Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

They have their mama to keep warm under. So they will be warm, but I want them out and about digging and scratching.

Right now when I have them out in the summer house they spend more time snuggled under mama, so mama and babies aren’t being active.

I have been letting them roam the feedroom where it’s warm but that’s not ideal. And Georgie keeps hopping/flapping up on my office chair and then hops up onto the chair back! The babies then freak out, she freaks out and tries to jump off the chair! So then I freak out.

I figured if I can put them in a small pen in the Summer House during the day full time and have a heat lamp for them, they can get exercise and be a bit warm. I have two sweeter heaters but my moulting and elderly ladies are using them.

It’s a pain in the derrière

Then I read this and I freak out!

 

[featherhead007]

Got a shot where you can just see Hazel. She’s sleeping in the nest box, all draped over the front. You can see her feathers reaching to the platform roost. @BY Bob @Ponypoor
I have a panel warmer going, it’s under the camera that took this shot.
View attachment 4024200

This sustained wicked weather is making me rethink the big run tarp arrangement, the big run door location, and the coop location/orientation. About 1/4 to 1/3 the length of the big run has snow buildup, here below the camera is looking south, down the west / northwest side on the right.

That’s the man door on the right. I had hoed some of the snow under and pulled litter up this afternoon along the main pathways but left where the snow is a couple inches deep there on the side, no point!
View attachment 4024207
The chickens hang out in the best area, the east side of the perpendicular run this one meets, to the left of this picture. That’s where more panel warmers are too, on timers. Also the door jam openings on the right, though covered by overlapping tarps, cardboard and even a piece of plywood on the outside with a 2x4 against it, are letting snow through somehow. Snow builds up behind everything!

Top picture again- Snow is blowing into the nest boxes through the vents above on the mostly exposed north side. Hazel has chosen the most protected least-snowy one. It’s got the coop run tarp extending over it. The tarp is set away from the vent a little to allow air, with the tarp opening facing south. I didn’t want to block off the vent. But now snow is getting back in, going back under the tarp due to some aeronautical going-around-corners and-back-the-way-it-came effect @featherhead007

The lake effect snow we’ve gotten is getting driven sideways by a strong north wind blowing at 22 miles per hour at least, with much bigger gusts. You can see snow buildup in the back of the middle nest box; the tarp doesn’t extend to there. The box further left has even more piled in the back.

We’re all waiting for this weather spell to end, chickens and humans. They spend their day by the warmers, the feeder and heated water dog bowl. It’s tough to do any run modifications, my fingers can’t take the extreme cold (the warmest it got today was 15F). I did stuff an old bed sheet up into the southern ventilation gap over the man door in a futile effort to stop backwards-driven snow.

Low pressure venturing effect Winds will cause that.

 

[BY Bob]

One of These Hens is Not Like the Others

I went out the other day and Aster was dust bathing alone in the run. Everyone else was lounging in the main coop.

Today I caught this on film.

I really need to add another active hen this year so Aster has someone to explore with. Lady Featherington hung around Glynda because they grew up together. Clearly Aster does not have that relationship with her.

 

[BY Bob]

As they age they mellow ~ like a fine wine

With no Phyllis to torture she does seem mellowed.

 

[Ponypoor]

One of These Hens is Not Like the Others

I went out the other day and Aster was dust bathing alone in the run. Everyone else was lounging in the main coop.

Today I caught this on film.

I really need to add another active hen this year so Aster has someone to explore with. Lady Featherington hung around Glynda because they grew up together. Clearly Aster does not have that relationship with her.

Oh that is ‘Leghorn’ her scratching like that!

She needs a cohort to get into mischief with

 

[Ponypoor]

Then I read this and I freak out!View attachment 4024270

Hey think how I feel! There’s a lot of crazy drama going on here.

 

[BY Bob]

I have a few like that also.

And then there are the head hangers….

I no longer have any head hangers.

 

[BY Bob]

Yep - and I do have a pair of heavy duty rubber gloves I use for ‘ice’ removal from the water pails trough etc. but they are cumbersome dealing with gripping things. Like hay bales, doors, wheelbarrow….

Tonight I grabber the handle on the outside of the door to pull it shut. Did I mention my hands were damp…. And it’s like -11c . Ouch.

Some thirsty Thursday pics for tax
View attachment 4024208View attachment 4024209View attachment 4024210
They are cute, but holy moly they are a lot of trouble.

I want to get them out in the Summer House during the day, I am thinking I will have to break down and get one of those heat lamps, I cringe at the though of using one. But it’s just so darn cold, and I dont want them stressed by the cold.

I am researching the use of them, I know lots of people use them, but I also know bad things happen also.

Anyone here ever use them?

I have but they are super dangerous. They have caused many fires. How about some heat panels like RC and I use? They are very safe.

 

[BY Bob]

It has taken me all day to catch up.
Last night (maybe 4:45) when I got home from work Lumi had once again gone on a trip to the neighbors. Good news though! First we have new neighbors, the house finally sold. Second they laughed and were thrilled to see her pecking about, they are considering chickens of their own.

After escorting Lumi home I did a quick coop check on my way inside. I have been checking the nest boxes once or twice a week for awhile now. Cassia has laid her first egg! And second egg too

They have freckles!
View attachment 4024221
So excited to have our own eggs again. Last egg was Rosie's back in early October.

Congrats!

 

[BY Bob]

Got a shot where you can just see Hazel. She’s sleeping in the nest box, all draped over the front. You can see her feathers reaching to the platform roost. @BY Bob @Ponypoor
I have a panel warmer going, it’s under the camera that took this shot.
View attachment 4024200

This sustained wicked weather is making me rethink the big run tarp arrangement, the big run door location, and the coop location/orientation. About 1/4 to 1/3 the length of the big run has snow buildup, here below the camera is looking south, down the west / northwest side on the right.

That’s the man door on the right. I had hoed some of the snow under and pulled litter up this afternoon along the main pathways but left where the snow is a couple inches deep there on the side, no point!
View attachment 4024207
The chickens hang out in the best area, the east side of the perpendicular run this one meets, to the left of this picture. That’s where more panel warmers are too, on timers. Also the door jam openings on the right, though covered by overlapping tarps, cardboard and even a piece of plywood on the outside with a 2x4 against it, are letting snow through somehow. Snow builds up behind everything!

Top picture again- Snow is blowing into the nest boxes through the vents above on the mostly exposed north side. Hazel has chosen the most protected least-snowy one. It’s got the coop run tarp extending over it. The tarp is set away from the vent a little to allow air, with the tarp opening facing south. I didn’t want to block off the vent. But now snow is getting back in, going back under the tarp due to some aeronautical going-around-corners and-back-the-way-it-came effect @featherhead007

The lake effect snow we’ve gotten is getting driven sideways by a strong north wind blowing at 22 miles per hour at least, with much bigger gusts. You can see snow buildup in the back of the middle nest box; the tarp doesn’t extend to there. The box further left has even more piled in the back.

We’re all waiting for this weather spell to end, chickens and humans. They spend their day by the warmers, the feeder and heated water dog bowl. It’s tough to do any run modifications, my fingers can’t take the extreme cold (the warmest it got today was 15F). I did stuff an old bed sheet up into the southern ventilation gap over the man door in a futile effort to stop backwards-driven snow.

Hopefully you get a break soon and can make some adjustments. Mine are clearly enjoying the panel in the main coop.