Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

I’m spending time with my rooster
Mr Wyandottey:

 

[featherhead007]

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Slowpoke is soooo cute
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Yeti is learning hands are fun

And we don't have names for these four yet
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I believe they are all Blue color, varying shades right now and two look nearly black. Then there's slowpoke who almost looks lavender. Hopefully they're all different shades or markings as adults!

You said “blue collar”. How do you know what type of careers they are going to have? Maybe they will have white collar jobs? Maybe

 

[bgmathteach]

I will have it be big enough for 12 for ease of building and measurements. No larger though. 12 is plenty. It allows for one more after the order, and is even, so measurements will be significantly easier than if I sized for eleven. I will shop the restore for ways to cheapen the cost. The breeds chosen will pay us back in eggs quite well, and part of the whole point was to share eggs with friends and neighbors, so that's a plus of the extras. I would love to hear any tips and tricks for building or cost reducing anyone may have.

So, probably these have already been mentioned (I am so far behind!)

1) Pallets (make sure they indicate heat treated)

They are especially good if you can get the long ones (6 footers) with NO cut-outs for the fork lift bars.

2) If you are cutting down trees (I think you said one was growig through the deck and would be removed), the trunks and/or branches can make great roosts, and a long trunk/trunk segments can act as post(s) for the run.

3) If there are any buildings in your town/nearby that are having major renovations and/or being demolished - ASK - doors, windows, maybe some decent reusable lumber, and railings make wonderful roosts (usually flat on the bottom, so easy for mounting, but curved on the top so mimics a branch. Sometimes decent plywood for coop floor or roof - do be picky though, and not take something sketchy just because it is free!

4) Restore or something similar is a great way to get things at a reduced price - as you mentioned. I often found screws, hinges, etc at mine before they closed!


5) Check on things like Craig's list, neighbors, etc to see if people are getting rid of things inexpensively or free. Just make sure it isn't a long ways away - I have found condition of things vary greatly - some things offered for free were way to rotted to be used. Other things (such as a cedar fence) was very usable - just needed to cut off the bottom 6 inches or so, the rest was in very decent shape.

6) If you have a dump/transfer station near you that has a 'free' shed where people can leave things that are in good condition - you can sometimes find good things there. I found 2 brand new sheets of plywood once, where the corners (1 corner each) was broken - I only needed them to be 6' long, so I had that plus most of the remaining 2' to use for nest boxes & such!! Woo-hoo!!

7). My last suggestion - and a last resort: if you have a lumbar yard or big box store like Home Depot or Lowes near you - they often have a small area where 'oopsies' or broken boards are put. sometimes it is just a crack on the end, or sometimes a board is split in half - but the 2 halves are in good shape - my local Home depot has an area like this - with things marked 75% off. Very hit or miss, and some things aren't even worth that to me due to the damage, but others I feel like I hit the jackpot.

Hope this helps!

 

[featherhead007]

Important to note:
Don’t leave chocolate out in your houses.
I had a bag of Hershey kisses and they somehow got eaten. I’m the only one here. I was hearing noises at night, and I thought it was the cats running around.
NO, it’s the mice

 

[Ponypoor]

Just love the chickens on Mount Poopmore!

They have been out there every day since! Yesterday and today after work I had them out there - they are very happy to see something other than the barn I am sure!

But of course after tomorrow all this lovely mild weather will come to an end and second winter will strike back with a vengeance - Saturday over night will be down around -20C, and snow storms Friday and Saturday.

This has been a terrible winter, haven’t had such a bad winter since 2013. But at least it isn’t as cold as that winter, that year it was truly brutally cold, so small mercies.

Soon though the snow will melt and the chooks will be able to get out and dust bathe again

 

[Ponypoor]

Important to note:
Don’t leave chocolate out in your houses.
I had a bag of Hershey kisses and they somehow got eaten. I’m the only one here. I was hearing noises at night, and I thought it was the cats running around.
NO, it’s the mice

Ewww!

I’ll lone you Ruth, she caught and killed a mouse yesterday when I got home.

I did take it from her though, I was worried about parasites.

 

[Ponypoor]

Shirley is such a handsome boy, he just doesn't want snow ruining his beauty

Today he went out on Poopmore - the snow had melted and the path was all poops and straw, plus it was nice and mild. He sure is a big boy! Massive really.

 

[Ponypoor]

Too adorable! Whatever do they find up there?! Laverne even joined the fun

I have no idea, likely bugs hiding there over the winter, bits of grain in the poop, poop itself… but they have fun doing it!

 

[Ponypoor]

Two for Tuesday

Two dumplings

Two very bad roosters fighting - had to break it up twice.

Mr P has been fighting with all three of the young boys. Clyde has some really serious ninja moves!

Guess I will have to put up a separate run outside now.

And a re-post of P and Topsy

 

[Ponypoor]

Good night all I leave you with Clyde the Brave, ninja fighter

I see pony Lulu has ripped her bucket off the wall. Water everywhere I bet. Sheesh!

She is still extremely lame and her pain meds just are not working well for her. I am tempted to give her some of my pain meds. May do that.