Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

So Bob (@BY Bob ) as you can see Betty the frizzle has no issue with flying up on that half door - it’s 4’ high.

I would not have thought she would fly all that well being a frizzle, but she does fairly decent.

That's crazy!

 

[Ponypoor]

That's crazy!

She is fairly light and has full sized wings so that helps, not stubby silkie wings.

And of course Bert flies really well hahaha.

 

[BY Bob]

I got the bigger Omlet Eglu and have it assembled and installed finally. It's bigger; basically it's wider. Holds ~10 rather than ~6 large chickens. I had ordered it when there were 5 in the tribe here, thinking if I got 3 more next year I definitely needed a bigger coop. Only four hens now without Popcorn, they are sort of rattling around in a ton of space but they like it well enough. I could see Diane recognized the similarity to the old coop when she inspected it while under construction. I do think they like the three cozy individualized nest boxes better, they each have their own entrance, so previously while they did successfully share the long nest box, it had one entrance, so if someone wanted to guard it that caused an occasional problem. The new ladder design is much better and friendly to stepping on it different ways.

Here's Annie Sweet Thing and Diane Devil Ida-Biter checking out their old veranda newly installed on the new coop. I had to figure out a hanging method. Now they have two sides to flap-jump up.
View attachment 3981285

I did not remember that you were doing that. I love the idea of more space for them. More space is the cure for a lot of chicken behavioral issues. I'm sure they will love having the space this winter.

 

[BY Bob]

She is fairly light and has full sized wings so that helps, not stubby silkie wings.

And of course Bert flies really well hahaha.

But my Betty's frizzled wings were so bent they did not really work well.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I did not remember that you were doing that. I love the idea of more space for them. More space is the cure for a lot of chicken behavioral issues. I'm sure they will love having the space this winter.

I don't think I wrote anything here about the new coop. I'm only able to be on intermittently.

They have a ton of space in the covered winterized runs, and only sleep in the coop, but I know what you mean. Can't say everyone's experience would be the same, and I haven't had really big personality issues yet that impinge too much on roosting time (hello, Diane), but whenever there was a squabble at roosting the smaller coop sometimes seemed to actually help, if one could get in the door. First it made it harder to chase anyone around in there. Bodies are physical blocks, plus one can't go around a wall easily, it would take a determined hen to displace someone not in their cross-hairs to get to someone else. Also bodies are visual blocks too. Everyone would end up yin/yang style, or beak-near-beak, depending, usually in a sargasso sea arrangement. They wouldn't move away & spread out when they had the space, and it's interesting that they still sleep this way so far in a space nearly twice as big. I haven't seen any patrolling like a hen can do, going along a roost or from the floor, mercilessly looking to pull somebody off , though when it's still somewhat light and roosting is on everyone's mind, certain hens get chased out until darkness is upon them. That's Diane now, and all the Spuds when they were younger, or the Spuds now if they go in too soon. Hazel exerts complete control on roosting order and access.

 

[featherhead007]

I don't think I wrote anything here about the new coop. I'm only able to be on intermittently.

They have a ton of space in the covered winterized runs, and only sleep in the coop, but I know what you mean. Can't say everyone's experience would be the same, and I haven't had really big personality issues yet that impinge too much on roosting time (hello, Diane), but whenever there was a squabble at roosting the smaller coop sometimes seemed to actually help, if one could get in the door. First it made it harder to chase anyone around in there. Bodies are physical blocks, plus one can't go around a wall easily, it would take a determined hen to displace someone not in their cross-hairs to get to someone else. Also bodies are visual blocks too. Everyone would end up yin/yang style, or beak-near-beak, depending, usually in a sargasso sea arrangement. They wouldn't move away & spread out when they had the space, and it's interesting that they still sleep this way so far in a space nearly twice as big. I haven't seen any patrolling like a hen can do, going along a roost or from the floor, mercilessly looking to pull somebody off , though when it's still somewhat light and roosting is on everyone's mind, certain hens get chased out until darkness is upon them. That's Diane now, and all the Spuds when they were younger, or the Spuds now if they go in too soon. Hazel exerts complete control on roosting order and access.

But CB, where would I sleep, if I came to visit? In the coop or the doghouse?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

But CB, where would I sleep, if I came to visit? In the coop or the doghouse?

My fantasy coop actually includes a fold-down cot (or two) for humans!

 

[BY Bob]

I don't think I wrote anything here about the new coop. I'm only able to be on intermittently.

They have a ton of space in the covered winterized runs, and only sleep in the coop, but I know what you mean. Can't say everyone's experience would be the same, and I haven't had really big personality issues yet that impinge too much on roosting time (hello, Diane), but whenever there was a squabble at roosting the smaller coop sometimes seemed to actually help, if one could get in the door. First it made it harder to chase anyone around in there. Bodies are physical blocks, plus one can't go around a wall easily, it would take a determined hen to displace someone not in their cross-hairs to get to someone else. Also bodies are visual blocks too. Everyone would end up yin/yang style, or beak-near-beak, depending, usually in a sargasso sea arrangement. They wouldn't move away & spread out when they had the space, and it's interesting that they still sleep this way so far in a space nearly twice as big. I haven't seen any patrolling like a hen can do, going along a roost or from the floor, mercilessly looking to pull somebody off , though when it's still somewhat light and roosting is on everyone's mind, certain hens get chased out until darkness is upon them. That's Diane now, and all the Spuds when they were younger, or the Spuds now if they go in too soon. Hazel exerts complete control on roosting order and access.

Roosting fascinates me for obvious reasons. Thanks for sharing how things are working out with more space.

 

[featherhead007]

My fantasy coop actually includes a fold-down cot (or two) for humans!

I tried that last summer. All I got was a few visitors and a lot of poop on me. It was very hot one night, so I slept in the rafters with the kids

 

[featherhead007]

“Don’t worry about daddy, he’s just a crazy humon but we luv him anyway!”