Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

I have made contact with the seller of the silkie boys. They are both still available. Price is not bad, 15 each. They are the perfect age almost 7 months old. Asking about their temperament now. This feels right to me, one of them is speaking to me from pictures. I think I may be making a trip tomorrow.

I said I would know the "right" boy when I saw him from pictures.

 

[Sylvester017]

It is illegal now.

Farmers have a maximum of 30 days from when the egg was laid to 'crate it'. They have 30 days from when it was processed to sell it (if have a 'sell by' date on it - 45 days after processing for a 'best by' date). So, eggs can not be sold more than 60 days after it was laid - MAXIMUM.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/eggs/shell-eggs-farm-table

Yes, my uncle was an egg rancher back in the 1940's-1960's & it was a lot different back in that era. When heatwave was causing heatstroke in the ranchers' flocks the Campbell's soup company representative came by offering to buy up all my uncle's dead birds. My uncle refused to deal w/the representative & I never ate another Campbell soup again! Of course I'm sure that kind of practice is illegal as well nowadays!

It's just a scary thought how conglomerates may get away w/illegal practices when not caught by agencies. Even a certain percentage of rat/rodent hair & roach/bug parts are actually allowed in FDA tested foods according to our FDA friend. Doesnt give me a warm fuzzy feeling about the food supply anywhere. That goes for a dozen eggs on the market shelf too. But that's me...

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

She sent this video to me. She said they are not aggressive but slightly skittish. They were part of a 45 chick hatch and she could not be as hands on with them all. They are easy to catch and will settle down once you have your hands on them. They are let out to free range a few times a week. Honestly this is really starting to feel right. This person was one I was looking into last summer after Branch died and Poppet went broody that first time and took forever to break. She had some week old chicks for sale which were too old at the time to foster under a broody hen. She had some more eggs that were due to hatch in a week and if Poppet was still broody I was going to get 2 or 3 to give to her but she broke up before they hatched. I have kept her in the back of my mind thinking about getting a few day old chicks to raise this year in hopes of a boy. Her adults look nice, and there is some nice looking pullets in with the boy in the video.

 

[Marie2020]

Right shoulder

Does it move? Is it soft or hard?

 

[Sylvester017]

Depends upon the individual birds. There are some silkies that would rule the flock.

My point is that its wiser not to have Silkies in a closed run situation to avoid possible bullying cuz not all Silkies are tough guys, are easily bullied when they go broody, & a sudden hard peck on the skull from a standard hen is injurious. & a closed run doesnt offer much safety. Silkies often need a different approach in mixed flocks ~ a large space, separate housing, or open range offers safer environment. Every owner figures what they need to do after taking in all information about any breed.

 

[Marie2020]

My gang would like to get out, but too cold and too much snow. I cleared off Mount Poopmore a bit for the sun to get to, but unless it shines for a few days it will stay covered in snow.

That should soon make a good compost feed

 

[Sylvester017]

I have made contact with the seller of the silkie boys. They are both still available. Price is not bad, 15 each. They are the perfect age almost 7 months old. Asking about their temperament now. This feels right to me, one of them is speaking to me from pictures. I think I may be making a trip tomorrow.

I said I would know the "right" boy when I saw him from pictures.

 

[Sylvester017]

She sent this video to me. She said they are not aggressive but slightly skittish. They were part of a 45 chick hatch and she could not be as hands on with them all. They are easy to catch and will settle down once you have your hands on them. They are let out to free range a few times a week. Honestly this is really starting to feel right. This person was one I was looking into last summer after Branch died and Poppet went broody that first time and took forever to break. She had some week old chicks for sale which were too old at the time to foster under a broody hen. She had some more eggs that were due to hatch in a week and if Poppet was still broody I was going to get 2 or 3 to give to her but she broke up before they hatched. I have kept her in the back of my mind thinking about getting a few day old chicks to raise this year in hopes of a boy. Her adults look nice, and there is some nice looking pullets in with the boy in the video.

Nice looking birds.

 

[rural mouse]

Snow due here later today and for the next few days.
Weather tax: Tassels from the summer to remind me what a red comb looks like.
View attachment 4041412

Same here...for a week....so it was spitting powder for all of 15 min this morning....birds ignored it.

(From a couple of days ago)

(Watching Sherlock who watched them but brought back his ball)

 

[Sylvester017]

Snow due here later today and for the next few days.
Weather tax: Tassels from the summer to remind me what a red comb looks like.
View attachment 4041412

Beautiful feather sheen!