Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Nice picture. Mom and Dad are currently on the hill hoping to see some of their male relatives. Yesterday dad saw a 6 point, let it walk. Mom saw a 6 and a 4 point and let them walk as they were babies. Rule of thumb here is "if their bodies are smaller then the dog they walk." There is so much work involved cleaning them that you want one actually big enough to make it worthwhile. There is some nice bucks around, we have saw them all summer. Of course, they know when gun season opens up and hide.

So, off season they walk.
But deer season they run?

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I saw a black Silkie rooster at the county fair, where I entered BEN (the most beautiful roo ever) BEN won the blue ribbon award for best of show in the competition

Congratulations, Ben was a buff orp right? I wish we had county fairs here with poultry shows. I do not get it, but we do not. Even with 4-H there is nothing livestock geared within 3 hours of us. WHY? Eastern Kentucky is as rural as it gets. Practically everyone either has chickens, horses, cows, pigs you name it. When she was required to do 4-H in grade school starting in 6th grade Rosie wanted to do something that involved either horses or chickens and it was not a option.

 

[featherhead007]

I know that feeling well. It’s hard for me to look back on pictures of Sir Jaffar. The tears start to flow.
And I go through that pity party process again and again.
I remind myself that chooks don’t always last forever, as much as we’d like them to.

In his honor, here is a picture of him:

 

[featherhead007]

Congratulations, Ben was a buff orp right? I wish we had county fairs here with poultry shows. I do not get it, but we do not. Even with 4-H there is nothing livestock geared within 3 hours of us. WHY? Eastern Kentucky is as rural as it gets. Practically everyone either has chickens, horses, cows, pigs you name it. When she was required to do 4-H in grade school starting in 6th grade Rosie wanted to do something that involved either horses or chickens and it was not an option.

I don’t understand that at all. You’d think that would be an enhancement to the community.

 

[featherhead007]

Congratulations, Ben was a buff orp right? I wish we had county fairs here with poultry shows. I do not get it, but we do not. Even with 4-H there is nothing livestock geared within 3 hours of us. WHY? Eastern Kentucky is as rural as it gets. Practically everyone either has chickens, horses, cows, pigs you name it. When she was required to do 4-H in grade school starting in 6th grade Rosie wanted to do something that involved either horses or chickens and it was not a option.

Yes He was an overgrown teddy bear of a Buff Orpington. I don’t believe that Rudy is going to get as large as he was.

 

[Ponypoor]

Ooooo ~ spinal degeneration is a family thing w/us too. DH's sis has had spinal fusion, my sis & I have slipped disks/degeneration, mom, DD, & I have scoliosis. We're built to deteriorate w/age! & on Friday the Ortho Dr recommended surgery for my humerus that refuses to heal. The bone stimulator was a waste of another 6 weeks in which time I could've already had surgery! He didn't console me w/any warm fuzzies about success. W/my advanced age, heart & tests all have to be resolved before surgery. W/ insurance taking its sweet time I'll be dead before all the approvals get done

I'm guessing the reason my folks were able to buy/sell/trade/rehome livestock so readily is that we had several relatives w/ farms near us. Not only was there entrepreneurial-ship going on between farms but these aunts/uncles/grandparents/cousins were mostly our social & church group as well.

Me, Jiggy, & cousin Diana on the farm. Such a small community I shared school classes w/ her and another cousin till my folks split & I moved away to the city. Mom kept possession of the farmland & rented it out for years.
c.1956
View attachment 3984326

Awww Jiggy looks like a wonderful pup to have had around. It’s wonderful that you had cousins to grow up around, it was the same here. People don’t seem to have that same network of family these days.

 

[Ponypoor]

Wow, I had a pleasant surprise this morning. Back in the summer when all the contests were going on I entered photos of my dear Drumstick in this one..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/official-byc-2024-summer-fair—standard-bred-chicken-show.1631942/

I've always thought he was special and a real good looking boy. I know I am very biased as I loved that rooster with every fiber of my being. This one was to be judged and not chosen randomly. This morning the winners were announced.

Drumstick was first in the standard recognized Large Fowl Rooster and second place overall in the recognized category. Way to go my brave boy. I hope this morning up in heaven you came across a whole mountain of raisins and dried cranberries. I feel honored as all the entries were gorgeous birds.

That’s wonderful! Congratulations- I am sure he is strutting about and crowing up a storm….

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I don’t understand that at all. You’d think that would be an enhancement to the community.

It makes zero sense. You cannot tell me there would be no support or interest with the kids in the equestrian division. The local horse show community proves that one wrong. If your family has horses, and most everyone has at least 1 family member with a horse, the children are put on their backs before they are walking. Everyone knows someone or has themselves chickens, why not have a poultry show? Pigs, at some point in time we all have raised our own pork. Why not encourage the kids to show the pigs? You can still fill your freezer at the end of the year and your child could learn something and win ribbons ect. Same with cattle. My aunt's husband has one of the biggest cattle farms in the area. He is a 3rd generation owner of it. His son, was never involved in the day to day running of it and now as a adult has absolutely zero interest in continuing the family business. They are trying with their grandchildren to get them involved but are not having much luck.

 

[Ponypoor]

Here is Rebecca’s winning boy

Post in thread 'Official BYC 2024 Summer Fair—Standard-Bred Chicken Show'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ndard-bred-chicken-show.1631942/post-27887037

 

[Ponypoor]

Ooooo ~ spinal degeneration is a family thing w/us too. DH's sis has had spinal fusion, my sis & I have slipped disks/degeneration, mom, DD, & I have scoliosis. We're built to deteriorate w/age! & on Friday the Ortho Dr recommended surgery for my humerus that refuses to heal. The bone stimulator was a waste of another 6 weeks in which time I could've already had surgery! He didn't console me w/any warm fuzzies about success. W/my advanced age, heart & tests all have to be resolved before surgery. W/ insurance taking its sweet time I'll be dead before all the approvals get done

I'm guessing the reason my folks were able to buy/sell/trade/rehome livestock so readily is that we had several relatives w/ farms near us. Not only was there entrepreneurial-ship going on between farms but these aunts/uncles/grandparents/cousins were mostly our social & church group as well.

Me, Jiggy, & cousin Diana on the farm. Such a small community I shared school classes w/ her and another cousin till my folks split & I moved away to the city. Mom kept possession of the farmland & rented it out for years.
c.1956
View attachment 3984326

Well darn that sucks about your arm. They should have plated it first thing. Oh well can’t change the past, just move forward. Hope your able to get the surgery soon