Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[SimpleJenn]

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

We're hardworkin simple folk out here. If they want to pursue that sort of thing I won't stop them though.

 

[rural mouse]

My daughter was saying the same thing! She wants to name one Rayquaza.
My favorite pokemon is Wooper, which would be really fun for a chicken! Hubby's is Blastoise.
My cousin has a rooster named Piplup!
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Squatch has a baby under her already

If you're going with Pokémon characters, I suggest blue or black characters

 

[rural mouse]

I’m spending time with my rooster
Mr Wyandottey:View attachment 4059260

He has turnd out sooooooo handsome!

 

[SimpleJenn]

If you're going with Pokémon characters, I suggest blue or black characters

It's between that or names of blue. Like Navy, Delft, Prussian, that sort of thing

 

[ILoveDaffy]

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

1) Pallets (make sure they indicate heat treated)
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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!

Extremely helpful! Thank you! I would do a pallet coop, but pallets are nearly impossible to get in my area. Everyone has some, and everyone is using them. I will definitely check the 'Oops' section at Lowe's. I did hear that you can get rolls of leftover linoleum, so I will be looking for that for the coop anyway.

 

[rural mouse]

It's between that or names of blue. Like Navy, Delft, Prussian, that sort of thing

Periwinkle, cobalt, pthalo, button (bachelor button flowers), lupine, spruce, bonnet, sky, midnight....

 

[Grandma The Chicken]

Hello, everyone. I came on here before going to bed to tell you all something that happened with the chickens today since I have no new photos. So, I went to give the chickens dried mealworms and what do I encounter? A very hungry Parmesan. I'm stroking Grandma since she was sitting in the coop and I wanted her to come eat, but oh that Parmesan just won't resist. A simple "get out of here!" won't stop her. Of course, I fed the four of them and now I hope they are sound asleep.

 

[Sylvester017]

It’s more the wing and tail feathers that have me worried.

He is so darn cute. Straight run bantams are a 50/50 male/female ratio ~ but think on the positive ~ it's better than 100% males, right?

 

[rural mouse]

2fers:

Tuff and Hetty

Cheetah and Lark

 

[Sylvester017]

My dad has a friend who works at the gas station he goes to daily for his cigs. When we told her we got chicks this past summer, she supplied us with a ton of egg cartons, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes. She's such a sweetheart. We've given her a dozen eggs and will continue to share with her

Well apparently the other day she went to an Amish market, and she bought this for us

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I thought I've seen them all but that's a new one for me

My friend who passed last month was an arts & crafts person & she made a sign years ago with a hen eating out of a bowl that said "Life is just a bowl of cherries" ~ the sign has since faded but I always loved it for that personal touch. I can't find the closeup pic when I need it, darn!