Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sylvester017]

@Sylvester017 I have grossly oversized tonsils so even the slightest irritation and it affects my ability to swallow. I should have had them out as a kid but my family couldn't afford it. If this round of meds doesn't clear it the doctor says I might get them out.

BUMMER!

I've had so many parts cut out of me it's a wonder I have any body left. They say tonsils can grow back? Mine never did.

As for the neighbors flock, I haven't seen the birds out and about, but they might have just stopped free ranging. I hear a few roosters around us during the day so I think only my flock was lost.

BUMMER again! But looking forward is more fun!

 

[Ponypoor]

They do look very similar. Legs and beaks can fade as the hen pulls nutrients from them to lay eggs. They usually replace those nutrients when not laying over the winter.

I need to find some photos from the summer now.

 

[RoyalChick]

Coops are empty. I only cried when I got all the decoy eggs in the basket and...it could have been real eggs from my girls so I just broke down.

 

[Sylvester017]

Thank you all! This is reassuring and it IS helpful! Besides fanning the flames of chicken math. I'd like them all!

I had the idea that landrace chickens might qualify as barnyard mutts. But it seems many are now being bred toward an SOP! Also, the number of individuals in the breeding stocks available in the US is comparatively low.

You're right about all of it. The rarer the breed the more likely there's not enough diverse breeder stock in the USA. That was my problem w/ the rare Breda Fowl from the Netherlands. Not enough customer demand for them so there were less & less diverse flocks to get new lines as one breeder after another phased out their birds. & the BBS Breda had beautiful temperaments. The other Breda varieties/colors were not so sweet but the Blue/Black/Splash variety were great flockmates & people-friendly. Breda were never offered in hatcheries either.

Greenfire Farms in Florida imports rare breeds from other countries but sadly haven't imported new BBS Breda in over a decade.

Blue Breda "Phaedra" w/Silkies "Violet" & "Mini"

"Phaedra" had no comb, a triangle tassled crest, crow-like nostrils/beak & feathered legs ~ she was amazingly sweet & unique 2016

"Phaedra" ~ pullet 2015

 

[Ponypoor]

You're right about all of it. The rarer the breed the more likely there's not enough diverse breeder stock in the USA. That was my problem w/ the rare Breda Fowl from the Netherlands. Not enough customer demand for them so there were less & less diverse flocks to get new lines as one breeder after another phased out their birds. & the BBS Breda had beautiful temperaments. The other Breda varieties/colors were not so sweet but the Blue/Black/Splash variety were great flockmates & people-friendly. Breda were never offered in hatcheries either.

Greenfire Farms in Florida imports rare breeds from other countries but sadly haven't imported new BBS Breda in over a decade.

Blue Breda "Phaedra" w/Silkies "Violet" & "Mini"
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"Phaedra" had no comb, a triangle tassled crest, crow-like nostrils/beak & feathered legs ~ she was amazingly sweet & unique 2016
View attachment 4015884
View attachment 4015871

"Phaedra" ~ pullet 2015
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Love those feathered feet

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

2 EGGS!!!! It is a 2 egg day today!!

I think it could be Squirrels egg. Heavy bloom and pinkish. Squirrel's has looked like those in the past. It is either hers or after only a week Judy is laying again.

It has been 4 or 5 weeks since I have gotten 2 eggs in one day. I now have 16 saved up. Perfect timing. My brother brought home a case of lemons from work. 2/3rds are good after we went through them. Have a huge dishpan overflowing. So far we are thinking lemon pound cake and lemon curd.

 

[Sylvester017]

Love those feathered feet

Feathered legs are gorgeous on juveniles ~ Belgian D'Uccles, Brahmas, Bredas, Cochins, Faverolles, Langshans, Marans, Silkies, Sultans, etc, but once they start scratching & foraging the toe feathers break off.

A Breda cockerel juvenile was shipped to us by the breeder's mistake. He was supposed to ship to a Florida customer. Poor guy was so irritated by his toe feathers that he chewed off all his lovely long toe feathers, bleeding, so we had to bandage his leg wounds so he'd stop chewing!

The breeder refused to refund the full $$ for their mistake (the Florida customer was shipped my order for 2 juvenile pullets while the Florida order for one cockerel & one pullet was shipped to me!) On top of that, both mistake birds were so sick we had to put the pullet down at the vet while this cockerel managed to survive. After treating him back to health we found him a home w/ our friend's rescue flock. They were tickled to receive a rare breed variety & sweet to boot! We aren't zoned for roos but I sure would've loved keeping him. Breda Fowl are royally majestic roos.

"Ichabod" ~ only 4-1/2 months old & already stood tall (bandaged legs)

 

[bgmathteach]

Russian Spangled Orloffs are not an ordinary barnyard chicken ~ they are tall birds more gamelike & timid/spookish. But yes, gimme a Brahma or Wellie if I didn't already have quota!

I love the way Wellie males look identical to the Light Brown Leghorn males right down to the small tufts of white feathers at their tail base ~ gorgeous breeds except Wellies give dark eggs & Leghorns white eggs! The Wellies have red ears & Legs have white ears ~ Hard to tell the outward differences other than the ear colors. All chickens are so beautiful it's hard to choose a favourite!!!

The Welsummers white tail fluff hidden in this photo (red ears)

Light Brown Leghorns ~ white ears
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Leg colours are different, too. Yellow for Wellsummers, White for Leghorns

Coops are empty. I only cried when I got all the decoy eggs in the basket and...it could have been real eggs from my girls so I just broke down.

We watched a chicken years ago casually walking as an egg dropped from her behind & she just kept on walking!

Unusual for chickens....but ducks do this fairly often...Quack, quack, quack, sauntering by...hmmmm...look, there is an egg - wasn't there a. min. ago!

 

[Ponypoor]

My mum has discovered Alexa…. The world is her oyster regarding music, she is listening to the ‘50s at the moment.

We had fun thanking Alexa, and she would reply ‘her pleasure’.

Here are my chickies deciding to follow my Uncle back to the house hahahaha!

 

[Sylvester017]

2 EGGS!!!! It is a 2 egg day today!!

I think it could be Squirrels egg. Heavy bloom and pinkish. Squirrel's has looked like those in the past. It is either hers or after only a week Judy is laying again.

It has been 4 or 5 weeks since I have gotten 2 eggs in one day. I now have 16 saved up. Perfect timing. My brother brought home a case of lemons from work. 2/3rds are good after we went through them. Have a huge dishpan overflowing. So far we are thinking lemon pound cake and lemon curd.

Lemon pound & lemon drizzle cakes are all great!

I'm thinking yummy lemon Meringue Pie w/ fluffy billowy egg white puff top!!!! The entire eggs get used in lemon meringue pies!