now - those chicks are quick though and can give a quick peck in the eye, just like that!

Tony is a nervous wreck, she'll accidentally do the eyes but not often.

Whenever we bring a bird up close we wear cheap dollar store reading glasses for that very reason. They are fascinated seeing their own reflections in the glass yet your eyes are protected at the same time if they peck at the glass

 

[notabitail]

Yup, they love the eyes.

I keep mine away from them now - those chicks are quick though and can give a quick peck in the eye, just like that!

That Pichon dove we have wants to know what eyeball tastes like. He's not allowed near eyes.

 

[Ponypoor]

Well, Whiskey has proven she will not adopt chicks ever. She may be totally fine to hatch out and raise her own, but I would have a hard time entrusting her with eggs. You need to be banned from Peavy Mart, it gets you in trouble. What did you get this time? I have been good and kept myself out of Rural King and TSC except for twice this year. Both times I was lucky if I think about it. They had chicks, but all bantams were sold out. They did have silkies listed as a option in the bantam bin. Oh that would have been bad, I would have caved I know it.

Two sapphire gems and two Americana.

The sapphire gems are very pretty.

 

[Ponypoor]

Honestly, if Dorothy was initially okay - I would certainly try again at night. I had a broody that I put some chicks under. Initially she went crazy pecking everything - but I think it was because she went into 'save my chicks mode - DANGER, DANGER. I watched her for a couple of minutes after I was done putting them all under her and she - after a few minutes of pecking them - settled down and let them snuggle under her. I realized that she was A) Pecking ME to keep them safe, and B) pecking them trying to get them to stay under her. Once everyone settled down, all was good.

I know Whiskers was bad last time, but it my have been too early. I had a DC (who is a GREAT mom, BTW), kill a chick that hatched early. It must have been an egg that was missed...as it hatched about 12-13 days into me letting her set on eggs. I came out one morning and there was a dead chick under her - and it was mutilated - so it didn't just 'hatch and die'. That made me very nervous - but I wasn't sure what else to do as I didn't have another broody at the time to put the eggs under...so I let her continue to set. When the eggs hatched - at the normal time - she was great with all of them. I suspect that she knew that if she took care of that one, her 'other chicks' - the ones still in the eggs - would die. Or else they go through different phases during broodiness and she wasn't ready for chicks. Since she can't speak English, and I only know a few words in Chickenese, I am not sure which it is.

Anyways - I definitely would try Dorothy again - Whiskers is up to you....but if you do try Whiskers, try her FIRST...watch what she does with the two chicks, and if you decide to remove them, then put all 4 at once under Dorothy, so she isn't disturbed once chicks are under her.....that will cause mayhem/fighting momma to come out.

The up side if they get the chicks is that the chicks will break their 'sit oon eggs broody streak'

My two cents. Maybe someone else has other thoughts. Ultimately, you will need to do what you think is best - for the chicks and for your mental/emotional well being. (Too much worry is not good, either.)

Just catching up

Well I did indeed chicken out and decide not to give them chicks at all. Too much stress, at least with my raising them I can integrate them fast into the flock.

Surprisingly the flock ignores the chicks I bring home. It’s really just those broodies that cause all the trouble - it’s like they go out of their way to get into trouble!

Curly’s chicks are now 4.5 weeks old and she is settling down a bit, not so prone to go picking fights with everyone. And her chicks are starting to wander off on their own much to her dismay! She has to run after them. And when they fly up on things she gets all freaked out. Poor Curly

Anyways the four I tried to shove under to broodies will be resold when they get to point of lay. Shouldn’t have any trouble with them they are very pretty.

 

[RoyalChick]

Wow

! That’s awesome! How lucky of you to get this photo that’s wonderful

She stood on the wall for quite some time in front of the security camera preening and generally looking around. I got loads of video and snapped loads of stills. The camera alerted that there was a person so I checked it out and saw her. She didn't seem in distress and was very alert and aware of her surroundings. I wonder where the rest of her flock are.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Mr Little Chicken is a naughty boy, this morning he figured he would try to breed my hand I told him he was a bit young for that behaviour. Not to mention just plain weird!

He just chirped an tried to snuggle up to me to warm up. He was hatched 13th May 2024, that’s 6 weeks old.

Seems a bit young to be starting this behaviour, I also noted this morning he was trying to spare with his sister, she pretty much ignored him. He had better behave and learn to be a good boy like Bert.

Branch was about a month and a half older, but, he too fell in love with my hand. It was a shock the first time he tried that, had never had it happen before with my other boys. He tried to "love" my hand for about 3 weeks. It sounds like both boys are very similar in personalities and me and you treated them the same. Branch has always been a cuddler, so even when I suspected he was a boy I still held him. When his "attentions" started I realized real quick he got worked up if I were to pet him as he walked by. He was never aggressive, but a pet resulted in a bite to the back of my hand, most time trying to catch my shirt sleeve and then he attempted to breed my hand. After the first time I was ready and pulled my hand away and never let him finish. The bites never really hurt either but I had to nip that in the bud. In all this I never stopped holding him. I loved my snuggle boy and did not want to loose him. What I did was stop stroking his back as he walked by and that was hard for me to break. Instead I would pick him up and let him settle in my lap and pet him. He never got worked up if he was in my lap and me petting him, ever. I did focus my attentions though to massaging the back of his neck and base of his wings, that is his sweet spot and to this day he melts when I rub him there. Once he discovered and got brave enough to take on the ladies he forgot all about my hand. Also after discovering the girls I resumed stroking his back as he walks by, still do to this day. Sparring with his sister is normal. I would bet sometimes she initiates the sparring, that is just establishing themselves in the pecking order. He may be little, but, you need to NOT intervene with the big girls. They will thump him, but they will not hurt him physically. His pride, yes, that will be hurt and he will be rightfully taken down a few pegs. It needs to happen to all young roosters. Mr. P and Bert they too need to whip him, let them do it. He will be a better rooster in the end for whoever ends up with him with the lessons and beatings your flock teach him.

Now, I want to focus for a minute on Miss Little Chicken. Being a bantam she has the potential to lay soon after the 5 month mark in October. I am going to venture a guess right now that first egg comes the last of October to the first week of November. If so, who cares about the weather I am betting within 2 weeks of laying that first egg she is broody. Little chicken will put your silkies to shame in the broody department. She shall need to be watched like a hawk. She is little and she may already be showing it but she can fly and fly well. Your hay loft, it will not be safe from her. Actually you need to familiarize yourself with all the tiny out of the way spots now. She will find them and more that you would not think a chicken could hide in to make a nest.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

She stood on the wall for quite some time in front of the security camera preening and generally looking around. I got loads of video and snapped loads of stills. The camera alerted that there was a person so I checked it out and saw her. She didn't seem in distress and was very alert and aware of her surroundings. I wonder where the rest of her flock are.

She is pretty. How did your flock react to her visiting? I have had a turkey sort of visit 3 times since I've had my flock. Twice just walking on the hillside and once it flew low across my yard to the other hillside. Each time my flock lost their ever loving minds and very loudly raised the alarm. Hawks do not panic them as much as when a turkey visits.

 

[Sylvester017]

Branch was about a month and a half older, but, he too fell in love with my hand. It was a shock the first time he tried that, had never had it happen before with my other boys. He tried to "love" my hand for about 3 weeks. It sounds like both boys are very similar in personalities and me and you treated them the same. Branch has always been a cuddler, so even when I suspected he was a boy I still held him. When his "attentions" started I realized real quick he got worked up if I were to pet him as he walked by. He was never aggressive, but a pet resulted in a bite to the back of my hand, most time trying to catch my shirt sleeve and then he attempted to breed my hand. After the first time I was ready and pulled my hand away and never let him finish. The bites never really hurt either but I had to nip that in the bud. In all this I never stopped holding him. I loved my snuggle boy and did not want to loose him. What I did was stop stroking his back as he walked by and that was hard for me to break. Instead I would pick him up and let him settle in my lap and pet him. He never got worked up if he was in my lap and me petting him, ever. I did focus my attentions though to massaging the back of his neck and base of his wings, that is his sweet spot and to this day he melts when I rub him there. Once he discovered and got brave enough to take on the ladies he forgot all about my hand. Also after discovering the girls I resumed stroking his back as he walks by, still do to this day. Sparring with his sister is normal. I would bet sometimes she initiates the sparring, that is just establishing themselves in the pecking order. He may be little, but, you need to NOT intervene with the big girls. They will thump him, but they will not hurt him physically. His pride, yes, that will be hurt and he will be rightfully taken down a few pegs. It needs to happen to all young roosters. Mr. P and Bert they too need to whip him, let them do it. He will be a better rooster in the end for whoever ends up with him with the lessons and beatings your flock teach him.

Now, I want to focus for a minute on Miss Little Chicken. Being a bantam she has the potential to lay soon after the 5 month mark in October. I am going to venture a guess right now that first egg comes the last of October to the first week of November. If so, who cares about the weather I am betting within 2 weeks of laying that first egg she is broody. Little chicken will put your silkies to shame in the broody department. She shall need to be watched like a hawk. She is little and she may already be showing it but she can fly and fly well. Your hay loft, it will not be safe from her. Actually you need to familiarize yourself with all the tiny out of the way spots now. She will find them and more that you would not think a chicken could hide in to make a nest.

TeeHee - your stories are so cute! We aren't zoned for roo's so we were never able to experience keeping them, so I love everyone's roo stories!

As for bantam broodies -- I like Silkies cuz they can't fly away where I don't want them, plus they lay a pretty decent size egg compared to tinier bantams, plus the little fuzzies are so unique that even timid kids love them