Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[TOMTE]

Good morning!

Since it was such a warm, sunny day yesterday, the girls got to come out again

Fluffy butts!

 

[TOMTE]

@SimpleJenn I had a dream that you were livestreaming that duck rescue yesterday the camera kept getting way too close to your face and not showing the duck at all. I was like, "okay, who's doing the camera work? "

 

[RoyalChick]

Good morning!

Since it was such a warm, sunny day yesterday, the girls got to come out again

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Fluffy butts!
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Love the snow covered shelter!
On my (never ending) list of tweaks to the Chicken Palace is to make a couple of those shelters (stealing shamelessly from your idea).
They will be great for them to hang out in and some of my old garden furniture that is the main shelter for them in their field is truly near the end of its useful life.

 

[TOMTE]

Love the snow covered shelter!
In my (never ending) list of tweaks to the Chicken Palace is to make a couple of those shelters (stealing shamelessly from your idea).
They will be great for them to hang out in and some of my old garden furniture that is the main shelter for them in their field is truly near the end of its useful life.

I'm glad everybody seems to love that shelter!! It was really simple to make with all the scrap wood we have lying around. I can get more detailed pics if you want, too.

Since my dad doesn't want to free range anymore I don't think we'll end up making more When we expand the run, that one will go in there, and I still want to finish it! It's fine as is but I still want to make it look like an old hut.

 

[SimpleJenn]

@SimpleJenn I had a dream that you were livestreaming that duck rescue yesterday the camera kept getting way too close to your face and not showing the duck at all. I was like, "okay, who's doing the camera work? "

Was the duck filming?

 

[TOMTE]

Was the duck filming?

Hey, that might be it. Can't blame it in that case, a camera is probably hard to work without hands

 

[Ponypoor]

I'm going to expand it this summer to hold more chickens. I want to make it a greenhouse that I can close off when it's real cold outside. That way even if it is below 0°F and I need to lock them in, they will still have access to lay in the sun.

It will be part of the extension rebuild. I'm kind of excited by the project. My brain is tossing ideas around on how to build it.

That sounds wonderful, can’t wait to see your final product.

Give me some ideas for my place.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

@BY Bob I would like your opinion on a matter of a confirmed bird flu case when you have time.

I casually follow on facebook Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. This year the eagle pair hatched 2 chicks in December. Monday night and then Tuesday night both chicks had a seizure episode and passed. Their bodies were collected and sent of for testing. It was announced last night that they both passed from Avian Influenza. In their announcement they also stated both parents were also probably positive for it. No action will be taken against the parents as long as they remain flighted.

This deeply troubles me and feels like a double edged sword. By no means do I wish ill will on the parents. Why though are they allowed to remain free possibly spreading the virus. If this was someone's backyard flock they would kill all the birds even those showing zero symptoms. I do know if I were living in Florida near this nest as a chicken keeper I would be very angry over this scenario.

 

[TOMTE]

@BY Bob I would like your opinion on a matter of a confirmed bird flu case when you have time.

I casually follow on facebook Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. This year the eagle pair hatched 2 chicks in December. Monday night and then Tuesday night both chicks had a seizure episode and passed. Their bodies were collected and sent of for testing. It was announced last night that they both passed from Avian Influenza. In their announcement they also stated both parents were also probably positive for it. No action will be taken against the parents as long as they remain flighted.

This deeply troubles me and feels like a double edged sword. By no means do I wish ill will on the parents. Why though are they allowed to remain free possibly spreading the virus. If this was someone's backyard flock they would kill all the birds even those showing zero symptoms. I do know if I were living in Florida near this nest as a chicken keeper I would be very angry over this scenario.

It's because they're a protected species. There are laws against capture and culling of raptors. If they have a chance to recover, they will let them. If they die, they'll likely safely dispose of the bodies (if they find them). At least, that's my understanding of it.

It's sad that our chickens aren't afforded the same thing, but we have to understand that chickens as a species aren't at risk of extinction as wild birds are, from many variables. As a domesticated species they have us to protect them, for better or worse. Wild birds don't have that and their numbers are steeply declining.


ETA be angry at the factory farms and corporations that are exacerbating the issue, not the wildlife that's suffering and the people working hard to protect it.

 

[Ponypoor]

Georgie Girl

I have a feeling Ms Georgie is pretty much wanting to be done with her dumplings.

If I go by 23 Dec 2024 as their hatch date they are now 6 weeks old, she is still letting them snuggle at night but she definitely wants to be in with the main flock at night now. Babies are too small and it’s just too chilly for that, even though it’s about +4C at roost level, in the nest boxes on the ground it’s likely at or below freezing.

I was planning on letting her and the dumplings out with Mr P and the oldsters but she has no interest now in protecting them, she just wanders off and let’s them fend for themselves when I let them roam in the mornings.

Maybe I’ll just lift the mesh screening so they can run under there if need be, but the others can’t.

Darn that Georgie for going broody! She sure as heck better not go broody again!

Mr P surveying his domain.