Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Lessons from Auntie Aurora

I did want to take a moment and discuss how Aurora has been assisting with the little's lessons. I watched the other day as she worked one on one first with Versace and then with Aster. I had pulled some overgrown romaine lettuce stalks from the garden. The tops of them were covered in lettuce seeds. Aurora was showing the littles how to get the lettuce seeds out of the stems.

This happened while the 2 moms were off scratching in the leaves showing the chicks what to eat when they scratched things up. Each chick left the mums in turn and spent time with Aurora like it was preplanned.

This is not the only example of Aurora showing the chicks things. It is happening all the time. If there are snacks on the ground Aurora allows the chicks to eat with her but will at times run off their mums.

She has always been like this with new chicks/pullets. I think it is a real credit to her as a leader and it makes me smile every time i see it.

Here are some photos of Aurora working with Aster.

And a video

 

[Ponypoor]

Thank you both for the detailed explanations. It makes sense considering it like this, but...
I'll admit that I didn't even think about chicks being shipped directly home ! This just doesn't exist here (and although it's been thoughtfully discussed before on this thread and others, I still strongly disagree with it).

I was thinking mostly about buying chicks from big stores like TSC. Wouldn't that cancel all the sanitary precautions that could have been taken by the hatcheries ? Here, when AI was a concern one of the thing people were told was to avoid AG stores or take complete biosecurity measures coming home. It seems like the perfect place for a virus to spread.

I did a five weeks quarantine when I bought the four POL pullets but honestly it would not have been effective if there had been a viral disease. I don't see how it's possible to do a proper quarantine free-ranging, and I don't have it in me to lock up chickens in my barn or second chicken shed for five weeks. Even if I had, dander could still have flown through.

As for the price, I think it's not such a good reason because chicks are so much more fragile. Initial cost may be cheap, but add starter food for several months without getting eggs, and the fact that you are not sure they will all survive... and it seems as reasonable economically to pay for an adult pullet that's about to lay.

I don't have butts for tax from today, because it's so hot all the chickens are hiding in deep shade This is Théo's butt from a few days ago.

View attachment 3908310

He’s such a beauty

Can’t speak to others but I have not lost any chicks I have purchased (except by being stupid), they are extremely healthy. I am very happy with the quality of them. I think the store has a 2% mortality of shipped chicks.

They are shipped overnight from the hatchery.

I was in at Peavey Mart yesterday afternoon and they had one last shipment of Black Astrolorps, Lavender Orps, and Prairie Blue Bells in (hatched Monday and in store Tuesday afternoon). They were healthy and doing well store told me they didn’t lose any during shipping - I was wondering about the heat here.

Yep I almost came home with a couple more L. Orps, and Astrolorps - but I contained myself. Had it been Brahma though, well I would have grabbed at least 6

 

[rural mouse]

So good to see he is happy in the water.

He was semi-throwing the frisbee at me and running into the water for me to throw it again. Funnily enough, he still won't get in the wading pool.

 

[notabitail]

Lessons from Auntie Aurora

I did want to take a moment and discuss how Aurora has been assisting with the little's lessons. I watched the other day as she worked one on one first with Versace and then with Aster. I had pulled some overgrown romaine lettuce stalks from the garden. The tops of them were covered in lettuce seeds. Aurora was showing the littles how to get the lettuce seeds out of the stems.

This happened while the 2 moms were off scratching in the leaves showing the chicks what to eat when they scratched things up. Each chick left the mums in turn and spent time with Aurora like it was preplanned.

This is not the only example of Aurora showing the chicks things. It is happening all the time. If there are snacks on the ground Aurora allows the chicks to eat with her but will at times run off their mums.

She has always been like this with new chicks/pullets. I think it is a real credit to her as a leader and it makes me smile every time i see it.

Here are some photos of Aurora working with Aster.

View attachment 3908566View attachment 3908567View attachment 3908568View attachment 3908569

And a video

Give em' the government propaganda at a young age. Gets em' loyal from day one.

 

[bgmathteach]

Ok friends, especially those with Polish and Polish cross experience. Little Adele or Julio is now officially 6 weeks old. I have noticed in the last week wattles are starting to appear. Now to me and my experience with chicks 5 to 6 weeks old does not mean I panic, it is normal. I took these pictures a few minutes ago. With great difficulty I might add. My little chicken nugget was determined sitting on my hand was not good enough. Tonight she/he was determined to sit on my head. All I have to go by at the moment is the head poof and appearance of wattles. Her tail feathers so far scream pullet.

So friends, what do we think? Are we looking at Adele or are we looking at Julio?
View attachment 3908021View attachment 3908022View attachment 3908023View attachment 3908024
If you think boy, let me have it. I can take it. It has long been determined boy or girl this one is a keeper. I cannot believe I'm saying this but it is pulling the same stunt Branch did when I lost Drummie. It has always been the friendliest. While the silkies have warmed up to me finally, this one. This one is proving to be special.

So, first note that I am NOT an expert on Polish - I have never had one, let alone raised it from a chick. That said - and with looking at @SimpleJenn 's photos, I suspect a pullet, and this is why:

Many pullets get pinkish in the wattles & pop wattles a bit sooner than the combs. SimpleJenn's boy has a bright red 'comb' already and is a week younger than yours is. Your's (Adele) is still very much 'flesh' coloured - no hint of color showing in the comb area.

That said - I would really want to wait until 8 weeks before I had to put any down on my choice.

Also - I am not sure if it is due to the grow out stage or not, as Adele's head poof is a but wild....BUT, it is very 'contained' on the sides - not so with SimpleJenn's - whose roo's 'hairdo' is 'broader' than Adele's.


So, ultimately: I'm leaning 'Pullet", but, what do I know???

 

[featherhead007]

Yes Coco loves to snuggle up

I would swear that this is Coco smiling at me.

 

[featherhead007]

Yesterday was expected to be 100° and possibly smokey so I gave the chickens some watermelon and we fled to the coast. Absolutely stunning day!
View attachment 3908490
Cool rock and sand formations
View attachment 3908491
Chickens were in bed when we got home, except Alinta who has been missing or avoiding the coop until the door closes so I tucked her in.
View attachment 3908493

More coast pictures please. I really miss the ocean! I’m kinda land locked here in the valley. Pismo beach is two hours away by car. Or 30 minutes away by plane.

 

[notabitail]

More coast pictures please. I really miss the ocean! I’m kinda land locked here in the valley. Pismo beach is two hours away by car. Or 30 minutes away by plane.

I'll take the two hours over 13.

 

[featherhead007]

Lessons from Auntie Aurora

I did want to take a moment and discuss how Aurora has been assisting with the little's lessons. I watched the other day as she worked one on one first with Versace and then with Aster. I had pulled some overgrown romaine lettuce stalks from the garden. The tops of them were covered in lettuce seeds. Aurora was showing the littles how to get the lettuce seeds out of the stems.

This happened while the 2 moms were off scratching in the leaves showing the chicks what to eat when they scratched things up. Each chick left the mums in turn and spent time with Aurora like it was preplanned.

This is not the only example of Aurora showing the chicks things. It is happening all the time. If there are snacks on the ground Aurora allows the chicks to eat with her but will at times run off their mums.

She has always been like this with new chicks/pullets. I think it is a real credit to her as a leader and it makes me smile every time i see it.

Here are some photos of Aurora working with Aster.

View attachment 3908566View attachment 3908567View attachment 3908568View attachment 3908569

And a video

I would expect nothing less from Her Royal Worshipfulness Queen Aurora!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

So, first note that I am NOT an expert on Polish - I have never had one, let alone raised it from a chick. That said - and with looking at @SimpleJenn 's photos, I suspect a pullet, and this is why:

Many pullets get pinkish in the wattles & pop wattles a bit sooner than the combs. SimpleJenn's boy has a bright red 'comb' already and is a week younger than yours is. Your's (Adele) is still very much 'flesh' coloured - no hint of color showing in the comb area.

That said - I would really want to wait until 8 weeks before I had to put any down on my choice.

Also - I am not sure if it is due to the grow out stage or not, as Adele's head poof is a but wild....BUT, it is very 'contained' on the sides - not so with SimpleJenn's - whose roo's 'hairdo' is 'broader' than Adele's.


So, ultimately: I'm leaning 'Pullet", but, what do I know???

Adele is a new learning experience for me as well. To compound matters she is not full polish she is a polkie. Polish dad and polish x silkie cross mother. For all outward appearances she looks all polish but she is not. As far as temperament or personality goes, again never having had a polish, it screams silkie. It is like having Poppy, Branch, Chiquita and Poppet in a little polish body. I see all the little silkie quirks they had in her. Being white and not splash is a downfall. If she were any color other then white I could possibly see hints of rooster specific coloring starting to appear right now. Honestly though I hope she is a pullet. I want a cockerel in this bunch, but I prefer it be one of the silkies.