Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Hello everyone, I hope you all have /had a nice Sunday. We finally had a very small dusting of snow yesterday, after almost a week of rain. I'm not complaining, we really need it !
View attachment 4041588I was sad to see it melt away in a few hours, but higher in the mountains there is still a little snow left. Barely enough to step in 5cm running for an hour this morning.
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Some damp LGD dogs from one of the past rainy days for pony Sunday.
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Their owner says the darker brown young dog, that's hiding behind the pyreneese, is a spanish mastiff. He's very happy with her because she stays all the time with the sheeps, whereas the pyreneese and anatolians tend to sometimes jump the electric netting and go wander. Apparently the spanish mastiff have a lower prey drive and this makes them easier to keep in an enclosure and better guards for the sheep herd.
(All the same, seeing the size of an adult Spanish mastiff, I'm glad his dogs are well educated and don't cause trouble to humans like so many LGD's around here).

The sun came out for a bit today. Théo can't resist a bit of sunshine, he even forgets to play bad guy.

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I know some of you have opinions leaning on one side or another but I always wonder how much of my chickens personality is defined by breed, genetics, by individual temper, or by their environment. Or a mix of all of that. I do feel partly responsible for the fact that some of my chickens have become very untrusting toward humans, much more than when they were very young, although I'm not sure exactly why.

I have found that all my pets have their own temperaments, and are individuals. I have had full sister horses that were so different if I didn’t know they were just a yr apart I would say they were not related.

And over time their temperaments and personalities change also. Some are friendly as chicks and then don’t want to associate with me as adults and vice versa.

Animals are more like people than many people want to know!

 

[Ponypoor]

I was in the coop feeding the Rockettes, when I heard my name called out “Alex, Alex” no one around except for the five Rockettes. I’m telling ya, it’s weird here today!

I hear voices…. They are everywhere…

Oh wait no wrong movie….

I see people - they are everywhere.

Ya that’s it - but which movie?

 

[Ponypoor]

Beautiful scenery! Theo is one gorgeous kaleidoscope of colors!

A breeder I knew raised Great Pyrenees for sale. They said GP's have a wanderlust & have to be fenced in w/ a flock but even then they still find ways to escape.

As for fearful chickens ~ some breeds are naturally outgoing towards humans while others are more aloof. In your open range maybe your birds like the freedom that makes them more danger aware & see humans passing by as possibly something to be wary of? Treat sharing is usually a good way to make chickens pesty pets.

Which is what happened with my moms friend who is terrified of chickens! She started running…. Well and you can imagine how it was for her to have 20 chooks running after her!

Wish I had my phone!

 

[bgmathteach]

Bat tax: BFTP the beautiful Eli who died way too young. So sorry Eli.

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She just needed to fly high(er). You did a wonderful job with her - and gave her the opportunity to be a mom!

 

[Ponypoor]

My heart breaks for you. How awful. How do you stand it?

Current weather here.....
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Yes it’s tough when it’s so cold

It’s -6C (19F) currently

 

[BY Bob]

Yes they drive the cats wild. Usually I get woken by the cats to find the poor exhausted bat hanging from the curtain pole.
Apparently the reason bats are such an issue is that you wouldn't know if you had been bitten and if they fly over you might get fluids in your eye, nose, mouth without knowing.
It has only happened a few times and I have had a bat expert come to try and figure out where they got in - but it remains a mystery.
The flying squirrel's port of entry is also a mystery.

Bat tax: BFTP the beautiful Eli who died way too young. So sorry Eli.
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A very special lady for sure.

 

[featherhead007]

They are very cute......



But they are not chickens

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I agree with you, your Royal Worshipful Highness

 

[featherhead007]

You speak truth! You never know when the surprise might cause a cardiac arrest as well!

A knife wound to the groin is also possible in this situation.

 

[featherhead007]

The Order

The pecking order here remains quite obvious. Most of you should know that I stopped watching roosting a long time ago because of how nasty Aurora can be. Last night I was checking to make sure everyone was safe in the coop when i caught Aurora at work. I'm putting this behind a spoiler because it is not for the faint of heart.

I had checked in twice because the first time Hattie was not in the coop. On my first check Lady Featherington and Aster were on the low roost in front of the heat panel. When we check in this time you will see they are now in the high roost with Sydney. Im pretty certain they moved to avoid Aurora. Hattie was probably not in the coop because Aurora was keeping her out.

If you don't want to see poor Hattie picked on, don't watch this video. She is the only hen Aurora can reach.

Spoiler: Aurora at Work

I share this so everyone is reminded how Aurora maintains her position through brute force and terror at roosting time. She is not all warm and friendly.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown

 

[featherhead007]

I hear voices…. They are everywhere…

Oh wait no wrong movie….

I see people - they are everywhere.

Ya that’s it - but which movie?

“I smell horse people!”