Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Congratulations to our award winners!

Spirit
@ManueB
@Ponypoor

Oh yay! Thanks to whomever nominated me

I am very much enjoying everyone’s camaraderie, and of course seeing everyone’s gorgeous chooks and other pets.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I spent some time with Poppet and Turkey this afternoon. I have really held off trying to get any predictions on gender up until this point.

Turkey is 6 weeks old. Right now, there is zero hint of any comb or wattles. In fact I cannot tell yet if Turkey is going to have their fathers single comb or their mother's silkie walnut comb. Turkey is also still solid black. Black everything, skin, feathers, beak, all black.

Being a silkie x game mix I should be able to tell gender sooner then if it was a pure silkie. Right now, I am leaning towards pullet.

I promise picture soon. I want pictures of Turkey outside in the sunlight to really capture what they look like.

Oooo is Turkey fibro??? You know they have my heart

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I think that someone on here uses a roll of furnace filter 'fabric' that they said last year worked well. ? @Sally PB ? maybe? I'm not sure. If so, I would imagine that it lets air through (needed as furnace filter), but would probably stop snow going through (and would imagine it would significantly reduce drafts from high winds - give more resistance than open space, but certainly not stop winds/air flow)

I happened to buy (last year) a fiber runner (the fabric type you put into window boxes & such, but this was a runner - thought I might use it on the path for traction....but then realized it would be a pain in the A** to shovel over when more snow arrived) I ended up using it on my new goose house turned chicken coop for this winter over the high vents (roof is angled, plywood sides stop about 8" short of roofline in back.....so angled area, 8" high back of coop side, about 20" high front of coop side...that with the super cold and strong winds...decided to unroll and affix to north (windy) side of coop....and put a feedbag full of leaves on inside that covers about 1/2 of height of mesh in front to reduce open area - between the two is working GREAT.

I am not sure my rolled matt is coconut fiber, but it does look something like this

That said, if you can find furnace filter rolled, the white might make it brighter than the fiber mat, which is a drab brown so does darken the coop some...but since it is on the north side, there is still plenty of light from other sides.

Edit to add: maybe this is what ? @Sally PB ? uses? For some reason I had all white filter material in my mind. Somewhat reasonable for 7.5'. Would this work for you, @ChicoryBlue ??

Great ideas, thank you! Yes, it could be @Sally PB who used a roll of furnace filter in the eaves between the rafters? I had considered that for the windward top opening of the run roof, but couldn't figure out how to attach it well. It's a large area, and subject to severe winds. That's why I went with a mesh fabric privacy screen with grommets. However, it might work on the wire above the doorway.

I very much like the idea of coconut fiber material! That way, any bits that break off won't be harmful to eat (supposedly), and can just decompose with the rest of the run litter.

Made a little progress yesterday concentrating on the sleeping coop nestbox situation and the major snow build up in one end of the run.

I found where the wind was driving the snow into the back of the nestboxes. It's coming in through the hinge side of the nestbox door. The top tips out for access. There is no gasket on that lower edge. Maybe that's good ventilation in summer? There is a high lip inside that likely prevents water and most driven rain from getting in, but floating snow just obviously goes right up, over and in. I ended up finding some extra porch nylon screening and stuffing a rolled up bit all along it between the door and the lip, like a gasket.

I think coconut fiber material would work really well here, as it's right at beak-level and likely to get picked at. Right now it will fall out if I open the egg door. I don't use that egg door much in winter, I can reach in from the main back door. @Ponypoor 's steel mesh roof vent stuff would stay in place because it's made as an adhesive tape, but I think I would prefer a seasonal solution, not a permanent one.

I also examined the run tarping on the southern end and considered the low-pressure venturi effect. @featherhead007

The very open southern upper wall ventilation is working well. Just plain no tarps there, and the long overhang I made seems good. But the chicken-height lower southern wall has overlapping and tented tarps on the west side, which worked well for rain and even southern wind in summer, but again, the light snow driven by wind just travels up and around the tented overlaps and comes right in. So it's possibly solved now, with a huge 6x6 beam leaned strategically against the outside fancy-pants tenting I did, flattening it all together. We'll see.

Next will be to try to tighten the bottom of the big west side tarp against the run wire, to close up any leaks down there. Certain things are frozen in and really tough to move - the cinder blocks especially, so getting behind them properly might not be possible. I may just stuff cardboard in there at least (on the outside - yes, @bgmathteach you're right - the chickens will make a project out of eating cardboard somewhere at some point, so I don't use it where they can get at it!)

Thank you for all your ideas!

 

[Ponypoor]

Oooo is Turkey fibro??? You know they have my heart

She is silkie x OEGB cross that’s where she gets her black skin - gosh I can’t wait to see some photos of her!

Bert and Betty both had dark skin from their silkie mamas.

 

[Sylvester017]

She was the most expensive chick I ever bought... $30.

Our most expensive chick, DNA-sexed, was $145 pickup only, no shipping. The breeder had a reputation for some show winners. But Silkies don't have to be pricey to be one of the sweetest bantams to have. & Our 5 have been taking turns to give us at least an egg a day all winter.

Ginny $145 ~ Gold-Blue Partridge Silkie

We got Suzu & Ginny at the same time

The famous Vogue Ginny doll namesake

 

[Sally PB]

Great ideas, thank you! Yes, it could be @Sally PB who used a roll of furnace filter in the eaves between the rafters?

That was someone else. I staple the filter material I use over the openings in the walls of the coop. I don't have openings like you describe.

 

[Ponypoor]

Great ideas, thank you! Yes, it could be @Sally PB who used a roll of furnace filter in the eaves between the rafters? I had considered that for the windward top opening of the run roof, but couldn't figure out how to attach it well. It's a large area, and subject to severe winds. That's why I went with a mesh fabric privacy screen with grommets. However, it might work on the wire above the doorway.

I very much like the idea of coconut fiber material! That way, any bits that break off won't be harmful to eat (supposedly), and can just decompose with the rest of the run litter.

Made a little progress yesterday concentrating on the sleeping coop nestbox situation and the major snow build up in one end of the run.

I found where the wind was driving the snow into the back of the nestboxes. It's coming in through the hinge side of the nestbox door. The top tips out for access. There is no gasket on that lower edge. Maybe that's good ventilation in summer? There is a high lip inside that likely prevents water and most driven rain from getting in, but floating snow just obviously goes right up, over and in. I ended up finding some extra porch nylon screening and stuffing a rolled up bit all along it between the door and the lip, like a gasket.

I think coconut fiber material would work really well here, as it's right at beak-level and likely to get picked at. Right now it will fall out if I open the egg door. I don't use that egg door much in winter, I can reach in from the main back door. @Ponypoor 's steel mesh roof vent stuff would stay in place because it's made as an adhesive tape, but I think I would prefer a seasonal solution, not a permanent one.

I also examined the run tarping on the southern end and considered the low-pressure venturi effect. @featherhead007

The very open southern upper wall ventilation is working well. Just plain no tarps there, and the long overhang I made seems good. But the chicken-height lower southern wall has overlapping and tented tarps on the west side, which worked well for rain and even southern wind in summer, but again, the light snow driven by wind just travels up and around the tented overlaps and comes right in. So it's possibly solved now, with a huge 6x6 beam leaned strategically against the outside fancy-pants tenting I did, flattening it all together. We'll see.

Next will be to try to tighten the bottom of the big west side tarp against the run wire, to close up any leaks down there. Certain things are frozen in and really tough to move - the cinder blocks especially, so getting behind them properly might not be possible. I may just stuff cardboard in there at least (on the outside - yes, @bgmathteach you're right - the chickens will make a project out of eating cardboard somewhere at some point, so I don't use it where they can get at it!)

Thank you for all your ideas!

I love tinkering in the barn and with the chooks and ponies. Sounds like you do too

I have a new project to complete the outside stall walls on the side I am trying to renovate, booth the lumber just trying to get it to thaw out! The chooks enjoyed pecking the snow bits off of the boards - such funny creatures

I will top to walls with screening to stop them flying up and roosting there.

 

[Sylvester017]

Great ideas, thank you! Yes, it could be @Sally PB who used a roll of furnace filter in the eaves between the rafters? I had considered that for the windward top opening of the run roof, but couldn't figure out how to attach it well. It's a large area, and subject to severe winds. That's why I went with a mesh fabric privacy screen with grommets. However, it might work on the wire above the doorway.

I very much like the idea of coconut fiber material! That way, any bits that break off won't be harmful to eat (supposedly), and can just decompose with the rest of the run litter.

Made a little progress yesterday concentrating on the sleeping coop nestbox situation and the major snow build up in one end of the run.

I found where the wind was driving the snow into the back of the nestboxes. It's coming in through the hinge side of the nestbox door. The top tips out for access. There is no gasket on that lower edge. Maybe that's good ventilation in summer? There is a high lip inside that likely prevents water and most driven rain from getting in, but floating snow just obviously goes right up, over and in. I ended up finding some extra porch nylon screening and stuffing a rolled up bit all along it between the door and the lip, like a gasket.

I think coconut fiber material would work really well here, as it's right at beak-level and likely to get picked at. Right now it will fall out if I open the egg door. I don't use that egg door much in winter, I can reach in from the main back door. @Ponypoor 's steel mesh roof vent stuff would stay in place because it's made as an adhesive tape, but I think I would prefer a seasonal solution, not a permanent one.

I also examined the run tarping on the southern end and considered the low-pressure venturi effect. @featherhead007

The very open southern upper wall ventilation is working well. Just plain no tarps there, and the long overhang I made seems good. But the chicken-height lower southern wall has overlapping and tented tarps on the west side, which worked well for rain and even southern wind in summer, but again, the light snow driven by wind just travels up and around the tented overlaps and comes right in. So it's possibly solved now, with a huge 6x6 beam leaned strategically against the outside fancy-pants tenting I did, flattening it all together. We'll see.

Next will be to try to tighten the bottom of the big west side tarp against the run wire, to close up any leaks down there. Certain things are frozen in and really tough to move - the cinder blocks especially, so getting behind them properly might not be possible. I may just stuff cardboard in there at least (on the outside - yes, @bgmathteach you're right - the chickens will make a project out of eating cardboard somewhere at some point, so I don't use it where they can get at it!)

Thank you for all your ideas!

One nice thing about a season of inclement weather helped us to see where things needed modifying in future. A quick yet sturdy patio build over a coop/run sure can solve the 4 Seasons issues. We got tired of fighting rain leaks into the coop or blazing sun beating down on a coop in summer! Not sure swirling snow is any different from our swirling windy rains but its been a tremendous boon for us to have a patio/shed roof over our coop/run.

 

[rural mouse]

I spent some time with Poppet and Turkey this afternoon. I have really held off trying to get any predictions on gender up until this point.

Turkey is 6 weeks old. Right now, there is zero hint of any comb or wattles. In fact I cannot tell yet if Turkey is going to have their fathers single comb or their mother's silkie walnut comb. Turkey is also still solid black. Black everything, skin, feathers, beak, all black.

Being a silkie x game mix I should be able to tell gender sooner then if it was a pure silkie. Right now, I am leaning towards pullet.

I promise picture soon. I want pictures of Turkey outside in the sunlight to really capture what they look like.

If Poppet is RRPP, then Turkey should be walnut, RrPp. If Turkey is straight combed, then Poppet ir RrPp, which still shows as a walnut comb, but has the chance of transmitting the rp instead of the R and P. There is a chance of a Rose or Pea comb. If either of those is the case, then Poppet carries the lowercase gene for the other and Turkey received that with the capital gene. (RRPp, RrPP, or RrPp in Poppet can result in rrPp or Rrpp in Turkey).

 

[rural mouse]

Henry was too fat to move that fast!

What about when he was young?