Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

There Are Only 2 Chicks

Glynda's Polish has passed. I buried it next to Gucci.

Each hen has 1 Chick now. Glynda has given up her nest. Lady Featherington is still sitting on hers.

So sorry about wee chickie, hatching and birthing - the most perilous times for babies. Hoping maybe another egg or two will hatch, it’s only day 22 right?

 

[lightm]

No Branch!
I'm sorry for your loss @RebeccaBoyd
View attachment 3884510
In positive news: new coop is ordered. It arrives Friday and we will be assembling it, doing security modifications, and moving the broody hens over. Saturday morning I am going to a farm swap to HOPEFULLY get two polish chicks, and up to four others. If polish chicken lady isn't sold out. She wouldn't let me reserve them in advance even though I offered to pay extra.
Hubby said to get straight run chicks and if we have more than one male we will eat the extra. This is my extra early anniversary gift this year haha.
View attachment 3884497
Shep is contemplating going broody but she is having egg issues so hopefully she commits and gets the egg factory turned off for a bit. She still has that bald patch under her cloaca, but it seems smaller??? Like she isn't as swollen as before. Samara and Morinth are of course broody.
View attachment 3884499
This is the third time this year for Morinth. But this time I get to give her babies.
I of course have both a lamp and plate to brood if something goes wrong.
My chick wishlist is "pompom" for the kiddo
Blue laced wyandotte (any laced wyandotte really)
Americana with the poofy cheekers
Barred rock
And mayyyybe a brahma or orpington. They're so big I'm worried about space. Kiddo said Jersey Giant but...probably not haha.
My main run is 10x20, the side extension is 3x5, that gives me 215 of run space not counting the part in the current coop where the feeding station is. I'm doubling my nest boxes and roost space so I feel doubling the chickens is still fair and gives them more than 10² feet each of run.

We have the same coop. It's pretty good except it is hard to clean. I use a broomstick with a wide scaper thing attached at the end.

 

[featherhead007]

Flockservation
Interesting observation on Hattie.

She has been fine sleeping alone in the nest box of the Cluckle Hut. Once Phyllis started sleeping in the main coop after she was hurt. Prior to that Phyllis had roosted in the Cluckle Hut with Hattie.

Since Phyllis passed Hattie has been sleeping in the main coop again, and roosting. Aurora is still nasty to her at bedtime But Hattie has been dealing with it.

Interesting

 

[BY Bob]

So sorry about wee chickie, hatching and birthing - the most perilous times for babies. Hoping maybe another egg or two will hatch, it’s only day 22 right?

Only day 22.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Only day 22.

Remember now, they had to sit on a countertop for 48 hours at room temp. In theory that first 24 hours could not count as they had to come up to temp. Technically I would call this day 21.

 

[BY Bob]

Remember now, they had to sit on a countertop for 48 hours at room temp. In theory that first 24 hours could not count as they had to come up to temp. Technically I would call this day 21.

That's all well and good but if the hen won't sit them anymore, we are done. These 2 hens are a mess right now. They are not consistently doing anything. I hope tonight is enough to hatch some more out but who knows what will happen.

 

[Sylvester017]

Here we have homemade swamp coolers. Relatively safe as far as I'm concerned with proper precautions to ensure the plugs don't get wet (they're long enough to stay dry).

Out of environment necessity and experience you know how to be safe I pray. What bothers me is that the number one killer of chickens are coop fires by owners who aren't careful or know what they're doing.

Some keep lights in their coops. Rather than that we keep a porch light on low and it shines dim light thru the barn coop windows thru the night. Our Dominique likes to sleep next to one of the windows every night

 

[RoyalChick]

Poor Sherlock is plum tuckered out.View attachment 3884866He went along wood hauling. No trees to down, all were already down, just needed cut up and loaded. View attachment 3884867This is what fit in the Avalanche, single row deep. The guy we went out with has a small trailer (hold a bit more). That went to his place. Going to be a weekly thing until both houses are fully stocked.

View attachment 3884868The 1st egg had a 2nd join it today (left side). Still don't know who's laying.

Mugs of the 3 likely candidates (Hetty posed the other day):
View attachment 3884873Hetty

View attachment 3884874Kate

View attachment 3884876Focus

Hetty has had wattles the longest and was first to attempt to roost with the adults.

Sherlock has grown into a good looking dog.

 

[RoyalChick]

Out of environment necessity and experience you know how to be safe I pray. What bothers me is that the number one killer of chickens are coop fires by owners who aren't careful or know what they're doing.

Some keep lights in their coops. Rather than that we keep a porch light on low and it shines dim light thru the barn coop windows thru the night. Our Dominique likes to sleep next to one of the windows every night
View attachment 3885101

Why do you keep a porch light on for them?

 

[featherhead007]

Little brats are giving me a hard time. They ate up their bribe for bedtime, and now they are still playing out in the yard!