Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

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!

I know I shouldn’t giggle but all of you wonder why my time thieves take up so much of my time - well that is exactly why - all I do is clean feeders waterers, and scrap the barn alleyway. Even the horses mange to get hay feed and some times poop in their water

Now I keep all the feeders and waterers up on bricks or 4x4 chunks, or in the alleyway on the brick floor. Easier to sweep the floor that clear the feeder and waterers.

Time thieves!

 

[BY Bob]

Isn’t it wonderful to see the two of them sharing both their chicks so adorable, and such good first time mamas

Glynda and Lady Featherington were raised together so they are like sisters - these two chickies will be raised as sisters too (they better be little girls ).

Please. No boys. I can't keep boys.

 

[BY Bob]

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.

They are down on the ground for easy access by the wee ones. I will keep them clean.

 

[BY Bob]

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?

Lawyers. That takes lawyers.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Well, lets add Squirrel, Blueberry and Holly to the list of floozies'. Bubba did his best, he just cannot handle 20 girls by himself and keep them in one spot. Oh Branch I miss you so, your help is now needed more then ever. As far as physical altercations go, to my knowledge and I spent a good part of the day outside none happened. The interloper did lure 3 of the girls down near the barn to him. I was outside dispensing sunflower seed treats and even I did not notice they were gone right away. I'm surrounded by the flock when Bubba growls next to me. I look in the direction he was staring and here comes Blueberry and Holly strolling back up the creek leading the interloper right along. Bubba calmly strutted to them, gave them a peck and sent them in my direction and half-heartedly charged him. He turned and ran and Bubba came back to me and the girls. A few minutes later same growl and same thing. This time it is Squirrel doing the walk of shame leading him. Once again Bubba went to her, pecked her hard on the back of the head and charged him. Again he turned and fled. I could not stay out all day, but when I came out to lock everyone up I see my opportunity to catch him. Bubba is on the roost with his laidies and low and behold here is the interloper right in the middle of the yard. This time wooing a very interested Judy and Dottie. I stayed back because the girls were making their way to the coop and he was following. So close, he came so close to going inside to roost with them. Instead after they went in he went on the hill and is sleeping in Momma Hens tree. Darn it, I see signs of a good boy here. Not for me, but, he has potential with a flock of his own. I can either take care of him tonight or wait another day and see if he will follow the girls into the coop where I can trap him. He seemed to learn his lesson about confronting Bubba so far. I swear if I can catch him I feel like taking him and dropping him off at the lady who run's the horse shows barn and turning him loose. Let him be her problem.

 

[BY Bob]

I know I shouldn’t giggle but all of you wonder why my time thieves take up so much of my time - well that is exactly why - all I do is clean feeders waterers, and scrap the barn alleyway. Even the horses mange to get hay feed and some times poop in their water

Now I keep all the feeders and waterers up on bricks or 4x4 chunks, or in the alleyway on the brick floor. Easier to sweep the floor that clear the feeder and waterers.

Time thieves!

Gotta love them.

 

[BY Bob]

I feel like taking him and dropping him off at the lady who run's the horse shows barn and turning him loose. Let him be her problem.

I love this idea. Justice.

 

[Ponypoor]

Gotta love them.

Yup they are fun.

Tonight I gave Truly and Lulu a brushing, I need to clip the pony but she is so sweaty it would be almost impossible to clip her - hopefully this rain will rinse her off a bit and then I can clip her on Saturday.

I gave the youngest chickies some attention tonight, and the silkies also got some grooming which they love.

 

[Ponypoor]

Please. No boys. I can't keep boys.

Girls yep need wee lassies

 

[knoturavggrl]

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 indeed but also a pain. Brownie did the exact same thing! She was in the tent, so of course no bugs or worms to teach them to scratch. Not to be deterred from teaching those babies, she would fling the wood chips in every direction (aka right in the waterer) and then proceed to empty the feeder by the beak-full and scatter the feed.