Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

I'm having this problem with my Australorps... ?

Having problems with your Australorps? I recommend taking an anti acid tablet and drinking plenty of water.

 

[Ponypoor]

Roosters are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get!

But you can just read the ‘map’ that comes with every box of chocolates just make sure they aren’t nuts!

 

[rural mouse]

I'm having this problem with my Australorps... ?

Hyacinth is a silver laced wyandotte and Rose is a buff brahma. Violet, my other SLW and Daisy, my light brahma (same age) and Kate, Jane (RIR), Blurr, Focus (Barred rocks), and Hetty (australorp) are all a week older and not moulting (at the moment).

Initial thought in writing this: same hatchery, but that doesn't fit either as Violet and Daisy are part of the same batch.

 

[rural mouse]

Hmmmmm that is odd! Nope I have not had this experience personally.

It's a new one for me.

Another thought just flitted through my brain: will offspring do the same thing?

 

[rural mouse]

The first winter I had my chickens, I thought their heads shrank. Nope, just a partial molt around their head/neck when they were 9-10 months old.

That's PART of what they're doing....with the missing tail feathers and the rumpled look of body moult.

 

[Ponypoor]

Brrrr chilly tonight. Fluffy, Curly and Henny Penny all are snuggled up in the nestbox Georgie has been using in the Summer House. I figured they would be warm enough together so left them there, everyone else is in the Hen House A&B.

The snow has stopped - for now, but I just checked the radar and the monster squall is just about a mile to the west of me. It’s running the whole fetch (length) of Georgian Bay, running down into Toronto! That’s a good squall, Toronto will be a mess tomorrow for commuters.

I am still under a warning so likely still snow to come - oh joy…..

This is huge squall! That’s a huge distance it stretches

On a lighter note my sister gave me this sign for the barn

 

[Ponypoor]

Hyacinth is a silver laced wyandotte and Rose is a buff brahma. Violet, my other SLW and Daisy, my light brahma (same age) and Kate, Jane (RIR), Blurr, Focus (Barred rocks), and Hetty (australorp) are all a week older and not moulting (at the moment).

Initial thought in writing this: same hatchery, but that doesn't fit either as Violet and Daisy are part of the same batch.

I wonder if the wacky weather has something to do with it? Sophia has moulted twice! And so has Henny Penny now that I think about it. And I am sure Curly did also.

I will have to inspect everyone and see who else is moulting. I know Raven dumped a whole heap of feathers last night. So she is molting….

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Oh he is just like his Dada

He is his fathers twin. Mr. P is a good boy and a lovely rooster. I cannot wait to see what George looks like fully mature. I already know, he will be stunning like his dad.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I am so thrilled - I was really down at first that he was a cockerel, but he is such a good boy!

Do not be down. George had no choice but to be a boy. My brother and Rosie declared he was going to be a boy and theirs before he was even dry and fluffed up. Those few weeks I was thinking pullet they were both saddened as they just KNEW they had a boy. For 2 weeks my brother went out every day and told him "you had 1 job, just 1 job. You have to be a boy".

 

[bgmathteach]

Ok, all you smart and experienced chickeneers. I have something odd going on. Still have birds moulting (they do it in rotations). However, 2 of this year's pullets have joined in: Hyacinth and Rose are both moulting: rumpled feathers, neck/head/tail feathers clearly have new feathers coming. Anyone have experience with this?

I have a couple of questions for you:

How old are they - are they closer to a full year than, say 6 months? I don't remember when they hatched)

Do they have have broken feathers/bare patches/back frm rooster matings?

Finally, did either think about going broody and pluck a few feathers?

Any one of these can trigger a partial molt (I had a couple early winter hatched chicks that 2 of the batch molted the next fall - none of the others did. Those 2 were, also. (Coincidence???) the first to lay as well.