Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sally PB]

@Marie2020, hugs for you an yours.

He is waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for you.

 

[notabitail]

He's at peace now Alex.
Here he is just before our last goodbye
View attachment 3969486

I shut my cats in the kitchen and for some reason unbeknownst to me, they somehow managed to get out and sat with us until the end.
My pusscat just hasn't left me since.
View attachment 3969492
View attachment 3969487
Amori sat with him as he went.
View attachment 3969489

 

[Sylvester017]

They’re in the house because these two particular silkies just have zero survival instincts. They don’t go in the coop at night and they don’t leave the coop to go outside when they’re put in it if they wander into the yard, they scream and get lost and then just sit there, the old owner tried trimming their eyes, but she said they couldn’t find anything so I said I could take them in because she didn’t have the resources for an indoor chicken

They need to be outside - digging up wormies, running flapping hopping about, my silkies are clowns! My one little pullet must have springs in her legs I really must get some video of her - it’s just hilarious!

I have 6 and they are always getting into things. Brats! And bossy too!

Get them outside - they will show you how funny they are

How old are they?

Keep trimming their head feathers back and their cheek muffs, get them exposed to being outside as much as you can - walk around out there with them.

Sounds like they are just needing to be coached in ‘the way of the chicken’.

Be patient and take your time. Try meal worms and see if they like those.

I agree wholeheartedly w/Ponypoor's suggestions. Our newest Silkie juveniles needed to learn the ways of the great outdoors which included fence separation at 1st from the older birds to see/get accustomed to each other for a few days.

Fence separation 3 new birds on one side & 3 older on the other side:

At night DH segregated a portion of the coop for the 3 juveniles & he would have to pick them up & put them in the prepared corner since they were scared of the steep coop ramp. The 3 older birds already had their favorite nestbox or perch to roost & didn't bother the new birds in their hidden corner.
Backdoor view of secluded sawdust corner

In the morning DH opened the hidden corner so the juveniles could see the older birds waking & going down the ramp but were still unsure using it. Finally one morning one juvenile braved the ramp down. But 2 juveniles were unsure & DH picked them out of the coop. DH worked w/ coaxing juveniles up the ramp in the evening. If afraid he would pick them up to put them in their corner. He worked w/ the juvies for over a week before they got used to being in the coop & how to maneuver the ramp.

Eventually the new birds pick up the morning & evening routines from watching the older birds ~ over 2 weeks of training by DH. Nestbox training was another story. As soon as we noticed an agitated Silkie pullet needed to lay their 1st egg DH would carefully put the bird in the "safe" hidden coop corner on pine shavings to lay their egg. It was musical chairs dealing w/ the confused new birds but finally w/diligence, patience from DH, plus learning by watching the older birds all is normal now. The pullets started going up & down the ramp themselves & actually finally started using the nestboxes to deposit their eggies.

We have one 4-yr-old Silkie that still has qualms going up the ramp & DH coaxes her along at night when she balks.

 

[Ponypoor]

I agree wholeheartedly w/Ponypoor's suggestions. Our newest Silkie juveniles needed to learn the ways of the great outdoors which included fence separation at 1st from the older birds to see/get accustomed to each other for a few days.

Fence separation 3 new birds on one side & 3 older on the other side:
View attachment 3969502

At night DH segregated a portion of the coop for the 3 juveniles & he would have to pick them up & put them in the prepared corner since they were scared of the steep coop ramp. The 3 older birds already had their favorite nestbox or perch to roost & didn't bother the new birds in their hidden corner.
Backdoor view of secluded sawdust corner
View attachment 3969503

In the morning DH opened the hidden corner so the juveniles could see the older birds waking & going down the ramp but were still unsure using it. Finally one morning one juvenile braved the ramp down. But 2 juveniles were unsure & DH picked them out of the coop. DH worked w/ coaxing juveniles up the ramp in the evening. If afraid he would pick them up to put them in their corner. He worked w/ the juvies for over a week before they got used to being in the coop & how to maneuver the ramp.
View attachment 3969503

Eventually the new birds pick up the morning & evening routines from watching the older birds ~ over 2 weeks of training by DH. Nestbox training was another story. As soon as we noticed an agitated Silkie pullet needed to lay their 1st egg DH would carefully put the bird in the "safe" hidden coop corner on pine shavings to lay their egg. It was musical chairs dealing w/ the confused new birds but finally w/diligence, patience from DH, plus learning by watching the older birds all is normal now. The pullets started going up & down the ramp themselves & actually finally started using the nestboxes to deposit their eggies.

We have one 4-yr-old Silkie that still has qualms going up the ramp & DH coaxes her along at night when she balks.

Then there is Clyde the brat who just has to roost with the big chooks, and where he goes Georgie goes.

Those two are giving me grey hair!

Speaking of which, I beat get chores done and play my own musical chairs.

Clyde

Everyone have a splendid evening!

 

[rural mouse]

I need SHRA tax here

Tax
I cannot wait till Mr P gets his fancy feathers grown back

View attachment 3969466

Having said that, he has no issues seeing things now!

Off topic is a single bird. SHRA is at least 2 (TWO) birds.... love seeing Mr. P!

 

[rural mouse]

He's at peace now Alex.
Here he is just before our last goodbye
View attachment 3969486

I shut my cats in the kitchen and for some reason unbeknownst to me, they somehow managed to get out and sat with us until the end.
My pusscat just hasn't left me since.
View attachment 3969492
View attachment 3969487
Amori sat with him as he went.
View attachment 3969489

Pussycat knew you needed him...and he needed to say goodbye too. Amori knew you both needed her.

 

[RoyalChick]

He's at peace now Alex.
Here he is just before our last goodbye
View attachment 3969486

I shut my cats in the kitchen and for some reason unbeknownst to me, they somehow managed to get out and sat with us until the end.
My pusscat just hasn't left me since.
View attachment 3969492
View attachment 3969487
Amori sat with him as he went.
View attachment 3969489

Hugs for you all.

 

[Sylvester017]

He's at peace now Alex.
Here he is just before our last goodbye
View attachment 3969486

I shut my cats in the kitchen and for some reason unbeknownst to me, they somehow managed to get out and sat with us until the end.
My pusscat just hasn't left me since.
View attachment 3969492
View attachment 3969487
Amori sat with him as he went.
View attachment 3969489

That's what we all want at the end ~ to be w/our loved ones .

 

[rural mouse]

My sister (who's oldest called the chickens "Gicken" as a toddler) has 2 6week old Rhode Island chicks. There were 5, but the cat managed to go hunting on them. Recognizing that 2 in a large space (9x13 old well house being remodeled into a coop) in a northern winter is iffy at best, has been debating 1: getting some 18 month "going to be culled" birds, 2. some POL pullets, or 3: getting chicks.....

Got word today. They decided on chicks as 1: already have experience with chicks and 2: the RIRs will integrate more easily BEFORE the major pecking order shuffle starts and 3: they will likely need some warming stations in the coop anyway this winter.

Oldest wanted buff orpingtons. They also have black australorps and partridge Plymouth rocks coming....hoping for a roo in the rocks.

Took pics for what adults should look like...

And marked.

I keep getting phone calls: what's going on here?

Got an audio message a couple of days ago:

Sis: The birds have been outside for half the day and are now chirping differently. Still sounding normal to you?

Me: They lose the peep, go through a phase of sounding like sick geese, before settling into adult voices.

Sis: Hahaha oh really? Sick goose sounds? That will be fun

 

[bgmathteach]

It is a nasty invasive tree called a Bradford Pear. They spring up everywhere unfortunately.
One of my chores is to chop down all the ones in the chicken yard - but I thought I would spare these ones to try and create the gazebo.
I will remove all the others and make sure these don’t ever fruit, but it is a hopeless task to stop them as they seem to appear out of nowhere!

Does it actually produce pears? Oh, such a horror to have such an invasive plant!