Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

So, if I listen to dad I did the math. Sneaky Poppet who I promise gave absolutely zero hints of what she was planning started setting yesterday evening. 21 days would be the 29th of November. It is going to be cold then you dingbat. Can she hatch and raise chicks that time of year, Momma Hen proved yes it can be done repeatedly. The irony is also not lost on me. Just over a week ago I was teasing @Ponypoor about Mrs. Little Chicken. Karma is a witch I swear.

 

[rural mouse]

Sooo...... I have a problem. A broody hen problem. Poppet is at the center of it. I will have to go get pictures in a bit so you all can fully understand my situation. The little devil was missing last night when I closed up the coop. Last week we got in and restacked about 25 new bales of hay. Poppet was laying very close to the hay. After the new hay came in I stopped getting her eggs. Honestly no alarm bells went off as I figured she joined in with the rest of the girls who are molting like crazy. I did lay on the ground and look underneath the hay stack as it is about 5 inches off the ground. I saw nothing. Last night after looking everywhere for her with no luck I once again got down and shined a light under the haystack. She is hidden very well but there she was. I cannot reach her as she is back against the wall. I would also have to unstack and then restack every bale of hay to get her the little brat. Poppet dang you this is Momma Hen shenanigans, I raised you better then that. I do not know what I am going to do. I do not know how many eggs she has or if they are even fertile. Knowing my luck they are and Randy did the deed. If I wait until we've used enough hay that I could quickly removed a few bales to get to her, the chicks will have already hatched or be close to it. Silkie x Game cross chicks is my nightmare.

She's trying to get you a new Momma Hen! Awwwww! She's so sweet!

 

[RoyalChick]

Fluffy Butt Acres weekly synopsis
The summary of Chicken News from FBA for the week ending November 9th.

Last week's synopsis (thank you @Ponypoor) is available here.
***

@ChicoryBlue

Chicory managed to pop in and give us a quick update - including a new coop!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28122516

She also introduced us to the concept of a 'fantasy coop' - love it!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28123605

***

@featherhead007

Poor Dakota laid a soft shell egg. Alex, we need an update, how is she doing?

Alex also has rooster trouble: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28117556

***

@Marie2020
Marie's Princess is an internet sensation posting from her new home as 'Resident of the Week'. I am sure Marie misses Princess terribly, but it is so good to see she managed to find such a lovely new home for her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28131531
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28131662

***

@Ponypoor

Pony struggled a bit with the change in the clocks (OK, be honest, she was not the only one!).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28116177

Pony also has some soft-shelled eggs from Jaffarra.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28116180
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28116376

Not technically a chicken, but there is a new resident at Pony's place: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28116653

Pony reminded us about Mr.P's problem being pecked by his ladies (it is not for the squeamish).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28127232

***

@RebeccaBoyd

Gave us an update on George, and Dirt (who is not a chicken).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28125931

It is still unclear what gender her little ones are which is the perfect excuse for some pictures and a lesson on color genetics (thank you @rural mouse).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28125884
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28128420
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28128551

Rebecca shared some chicken news from Useless Farms that several of us on this thread enjoy.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28131067

Oh Poppet!!
Momma Hen's spirit lives on ....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28132241
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28132394

***

@SimpleJenn

One of @SimpleJenn's ladies got sick and sadly died quite rapidly after. Simple is closing that coop until it can be cleaned and given better ventilation.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28121332
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28121447
So sad.

Versace is settling in nicely - but got a bent tail!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28119018

Which then spontaneously resolved
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28123693
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28124047

***
Apologies if I missed anything important. Have a great week everyone.

 

[Ponypoor]

This is the hay stack, 3 bales deep. Heavy bales I might add.
View attachment 3983870
Here is Poppet, at the very back right up against the house. Poppet, you come out of there right now and forget this foolishness.
View attachment 3983871View attachment 3983872

And to quote my dad "Forget it, we are not moving the hay. Let her hatch and sell the chicks in the spring."

To add a bit of perspective. When we moved the hay we used a old queen size metal bed frame to place the boards on to keep the hay off the ground. This is like when Momma Hen hit the hill. It is the ultimate "Fluff You, I want babies".

What a stinker! How did I miss this?

 

[Ponypoor]

So, if I listen to dad I did the math. Sneaky Poppet who I promise gave absolutely zero hints of what she was planning started setting yesterday evening. 21 days would be the 29th of November. It is going to be cold then you dingbat. Can she hatch and raise chicks that time of year, Momma Hen proved yes it can be done repeatedly. The irony is also not lost on me. Just over a week ago I was teasing @Ponypoor about Mrs. Little Chicken. Karma is a witch I swear.

Hahaha

You need to enclose your hay like I did last week, I finally got fed up with poopy hay and dragging them off the stall wall. So I put some mesh up from ceiling to top of stall wall, and fixed the other front wall and the door. I keep that door closed now. Yay no more poopy hay. And stepping on hidden eggs…

 

[ChicoryBlue]

This is the hay stack, 3 bales deep. Heavy bales I might add.
View attachment 3983870
Here is Poppet, at the very back right up against the house. Poppet, you come out of there right now and forget this foolishness.
View attachment 3983871View attachment 3983872

And to quote my dad "Forget it, we are not moving the hay. Let her hatch and sell the chicks in the spring."

To add a bit of perspective. When we moved the hay we used an old queen size metal bed frame to place the boards on to keep the hay off the ground. This is like when Momma Hen hit the hill. It is the ultimate "Fluff You, I want babies".

I think game/silkie could be interesting and @rural mouse is right, she might give you another Momma Hen. Also @Ponypoor ’s idea of a mesh wall is a good one. But if you want to get her out of there you could do it, and pull the whole nest out too, with a roof rake, if it’s not too angled. Though maybe you don’t have roof rakes where you live, not enough snow? Maybe a long pole with a large “L” or “T” on the end.

 

[SimpleJenn]

@RebeccaBoyd

A 1.5-2 inch diameter pvc pipe with a right angle joint and another short section would do the trick. Make each piece as long as you like. Not 100% sure on the diameter, depends on the space you have to work with.

Made something similar for flushing feral kittens from under equipment at one of the places we lived.
If you want to go fancy, add another right angle joint on the end to make a bit of a hook, might feel more secure against the lil stinker.

 

[bgmathteach]

They had 5 bags of chick starter on sale for $5 yesterday when I was in getting feed. I almost bought a couple but I controlled myself

I am not getting any more chicks next year. I am at capacity

Too bad they did have horse feed on sale for $5!

Could have bought it to mix with layer feed to make an 'all flock'. Would have a bit higher protien - so would be good for the molters, too!

Assuming it was a 40 or 50 lb. bag, $5 is a STEAL!!!

 

[bgmathteach]

Sooo...... I have a problem. A broody hen problem. Poppet is at the center of it. I will have to go get pictures in a bit so you all can fully understand my situation. The little devil was missing last night when I closed up the coop. Last week we got in and restacked about 25 new bales of hay. Poppet was laying very close to the hay. After the new hay came in I stopped getting her eggs. Honestly no alarm bells went off as I figured she joined in with the rest of the girls who are molting like crazy. I did lay on the ground and look underneath the hay stack as it is about 5 inches off the ground. I saw nothing. Last night after looking everywhere for her with no luck I once again got down and shined a light under the haystack. She is hidden very well but there she was. I cannot reach her as she is back against the wall. I would also have to unstack and then restack every bale of hay to get her the little brat. Poppet dang you this is Momma Hen shenanigans, I raised you better then that. I do not know what I am going to do. I do not know how many eggs she has or if they are even fertile. Knowing my luck they are and Randy did the deed. If I wait until we've used enough hay that I could quickly removed a few bales to get to her, the chicks will have already hatched or be close to it. Silkie x Game cross chicks is my nightmare.

I am sorry. I didn't mean to laugh at your predicament, but I just couldn't help myself. She is paying you back for not whipping out that incubator - and showing you that , yes, she really is a true Silkie!

Honestly, while you may dread it - I just think that Game X silkie is an absolutely wonderful combination - and YOU may have taught her differetly, but she also had Momma Hen as a mentor, too. Clearly some of 'momma's' smarts rubbed off on her to make sure it was a spot you could not easily reach and 'break' her!!!

Sorry, @RebeccaBoyd , but I'm with 'Team Poppet" on this one!

 

[Ponypoor]

Could have bought it to mix with layer feed to make an 'all flock'. Would have a bit higher protien - so would be good for the molters, too!

Assuming it was a 40 or 50 lb. bag, $5 is a STEAL!!!

Yes regularly $17. Yep I would have but I am short on space. All my bins are full of feed it would have been a good deal.

That is what I am doing at the moment mixing the 17% textures layer with the 21% starter I had left over (which I just finished this morning), I have 16% grower to mix with it now to lower the calcium level for my older ladies not laying and Mr P.

Would have been nice to have the horse feed at that price