Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[TOMTE]

View attachment 3952090
Doesn’t matter that there are 3 nipples, they must only drink from one

My rats were the same way

Tax

Dinosaur on the hunt

 

[featherhead007]

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Doesn’t matter that there are 3 nipples, they must only drink from one

“The way of the chicken!”

 

[TOMTE]

Is there such thing as too early to put a fake egg in the nest boxes? I'm not expecting any of them to start laying for at least a month yet. No squatting so far from any of them. But since they're free ranging I know they might pop one out anywhere on the property and I'd definitely prefer that they know what the nest boxes are for before they have the chance to do that

 

[featherhead007]

Is there such thing as too early to put a fake egg in the nest boxes? I'm not expecting any of them to start laying for at least a month yet. No squatting so far from any of them. But since they're free ranging I know they might pop one out anywhere on the property and I'd definitely prefer that they know what the nest boxes are for before they have the chance to do that

Having a huge yard, I find myself hunting for eggs too. Usually the stash is quite large.

 

[Sylvester017]

What is it like having chickens in the house, for those of you who have house chickens? Is there a lot of poop to clean up? I'd be all for letting the chickens in the house sometimes. The rest of my family though... Absolutely not

Those of us who have had chickens a long time are accustomed to dealing w/poop if we want chickens to visit us indoors.

We limit our birds to the kitchen (ceramic tile floor) where poop is easy to pick up w/ a paper napkin. Chickens poop every 15-20 minutes so their visits are short! But at least they feel special getting to visit.

Years ago one new Silkie pullet we bought was too little to integrate w/ the flock immediately so we kept her inhouse for a few weeks. I made her a couple chicken diapers but we had to change them out if there was a smelly cecal poop & washed her fluffy tush w/ no tears baby shampoo & blow-dried her tush before putting on a new diaper. It's easy using diapers on smaller birds but messier w/ fluffy Silkies or bigger birds. Just depends on whether someone is around all day to monitor the diaper condition to change when necessary. A plastic poop catcher in the diaper keeps it easier to change out.

It takes some time for a chicken to walk in a diaper. We had a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana who refused to eat or drink or walk in her diaper so we had to stop using it.

MINI & her little red hen diaper - hard to see w/all that fluff.

MINI the Silkie escaped out the kitchen door & went running in her diaper towards the lawn!

 

[Logar]

Is there such thing as too early to put a fake egg in the nest boxes? I'm not expecting any of them to start laying for at least a month yet. No squatting so far from any of them. But since they're free ranging I know they might pop one out anywhere on the property and I'd definitely prefer that they know what the nest boxes are for before they have the chance to do that

There isn’t really such thing as too early. I put mine in at 16 weeks as that is the easiest someone could lay.

 

[Sylvester017]

Is there such thing as too early to put a fake egg in the nest boxes? I'm not expecting any of them to start laying for at least a month yet. No squatting so far from any of them. But since they're free ranging I know they might pop one out anywhere on the property and I'd definitely prefer that they know what the nest boxes are for before they have the chance to do that

If your birds roost in their coop where the nestboxes are then use the fake eggs. As soon as we see new pullets start consuming oyster shell we place one fake egg per nestbox. The pullets knew what to do & picked a favorite box to lay their 1st egg. Keep the boxes clean & the birds will use them.

Once in a while a bird might drop an egg while walking around in the yard or coop but that's the exception. On very large properties there's the chance broody hens make secluded egg nests outside the coop. We have only 5 laying Silkies, a smallish backyard, & an overly roomy coop so the birds don't feel crowded or threatened by other hens & feel comfortable using the coop nestboxes rather than laying around the yard.

 

[Sylvester017]

Tried to stay up to see if the Northern Lights were visible tonight. Not at this time....and Pepé decided to visit....at least his cologne preceded him. I declined a closer meeting at took it getting told to go to bed...which I am.

Tax
Jungle removal on progress, winter hawk shelter works also in progress....using the clay potsView attachment 3951918

It amazes me how excellent chicken vision is not getting poked in the eye when foraging!

 

[Sylvester017]

Bert is actually a silkie x polish cross! He got the hairy legs from his mama Fluffy

Betty (also silkie x polish) got her curly locks from her mama Curly (yep I am original with names).

It’s a nice cross and if I could guarantee pullets would do it again.

Yes, yours are polkies & beautiful.

In order to get Satin or laced Satin Silkies they have to be crossed w/ some other smooth-feather breed & then back-crossed. Breeders nowadays are experimenting w/all sorts of mixes. I'm not a curious geneticist & just stick w/ regular hen breeds & since we aren't zoned for roo's we don't have the pleasure of watching new chicks hatch.

It's why I love pics/stories of roo's since we can't have one.

 

[Sylvester017]

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Thirsty Thursday, Mr silly stripes.
My 3 new hens should be ready next week too. The fibro egger has bumblefoot, the lady has treated it once but thinks it's coming back. Should I still get her?
The chicken lady I met yesterday says she can come help me treat it if I need help.
And I will be getting either 6 or 7 cockerels to eat, she thinks one of them might be a pullet.

There are good bumblefoot articles/threads on BYC. As long as the foot is not swollen bumble is easy to treat at home. Swollen/abscessed I would go to a vet at that stage.

We've treated easy cases at home but kept the hen indoors until totally healed. It's time-consuming to treat at home & easy cases the vet will just send you home to do it yourself anyway.