Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

They may bond with your flock....and attack the inerloping roo....

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

Twofer Tuesday
Sisters pondering over the ice cold Aquafina...

 

[Ponypoor]

Lucky me? These are ducks! Messy, quacking, little creatures!!!
I can’t raise them. There’s no need for them

Ducks lay lots of eggs. More than one a day… yummy!

 

[Ponypoor]

Maybe I will just drive up (past the casino) to the lake. Nice park there. Lots of beautiful scenery and I have rented a houseboat for several occasions there before.

By lake do you mean the reservoir near Bakersfield? Been there

Jaffarra

 

[BY Bob]

Omg I'm missing everything! You have chicks!?

Yes. 1 each. They are co-parenting.

 

[BY Bob]

*Insert whatever curse words you want here*

I can't do it, I cannot kill a young cockerel who is showing so much promise as the interloper is this morning and afternoon.

Something happened this morning before I went out. I do not know what but Bubba and the interloper who I think I accidentally named have came to a understanding. Randy, I called him Randy when he bred Trampy Judy again and now it is sticking. The boys are sharing the horse stalls and the creek right behind the house. They can walk beside each other within 2 feet and neither one has so much as raised their hackles while I was out. Bubba is seeing to the ladies who nest in the hay like normal. Randy has responded to the escort calls and serviced the girls who lay in the coop and the porch boxes. I broke over and decided I could not kill him when while dragging the garbage cans to the front Randy spotted a hawk. He sent the entire flock for cover, including Bubba and stood in his spot and watched it. So did I. Once it left he made another call and everyone came back out from hiding in the horse stalls. The hawk was circling in front of the house, Bubba being out back could not see it. The flock was scattered between the front and back yard. I have since tested Randy to the best I can so far. He will not let me touch him. Today I can get closer, about a arms length away. I picked up a few girls in his presence. He watched. I brought out a bag of sunflower seeds. Gave a pile to Bubba to feed to the girls and then went about 15 feet away and made another pile in front of Randy. He did not eat a single one, called some of the girls to him and let them eat them. I then hand fed the girls right in front of him to see what would happen, nothing, he watched. He gives way to me while I walk around. I also feel guilty. I do not want to keep him permanently. I'm hoping for 1 or 2 boys in my group of chicks. My flock needs more then 1 rooster though, Bubba cannot be everywhere at once. The chicks are only almost 3 weeks old. If there is a boy I am looking at least 5 more months before he can be any help, and then he has to survive the idiot phase. I really do not know what to do here. Do I keep observing Randy and if the truce holds, and he continues to show promise do I hang onto him for a few months? Quite frankly that thought though makes me feel like I have stooped to the idiots level who brought him to the show to essentially dump him. It almost feels unfair to him and makes me feel like I am using him until his purpose is served. I also know Bubba will not be around forever. At any point soon I could be down to zero boys. My girls need a rooster, they obviously do not pay attention to the skies. I counted on having Branch to step up as Bubba stepped down and he was. Now, I do not have Branch. Someone please talk some sense into me. Tell me it is wrong to keep him if he continues to behave for a bit only to rehome him in 6 months to a years time.

I would keep him. Any time you give to him is more than he would have on his own. As long as he does his job and he and Bubba are settled, I would let him stay.

Now all bets are off if he goes after Bubba.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

@featherhead007 @rural mouse and @Ponypoor

No help you bunch of enablers.

Ok in all seriousness I have brought in dad on the decision as well. He is going to observe as well when he is out and put in his opinions. I can also trust his opinions, he will not look at him through rose colored glasses like I may be doing right now. I am grieving Branch, get attached to Roos and feel sorry for all of them. I cannot just up and say he stays, mom and dad, mostly dad have to also be on board.

Let's just say Randy is officially on trial. To earn a place in the flock he has to meet several criteria.

First, this truce with Bubba has to hold out. They start fighting, and if they do not stop he is gone.

He can never, ever show any human aggression, idiot phase or not. There are children of all ages in the neighborhood, I will not tolerate it. Even to adults. He does not have to like being held or even want to be held. He attacks a person though, he is gone.

He has to remain in the backyard. It must become his home base, he cannot keep going down to the barn and leading hens down there. If he chooses to roost in Momma Hens tree, fine. I would prefer he eventually roosts in either the coop or on the main roost with Bubba.

He must learn and learn quickly to be gentle with the girls. I know young cockerels can get rough with them in the idiot phase, but he WILL not hurt one of them. I really worry about Poppet my smallest. Poppet is gravitating towards him, I was watching out the kitchen window while I did dishes. He danced for her her but she dodged him. To his credit he did not try to grab her. He actually has not grabbed any of the girls roughly yet that I have saw. That said, he hurts a girl he is gone.

The chicks, when I move them outside the first few weeks they will be confined to the coop. Both he and Bubba and the rest of the flock can interact with them through the safety of the coop. When they are released at first it will be with my supervision. I will not tolerate any aggression at all towards the chicks. He shows aggression towards them he is gone.

As far as the chicks go, they are too young to sex yet and will not be so for a while. I want a cockerel in this group. In theory I should have at least 1. I have never had a all pullet hatch. So lets say I get the boy I want out of these chicks. He too will have to prove himself but mainly the only thing that will cause me to rehome him would be human aggression. When the possible boy hits his idiot phase Randy would be roughly about a year old give or take. Hopefully by then IF he is still here he has had sense whipped into him. He will be allowed to whip the new boy into shape as long as he does not maim or try to kill him. He needs to show tolerance, just like Bubba is doing with him. He does not he is gone.

To be fair I am giving Randy a chance, but he IS a game cockerel. He is not a small old english game cockerel like @Ponypoor has. He is essentially a fighting cockerel that whoever hatched and raised him decided he did not make the cut. That could be in his favor to be honest. I have to remain skeptical though. I NEED multiple boys, 2 to be honest. I am asking Randy to fit into a flock that goes against EVERYTHING he was bred to be. Right now, I will not kill him, I see potential. I am hoping he starts roosting in the coop that way he could be contained IF he crosses a line and needs to go. I should not have to bear the responsibility to rehome him if it comes to that. I will though, I will first try to find him a home if he does not work out for me.

 

[featherhead007]

@featherhead007 @rural mouse and @Ponypoor

No help you bunch of enablers.

Ok in all seriousness I have brought in dad on the decision as well. He is going to observe as well when he is out and put in his opinions. I can also trust his opinions, he will not look at him through rose colored glasses like I may be doing right now. I am grieving Branch, get attached to Roos and feel sorry for all of them. I cannot just up and say he stays, mom and dad, mostly dad have to also be on board.

Let's just say Randy is officially on trial. To earn a place in the flock he has to meet several criteria.

First, this truce with Bubba has to hold out. They start fighting, and if they do not stop he is gone.

He can never, ever show any human aggression, idiot phase or not. There are children of all ages in the neighborhood, I will not tolerate it. Even to adults. He does not have to like being held or even want to be held. He attacks a person though, he is gone.

He has to remain in the backyard. It must become his home base, he cannot keep going down to the barn and leading hens down there. If he chooses to roost in Momma Hens tree, fine. I would prefer he eventually roosts in either the coop or on the main roost with Bubba.

He must learn and learn quickly to be gentle with the girls. I know young cockerels can get rough with them in the idiot phase, but he WILL not hurt one of them. I really worry about Poppet my smallest. Poppet is gravitating towards him, I was watching out the kitchen window while I did dishes. He danced for her her but she dodged him. To his credit he did not try to grab her. He actually has not grabbed any of the girls roughly yet that I have saw. That said, he hurts a girl he is gone.

The chicks, when I move them outside the first few weeks they will be confined to the coop. Both he and Bubba and the rest of the flock can interact with them through the safety of the coop. When they are released at first it will be with my supervision. I will not tolerate any aggression at all towards the chicks. He shows aggression towards them he is gone.

As far as the chicks go, they are too young to sex yet and will not be so for a while. I want a cockerel in this group. In theory I should have at least 1. I have never had a all pullet hatch. So lets say I get the boy I want out of these chicks. He too will have to prove himself but mainly the only thing that will cause me to rehome him would be human aggression. When the possible boy hits his idiot phase Randy would be roughly about a year old give or take. Hopefully by then IF he is still here he has had sense whipped into him. He will be allowed to whip the new boy into shape as long as he does not maim or try to kill him. He needs to show tolerance, just like Bubba is doing with him. He does not he is gone.

To be fair I am giving Randy a chance, but he IS a game cockerel. He is not a small old english game cockerel like @Ponypoor has. He is essentially a fighting cockerel that whoever hatched and raised him decided he did not make the cut. That could be in his favor to be honest. I have to remain skeptical though. I NEED multiple boys, 2 to be honest. I am asking Randy to fit into a flock that goes against EVERYTHING he was bred to be. Right now, I will not kill him, I see potential. I am hoping he starts roosting in the coop that way he could be contained IF he crosses a line and needs to go. I should not have to bear the responsibility to rehome him if it comes to that. I will though, I will first try to find him a home if he does not work out for me.

If he doesn’t work out in the yard with the girls, maybe you could make him an indoor rooster like Jaffar was?

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Yes. 1 each. They are co-parenting.

How are they doing this afternoon? Are the momma's still keeping them close to the nest? I would love to see a picture of both Momma's snuggled together with the chicks in front of them. I wish my girls would co-parent but so far none have. Maybe next year if I get some more silkie girls it can happen.

 

[lightm]

*Insert whatever curse words you want here*

I can't do it, I cannot kill a young cockerel who is showing so much promise as the interloper is this morning and afternoon.

Something happened this morning before I went out. I do not know what but Bubba and the interloper who I think I accidentally named have came to a understanding. Randy, I called him Randy when he bred Trampy Judy again and now it is sticking. The boys are sharing the horse stalls and the creek right behind the house. They can walk beside each other within 2 feet and neither one has so much as raised their hackles while I was out. Bubba is seeing to the ladies who nest in the hay like normal. Randy has responded to the escort calls and serviced the girls who lay in the coop and the porch boxes. I broke over and decided I could not kill him when while dragging the garbage cans to the front Randy spotted a hawk. He sent the entire flock for cover, including Bubba and stood in his spot and watched it. So did I. Once it left he made another call and everyone came back out from hiding in the horse stalls. The hawk was circling in front of the house, Bubba being out back could not see it. The flock was scattered between the front and back yard. I have since tested Randy to the best I can so far. He will not let me touch him. Today I can get closer, about a arms length away. I picked up a few girls in his presence. He watched. I brought out a bag of sunflower seeds. Gave a pile to Bubba to feed to the girls and then went about 15 feet away and made another pile in front of Randy. He did not eat a single one, called some of the girls to him and let them eat them. I then hand fed the girls right in front of him to see what would happen, nothing, he watched. He gives way to me while I walk around. I also feel guilty. I do not want to keep him permanently. I'm hoping for 1 or 2 boys in my group of chicks. My flock needs more then 1 rooster though, Bubba cannot be everywhere at once. The chicks are only almost 3 weeks old. If there is a boy I am looking at least 5 more months before he can be any help, and then he has to survive the idiot phase. I really do not know what to do here. Do I keep observing Randy and if the truce holds, and he continues to show promise do I hang onto him for a few months? Quite frankly that thought though makes me feel like I have stooped to the idiots level who brought him to the show to essentially dump him. It almost feels unfair to him and makes me feel like I am using him until his purpose is served. I also know Bubba will not be around forever. At any point soon I could be down to zero boys. My girls need a rooster, they obviously do not pay attention to the skies. I counted on having Branch to step up as Bubba stepped down and he was. Now, I do not have Branch. Someone please talk some sense into me. Tell me it is wrong to keep him if he continues to behave for a bit only to rehome him in 6 months to a years time.

Oh Rebecca, it's so natural for you not able to do this. Randy is a good boy. I can't help you here.