Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Frustration and Repeated Cleaning

The mums were driving me nuts today. They kept filling the waterer with straw and scattering the food all over the place. I must have cleaned the waterer 4 times. I was getting desperate and was thinking of what I needed to do differently. I put in a different food dispenser and was trying to figure a solution for the water supply.

Then, out of the blue, they stopped doing it. I watched them on camera all day. Around dinner time I finally figured out what they were doing.

The straw in the coop was too deep for them to teach the wee ones. They were clearing it out of the way. They were then scattering the food on the coop floor to show them how to scratch and find food!

This photo shows the area they were able to clear.

View attachment 3885746

After dinner tonight I will clear the coop of the excess straw so they can use the whole coop to teach them.

Smart Mommas!

Smart human to figure that out!!! So happy for them they have a competent and watchful human! I must say that I am not sure I would have thought of that!

 

[Ponypoor]

Friends, I have a problem and I just cannot deal with it. I do not have it in me emotionally to handle the situation as I normally would and I fear in the next few days of making a rash decision.

They brought back the da** chicken chase at the horse show Saturday. The concession was swamped with a huge line when they did it. I did not see what happened but was informed by one of the kids who knows I have chickens afterwards. They turned 3 roosters loose for the kids to catch. That is right 3 ROOSTERS!!!!! They caught 1 of them, the other 2 got out of the ring and hit the hill. Insert a slew of curse words here, I said them all that night. I figured I would give it 48 hours and if they survived they would gravitate to my yard hearing my chickens. I was wrong, 24 hours. While putting my girls up last night at least 1 of them survived the night and was on the hill behind the house calling to my girls. No one wanted to go in the coop on their own they were being enticed to the hill. Trampy Judy the Barred Rock actually got in the creek on me and the devil ran down and bred her before I could get to her. Insert another string of curse words as I got my first look at him. It is a frigging game rooster, and a good sized one at that. He is beautiful, marked just like Bubba but I cant. I simply cannot deal with a stray rooster trying to join my flock. I cannot have him enticing my girls to join him on the hillside either. He ran back up the hill when I came in the creek to pick up Judy who wanted to follow him so he is skittish and young as well I think. If Bubba was 100% he would be able to trounce him, but Bubba is not. Bubba would be hurt in a fight. I have not saw him this morning, but I have heard him crowing higher up the hillside. I love roosters. I strongly feel all roosters deserve a chance to be good roosters. I cannot compromise the safety of my own rooster and flock for this interloper though. It is not his fault but he is going to have to be taken care of and the other 1 as well if it survived. In another week I will be possibly moving the chicks outside and introducing them to my flock will be stressful enough. The last thing I need is a strange boy attempting to hurt them.

Curse those idiots. Curse them for bringing back the chicken chase. Curse them some more for being stupid enough to turn loose 3. 3 roosters none the less.

Oh well fuddle duddle! Can the SPCA there not stop this? It’s inhumane there should be something said to the animal welfare people. Gosh it’s akin to cock fighting really.

As for the Roos yes they need to be dealt with - your flock needs to be protected. And you can only do that by removing the threat of those youngsters.

As for Miss Hussy she may need a talking to! Having a quick rendezvous with the bad boy in town

 

[Sylvester017]

I put my feeder and waterers up on brick pavers - keeps the shavings and straw out of it.

Try that, also I put two 4x4 beams I cut in 2’ lengths together for the larger waterer.

We used elevated bricks also for a Rent-a-coop feeder and nipple waterer. Elevating feed/waterer really makes it cleaner and chicks can still reach. The nipple waterer was elevated a bit higher.

Nipple waterer elevated higher on a square cinder block and these can also be mounted securely on a cage.

Port feeder placed on one 12"x12" paver step stone

Feed and water stayed clear of pine shavings. Wish I had discovered using these 10 years ago!

 

[Ponypoor]

It is almost 90 degree's out but I had to go out and melt to better determine the situation. I heard the interloper crowing near the barn when I poured out some scraps. Bubba was crowing back to him so I went in and got my camera. It did not take him long to make his way up here. I was right he is very wary of my presence and will not come off the hill if I am standing up. I also only heard and saw 1 of the 2 that got away. The other could be around or could have been taken by a predator I have no way of knowing at the moment. I drug a chair in the shade and waited and watched, mostly Bubba. Bubba is very aware of his presence and is keeping the girls contained to the back yard. I got a few pictures and video's I am going to upload. I will warn you all now, the last video there is a few second fight. I figured it would happen and I was ready to drop the camera and step in to defend Bubba. Bubba not only held his own, it was over in seconds and the boy hightailed it back to the barn. He will be back though and that is the problem. He is very keen on my hens and it is only natural he is looking for a flock.
Here are the pictures I took of the interloper. I will not give him a name and I will not get attached. He cannot stay.
View attachment 3885612View attachment 3885613View attachment 3885614
He is young. Going by those spurs 5 to 6 months old. Perfect, not only is he a stray rooster, he is a hormonal idiot.

Wow he is a beautiful Roo for sure.

Ready for the roaster I would say.

How do you plan on dispatching him?

 

[rural mouse]

It is almost 90 degree's out but I had to go out and melt to better determine the situation. I heard the interloper crowing near the barn when I poured out some scraps. Bubba was crowing back to him so I went in and got my camera. It did not take him long to make his way up here. I was right he is very wary of my presence and will not come off the hill if I am standing up. I also only heard and saw 1 of the 2 that got away. The other could be around or could have been taken by a predator I have no way of knowing at the moment. I drug a chair in the shade and waited and watched, mostly Bubba. Bubba is very aware of his presence and is keeping the girls contained to the back yard. I got a few pictures and video's I am going to upload. I will warn you all now, the last video there is a few second fight. I figured it would happen and I was ready to drop the camera and step in to defend Bubba. Bubba not only held his own, it was over in seconds and the boy hightailed it back to the barn. He will be back though and that is the problem. He is very keen on my hens and it is only natural he is looking for a flock.
Here are the pictures I took of the interloper. I will not give him a name and I will not get attached. He cannot stay.
View attachment 3885612View attachment 3885613View attachment 3885614
He is young. Going by those spurs 5 to 6 months old. Perfect, not only is he a stray rooster, he is a hormonal idiot.

He's a handsome lad, but definitely a hormonal idiot. Every time he causes trouble, can you keep track of the time and "bill" the event organizers for the ongoing hassle and damages?

 

[rural mouse]

First video, he is crowing down by the barn. Bubba is aware and is watching the girls.

It did not take him long, here he is. Bubba is watching and Trampy Judy is thinking of heading his way.

The Interloper

Off the hill he comes.

He is bold and not afraid of Bubba.

The fight was short, sweet and to the point. He gave way to Bubba and ran off. Neither boy was hurt. Again though, idiot phase, he will be back to wash, rinse and repeat. Bubba has age, experience and size on his side. Bubba also has not been 100% and with this heat I do not need him exerting himself defending his flock. The interloper, young, fit, stamina and stupid. If he does not get the point quickly he could cause Bubba to give himself a heart attack in this heat.

I have to take care of him and I have to do it soon. I do not have the grace of time to try and catch him to rehome. My boys well being and safety comes first.

One thought on catching the handsome little devil: live trap with Trampy Judy inside. He's a hormonal idiot. If you can set that up with Bubba out of the way, the little ding-a-ling might be caught the same day. Or at least come out where a good shot could happen.

 

[BY Bob]

Such proud mama's! And looks like they're going to co-parent.

They really do. I hope it works.

 

[rural mouse]

They really do. I hope it works.

Enjoy the baby moments. They grow up sooooooo fast

 

[BY Bob]

It is almost 90 degree's out but I had to go out and melt to better determine the situation. I heard the interloper crowing near the barn when I poured out some scraps. Bubba was crowing back to him so I went in and got my camera. It did not take him long to make his way up here. I was right he is very wary of my presence and will not come off the hill if I am standing up. I also only heard and saw 1 of the 2 that got away. The other could be around or could have been taken by a predator I have no way of knowing at the moment. I drug a chair in the shade and waited and watched, mostly Bubba. Bubba is very aware of his presence and is keeping the girls contained to the back yard. I got a few pictures and video's I am going to upload. I will warn you all now, the last video there is a few second fight. I figured it would happen and I was ready to drop the camera and step in to defend Bubba. Bubba not only held his own, it was over in seconds and the boy hightailed it back to the barn. He will be back though and that is the problem. He is very keen on my hens and it is only natural he is looking for a flock.
Here are the pictures I took of the interloper. I will not give him a name and I will not get attached. He cannot stay.
View attachment 3885612View attachment 3885613View attachment 3885614
He is young. Going by those spurs 5 to 6 months old. Perfect, not only is he a stray rooster, he is a hormonal idiot.

Pretty boy but he's gotta go. Poor fellow. It's not his fault and that makes it worse. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this.

 

[BY Bob]

First video, he is crowing down by the barn. Bubba is aware and is watching the girls.

It did not take him long, here he is. Bubba is watching and Trampy Judy is thinking of heading his way.

The Interloper

Off the hill he comes.

He is bold and not afraid of Bubba.

The fight was short, sweet and to the point. He gave way to Bubba and ran off. Neither boy was hurt. Again though, idiot phase, he will be back to wash, rinse and repeat. Bubba has age, experience and size on his side. Bubba also has not been 100% and with this heat I do not need him exerting himself defending his flock. The interloper, young, fit, stamina and stupid. If he does not get the point quickly he could cause Bubba to give himself a heart attack in this heat.

I have to take care of him and I have to do it soon. I do not have the grace of time to try and catch him to rehome. My boys well being and safety comes first.

Such a hard thing to do but yours have to come first.