Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[SimpleJenn]

How sweet!!!

I hope that I will be lucky enough to have another as thoughtful and observant as her.

 

[TOMTE]

I hope that I will be lucky enough to have another as thoughtful and observant as her.

I hope so too. But either way you're about to get to know a lot of new personalities!! I'm so happy and excited for you!!

 

[TOMTE]

I'm so happy and excited for you!!

I only say this all the time

 

[featherhead007]

I hope so too. But either way you're about to get to know a lot of new personalities!! I'm so happy and excited for you!!

I agree

 

[Sylvester017]

I wonder if it also depends on how many chooks one has.

With my gang it’s definitely certain birds behaving bad, poor Daisy (my Daisy) is pretty much bottom of the pecking order and at roost time it’s her getting picked on by my youngest chicks.

The older birds ignore her pretty much. Thus at night I have to settle her someplace where she won’t be picked on. One would think she would learn to go where I put her!

Is Daisy an EE? My feedback from owners yrs ago 2013 was that some EE's were timid while others were very assertive & w/ that feedback we instead chose straight Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas (which the 2 we had were quite timid but lucky since our flock dynamic was gentle anyway).

Shellby & Taffy ~ they were gentle as Doves

 

[Sylvester017]

Yes, we do the same thing, but ours are all very similar type breeds. We have Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Lavender Orpingtons, Leghorns and Cooper, who is a Black Copper Marans. We tend toward the larger dual purpose chickens, although the dual purpose here is, they lay eggs and they give us much enjoyment. Well, some are singular in purpose these days, they don't lay.

ETA: I forgot Splash. She is a mix of Buff Orp and Australorp. She is the only one who is completely unique in the hens, and then of course Cooper is unique too.

Then you must post pics, if possible. We do love pics!

 

[Sylvester017]

I think my flock is too small to notice something like this. While Magrat and Gytha (SLW) tend to take naps together throughout the day, they also mingle with the others most of the time.

When we were still free ranging, I noticed that Sybil, the odd one out, was really timid and would hang back while the others went off to a new foraging spot. I'd often have to escort her over to them because she would just stand there calling out to them. Sometimes they would come back for her, but not usually.

Spending quality time with Sybil did seem to help with her confidence though. Also her being the first to lay. Now she's higher in the pecking order and doesn't allow herself to be bullied.

I don't notice any serious squabbles at roosting time. Lots of jumping around and climbing over each other, pecking toes and pulling tail feathers when someone wants somebody else to move over, but no fights or outright attacks. But I don't have a camera in there to watch them after I've closed everything up.

And Gytha is ALWAYS the last up onto the roosts. I need to get video of her in the evening because it's interesting, and very amusing

To me it almost looks as though she's making sure everybody is inside before going to bed herself. But maybe she's trying to negotiate a better spot for herself on the roost. She'll bop around in circles, looking up at the roosts, like she wants to jump up but she just doesn't. She'll peck at toes, making a noise that I've come to associate with urgency (wanting something? Excitement, anxiety?). It's like, "bdrbdrbdrbdrbdrbdr!"

Yeah, some evenings it's 10-20 minutes of this behavior from her, and then she seems satisfied and jumps up and settles.

Does anyone else see this behavior in any of their chooks? Any idea what it's about?

I love that you worked out some special time w/ Sybil. I too believe working w/ the shy ones gives a boost of confidence & trust.

 

[rural mouse]

Pretty! I might have some super bulky yarn laying around, I'll have to make one like that and see if it's better than the design I came up with. Thanks for sharing!

I used an H hook and dish cloth cotton. It's written in British crochet terms, but includes measurements (which actually made it easy: work to the measurement). The handle...thermal crochet add on....and I worked the outer basket off the back loop of the inner basket rather than as a separate piece.

 

[ValerieJ]

Then you must post pics, if possible. We do love pics!

I guess I better start photographing my chickens. I'm such a bad mom that way. I will get out there and do that soon.

 

[Sally PB]

Char was a great people cuddler but she was a horrible flockmate.

Char w/ her new owner

I'm so glad you found a solution for her that worked for everyone.