Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[TOMTE]

Poor wee thing. It’s hard to not want to help them, but you have chickens now so it’s a good idea to leave wild birds be. They can carry avian influenza which can destroy your flock faster than you know.

I had to stop feeding the birds when I got chickens. And that is something I really miss, so entertaining.

What breed are your chickies they are gorgeous. Oh and I can attest to the eyeball peckers. Twice last year two chicks nailed me in the eye. The second time was very bad - the eye doctor laughed and laughed and laughed… then told me to be more careful.

And poopy feet? Yep been there also. Wear a hat/cap and tie any long hair up.

Little Grey

View attachment 3940016

Yeah, I only handled the little guy for a couple minutes, washed my hands really good after and changed my shirt, can't be too careful! I'm going to miss having all the birds at the feeders but we have so much for them to forage around here that I'll see them around anyway

Hehe my girls are very pretty... We have 2 BSL, 2 SLW, and a possible SGE but I'm unsure. She's a mystery, at least for now

I need to start wearing a hairtie on my wrist. My hair is just long enough to tie back. And a hat is a great idea Maybe safety goggles in case Esme sneak attacks I don't want any scratched cornias or pink eyes!

@TOMTE also suggest reading the article "Understanding Your Rooster" by @Shadrach

I've read it a couple times and I will definitely read it at LEAST a few more! I love the articles on here!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Randy Roo

I did not choose you. I was not happy when you showed up. I did NOT want a game rooster and was fully prepared to do what I had to to keep my dear Bubba safe if you became a problem.

Randy, the first few days while still missing my dear Branch and reeling from his loss you showed signs of promise. 4 days, just 4 days I knew I could not dispose of you. I vowed if you did not work out for me I would do my best to find you a home. I saw signs of a good rooster. Young yes, hormonal oh yes. You learned though and you learned fast from Bubba and Siri.

Randy you are excellent at watching the sky for predators and have spotted hawks before I have. Several times now you have sent the girls to cover long before I spotted the threat.

Randy, so far you are good with the chicks. Your first meeting with Julio he was rude and came charging up to you and chest bumped you. You did nothing, not even a deserved peck on the head. He is going to need a few of those by the way.

Randy Roo

Today you are my hero. Thanks to you I still have my Spot. One of my neighbors have friends staying with them and they brought a little terrier. It got out this afternoon and had Spot pinned. You my boy saved her. You let your inner "fighting rooster" out and charged and flogged it shrieking all the way to their porch. Thanks to you their visitors still have their dog. They have been warned though, it gets out again you will not have to do your job, I will take care of it for you.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Michigan isn't that far....

@Ponypoor yeah come on over, I'll show you some of our wonderful trees

This fella!!!



Offended at being grabbed but then was cool hanging out while I opened the big coop up.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Definitely too far for me to travel, I can't drive and we're a 1 car household. And we have no space for a rooster yet And no money! It's just not in the stars... Sigh...

If you're in west Michigan I have a free roo for ya. I have plenty of em and can only keep 2.

 

[Sylvester017]

We live in a nice rural area where roosters are allowed, and we live on just under 2 acres, our property is half wooded and half open. Once we have more hiding spots in the yard it'll be perfect for free ranging chickens. We have a ton of hawks around here, raccoons, possums, foxes, and feral cats too. I expect to lose some chickens to predators over the years but hopefully I can at least make it less appealing for the predators to try!

These are our first chickens, yes. My dad hasn't had any in the past, he's mostly looking to me for information. That's fine with me, because one of my special interests is proper animal care/husbandry! I can read about it all day and not get bored (and frequently do )

No rooster experience obviously but since it'll be some time before we can add one anyways, I'm reading as much as I can about their behavior and stuff so that we are ready if and when we get one! I'm well aware of how important the pecking order is and that it might look ugly sometimes when they go at each other but as long as they're not trying to kill each other it's best to let them do their thing. I keep having to stop myself from interfering when my girls go at each other lol!

Thank you (all of you) for your advice so far. I'm seriously loving this thread

How fun! & nice that you have that much property. Places for chickens to hide is important if free ranging. We have a small suburban cottage block-walled yard & still have predator visits from raccoons, possums, coyotes over the solid wall, feral cats, stray dogs, someone's stray exotic snapping sharp teeth alligator?/lizard once, rabbits, & my DD has had bears, skunks, & rattlesnakes in her yard. She caught bobcats, deer, coyotes, cougar in her driveway on night camera.

W/ free ranging hens on spacious property maybe two roos would be smart as they will fight a predator to protect hens ~ it's what roos do. If one roo fights to the death it will be nice to have a backup roo left to train a new replacement roo.

Anybody else have thoughts?

 

[TOMTE]

If you're in west Michigan I have a free roo for ya. I have plenty of em and can only keep 2.

I am! I'll keep that in mind!

 

[SimpleJenn]

Trickster, you are turning into a gentleman!
He has been escorting the BOrps to the water dish that's in broody territory, standing guard and escorting them back to their side. He stands his ground to a point with the broody hens and their chicks, even though he's the smallest bird here.

This morning he got up and immediately tidbitted food for Shiba-san! She even accepted! He might have himself a group of lady friends.

We hadn't planned on keeping him as our second rooster. Hubby wants Ric Flair and Mud, kiddo wants Cocoa puff, and I want ALL of the boys.

 

[Sylvester017]

All this makes me sad that I just cannot find a home for poor Bert

He is such an awesome boy, I could just smack Mr P for being such a moron!

It was just like one day he decided to become an idiot! I am wondering if he is sore and in pain, I know his feet aren’t great, and he is moulting, not to mention those silly young hens keep pecking at his head and rump feathers.

Maybe I will try him on some Tylenol for a couple days and see if it fixes his attitude.

You still have him isolated till healed & finished growing in new feathers? Poor sweetie

 

[Sylvester017]

Randy RooView attachment 3940025
I did not choose you. I was not happy when you showed up. I did NOT want a game rooster and was fully prepared to do what I had to to keep my dear Bubba safe if you became a problem.

Randy Roo
View attachment 3940039
Today you are my hero. Thanks to you I still have my Spot. One of my neighbors have friends staying with them and they brought a little terrier. It got out this afternoon and had Spot pinned. You my boy saved her. You let your inner "fighting rooster" out and charged and flogged it shrieking all the way to their porch. Thanks to you their visitors still have their dog. They have been warned though, it gets out again you will not have to do your job, I will take care of it for you.

What exactly is a "game" rooster? He looks like any ordinary welsummer or brown leghorn or even a jungle fowl? Or does "game" refer to any roo raised to cock fight? I thought cock fighters were a specific breed raised on farms where all the roos were chained to an individual dog house? Shows how little I know about roos?

 

[Sylvester017]

Trickster, you are turning into a gentleman!
He has been escorting the BOrps to the water dish that's in broody territory, standing guard and escorting them back to their side. He stands his ground to a point with the broody hens and their chicks, even though he's the smallest bird here.
View attachment 3940124
This morning he got up and immediately tidbitted food for Shiba-san! She even accepted! He might have himself a group of lady friends.
View attachment 3940126
We hadn't planned on keeping him as our second rooster. Hubby wants Ric Flair and Mud, kiddo wants Cocoa puff, and I want ALL of the boys.

Those huge Orp ladies will grow too large for him to breed? even if he does accumulate them as a harem?