Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[SimpleJenn]

I know right!

Gosh how easy it would be

Tempting!!! Leghorns are already crossed to polish to help develop new colors, like the black tailed red projects.

 

[Ponypoor]

Is Georgie still broody?

Hush you !!!!!

 

[BY Bob]

You wait, I will sneak some of my blue silkie crosses to Bob...just you wait and see...

I can't be responsible for what Aurora might do......

 

[featherhead007]

Internet access is limited today.

 

[featherhead007]

 

[Ponypoor]

Lots of trees or low bushy places to hide & no open aerial hawk space...that's why we crowded the chicken area w/ trees, popup canopies, patio roofs, recycled doghouses or makeshift huts, lawn furniture & tables, many makeshift bench/lean-to's, anything scattered around in open spaces so the hens didn't have to go far to a hiding spot. The trees & canopies & patio roofs are great to interfere w/ hawk aerial space. We took no chances at making it easy for Cooper's to have swooping aerial space on a running chicken especially since we aren't zoned for a protective flock rooster.

Even in the old days before our yard remodel we made the yard un-appealing to aerial predators!
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We have sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawk. Both are arboreal hunters; they are highly skilled at flying through dense trees to attack and kill prey. I have seen them fly through my fir trees here and kill a Mourning Dove! It was soooooooo fast

And one day I was sitting on my lawnchair on Mount Poopmore having a tea watching the chooks in the horse paddock when as fast as can be a hawk zoomed in and swooped at Buttercup! She ducked I screamed and the hawk like lightning turned sideways and took off!!! It didn’t even flap its wings! Holy Dinah! It was soooo swift just zoooom gone!

Buttercup looked around and by then I was running down the manure pile screaming ‘run for the hills’ and they all ran into the barn. Sooo close, I don’t think it saw me in the chair on the pile, I was on the opposite side as it swooped in. But when I screamed it saw me and flew away - or rather swooped away!!!

My adrenaline was pretty high at that point! I am sure that’s how BY Bob must have felt when the hawk attacked when he was in his pool!

 

[Ponypoor]

He did not. Neither did Ric Flair. My only crow-er was the Sebright, Trickster.

Awwww sweet little naughty bantams - they are adorable but early developers.

I really loved that wee fella he was very handsome

 

[Ponypoor]

Hawk Tax......Satan
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Look at those talons!!!!! And their toes are like ratchets, they can lock them in place so prey canny escape

Edit: canny???? I sound rather Scottish there

 

[ValerieJ]

We have sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawk. Both are arboreal hunters; they are highly skilled at flying through dense trees to attack and kill prey. I have seen them fly through my fir trees here and kill a Mourning Dove! It was soooooooo fast

And one day I was sitting on my lawnchair on Mount Poopmore having a tea watching the chooks in the horse paddock when as fast as can be a hawk zoomed in and swooped at Buttercup! She ducked I screamed and the hawk like lightning turned sideways and took off!!! It didn’t even flap its wings! Holy Dinah! It was soooo swift just zoooom gone!

Buttercup looked around and by then I was running down the manure pile screaming ‘run for the hills’ and they all ran into the barn. Sooo close, I don’t think it saw me in the chair on the pile, I was on the opposite side as it swooped in. But when I screamed it saw me and flew away - or rather swooped away!!!

My adrenaline was pretty high at that point! I am sure that’s how BY Bob must have felt when the hawk attacked when he was in his poo

That was terrifying to read!!!

 

[ValerieJ]

The chicks are coming out into the open air part of the coop a little more each day. And look at Sweet Sue leading the way! In fact, that's Bossy still in the doorway.