Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[SimpleJenn]

You understand, roos need love too!

Of course! Remember how much love my boys got before the sickness? I would always offer them treats first, and if I needed to handle them they got wattle and crop rubs

 

[Marie2020]

That is comforting news. Pups hang on every word of their human & so wonderful for both young'uns to develop training together I look forward to progress reports (or pics ).

X 2. Can't wait

 

[Marie2020]

This is the weather I've been hoping for.
View attachment 4070309
Grandma has been enjoying the weather today.
View attachment 4070311
And the rest of this week is looking good too.
View attachment 4070312

Grandma is looking good to

 

[Sylvester017]

Wait! In a month or so, it will turn blue.

Not if it's kept in the freezer!

Frzr tx
Another Blue Breda + Cuckoo Breda inside run

 

[Sylvester017]

View attachment 4069969
I wish my phone camera could pick up the craters on the moon... But I like the atmosphere of this pic I got last night.

A twofer for Tuesday!
View attachment 4069972

View attachment 4069976
Esme growled at Magrat earlier. Never heard that before.

View attachment 4069981
View attachment 4069986
Magrat's tail is so long!

View attachment 4069988
Can I help you...?

Pretty winter night sky pic.

Growling? They're just going stir-crazy. Put up some toys...a chicken swing, a mirror, a sturdy bell, a hanging cabbage or veggies to peck at, etc. I've seen toy xylophones in some people's runs...I guess whatever keeps them busy? Some of this stuff can be DIY. We have a mirror for a sick bird cage & they love looking at themself. They lick the mirror so it has to be cleaned once a week

 

[Sylvester017]

The breeder I got my eggs from has expressed interest in that Polish rooster. He is going to try to get the owner to meet him halfway. If he does, he says he'll give me some eggs as thank you for setting him up. Now to wait and see if he can get him!

View attachment 4070008
Kiddo is playing dino hide and seek with the chicks. They are very interested in this game.

She's a natural....& who is entertaining who?

 

[SimpleJenn]

We got a toy set for our chicks, we were able to put everything but the ladder in the brooder.

 

[Sylvester017]

Okay, I'm planning on getting the boy for now. Tomorrow early afternoon. Plan is to hold him for breeder buddy until we can arrange meeting up in the middle of the state (hmm, does this sound familiar to anyone?)

You're a true chickeneer!

 

[Sylvester017]

2fer.....uniquely different looks for 4 different birdsView attachment 4070186left to right: Mera, Violet, Daisy, Whiskey

I gotta ask....how'd he get named Whiskey?

 

[rural mouse]

I will ask tomorrow. The little coop has a big ventilation area above the nest box, but I was checking yesterday inside and didn't feel any drafts above the roost bar. Plus the nest box is very cozy if he prefers to sleep there.
I will have to go out and play with him so he doesn't get too lonely. Internet says the chicks need to be at least 10 weeks old before they can be introduced to him, does that sound accurate?

Depends upon the roo. In feral chickens, when the hen abandons the chicks, the roo takes over. In a free-range natural flock, there are 3-5 hens per roo, a senior roo with the senior hens and at least 1 junior roo who does the escort to safe nest sites and tries to get the junior hens. When mama says she's done with the babies, she goes off by herself and the roo (who the babies know from mama introducing to the flock) does all the tidbitting sort of stuff around all the babies who then start following the roo around. A hormonal idiot (6-18months) may act the same way towards the babies, but he may not also. He may act that way toward pullets and not cockerels as they're not his offspring. He may go after all the offspring as they're not HIS.

My first birds were a gift from my in-laws. Over the winter, we lost 2, getting us down to Buster and Silver, both barely a year old. He pestered her incessantly, causing us to separate them: her in the garage and released in the morning, him in the coop and released in the afternoon. I got babies, fenced a part of the garage and raised them in there with Silver loose and not broody. Knew nothing beyond what people locally told me. Babies started getting releasesd with Silver under supervision and at about 6 weeks, all were put back in the coop. Buster took over (and pestered Silver). By sheer accident, we did that the way the birds did naturally. When we lost Buster and most of the pullets to foxes, we got more chicks. That's when I found BYC. Shadrach's article "Understanding Your Rooster" really clicked for me after that.