Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

The eight larger chicks are being raised by a broody hen. Indigo, one of my blue-laced Wyandottes, agreed to adopt them. But it wasn’t immediate. When I got the first batch of chicks, I temporarily set them up in a tub. I put her in my “mini hospital/brooder coop”, and waited until late that night for everyone to be asleep. She had been broody for almost three weeks. So I took the babies and tucked them under her in the middle of the night, then nervously checked on them a few times. She still had them under her until the next morning, when I found several of them huddled in a corner. Tried several more times to put them under her, but she kept pecking at them. So back in the tote they went, and put her back in her nest box.

Henrietta, another Wyandotte,
was also broody. So decided to try her the next night. Same basic result. Was still trying to see if she would accept them the next morning, when we let the other chickens out of the big coop. Lo and behold, Indigo and charging out to the little coop, tut tutting and trying to get in. I figured what the heck and put her inside the top. She went straight over to the babies and gathered them under her. So I let Henrietta back out. Indigo has been a great mom since that rocky start. Here are several pics.
View attachment 4110831

View attachment 4110836

View attachment 4110821

Haven’t let her and the littles out when the other bigs are around. But the bigs have been around the little coop, some have even laid next to it. And have let Indigo and the babies out several times with the bigs put up, or with the gate closed between them. The babies can get through the gate, so have stayed close. They have gotten close to it a few times but mama has been able to call them back.

Dust bathing lesson, lol.
View attachment 4110842

Here are some more pictures, especially of the mystery breeds and the silkies that I am unsure of colors.

Mystery grey chick, “Pearl”. Splash something? Legs seem to be turning gray or green. I can’t remember what breeds TSC was supposed to have they say that would be that color. I think it was blue Jersey Giants and Wyandottes, or maybe Sapphire something.
View attachment 4110839

View attachment 4110819

View attachment 4110818

View attachment 4110813

Yellow bantam, possible Porcelain D’uccle?
I have named her Angel because her wings look like Angel wings. We almost lost her, the other bantams were bigger and I think they kept knocking her away from the food. She could barely keep her eyes open and her wings were dragging.
View attachment 4110824

View attachment 4110828

So once I got the second batch of bantams the next week I kept her and the smallest one separate for another week. They lived in a tote in my shower for some special care, including a daily serving of Kaytee Exact hand feeding formula laced with a few drops of NutriDrench. Now she is a little spitfire, who is determined fly out of the brooder. Her wings are still bigger than she is, but she is catching up.
View attachment 4110844

Mystery bantams, no clue what these two are. I have been calling them Thing 1 and Thing 2. lol
View attachment 4110826

View attachment 4110825

View attachment 4110837

Another mystery bantam. This is the tiniest of them all, who was Angel’s companion. Really pretty.
View attachment 4110822

View attachment 4110835

Here are the “yellow”silkies. Would really appreciate any thoughts y’all have on what their adult color might be.
First one, who is more of a bluish/greenish pale yellow.
Second one, with some orange on top of head and around neck.
Third one, who has a lot more orange all over.
View attachment 4110823

Lucky ducky
View attachment 4110830

View attachment 4110838

View attachment 4110811

View attachment 4110840

And all the ducks.
View attachment 4110827

View attachment 4110841

Will try to send more photos within the next few days. Including updated ones of the silkies.

Wow! That's a bunch. Lovely new additions. I just love a Wyandotte. Beautiful ladies and to see one as a mum is a real treat.

 

[BY Bob]

View attachment 4110982
Excuse my face, Yeti was eating my finger on my other hand.
Red found a way to keep away from the boys this morning.

Kiddo has named her chicks
View attachment 4110983
Diva the leghorn. Kiddo didn't like the name "boy insurance" haha
View attachment 4110984
Dream the legbar

Love those names. Nothing like a chicken on your head!

 

[BY Bob]

Not nearly as windy today here as it was yesterday. It's cooler though. Yesterday it was 75⁰F when I woke up at 7AM... Today it was 35⁰F. It's warming up though! The girls loooove their outside time and who am I to not let them have it?

Magrat got down when I asked*
View attachment 4111116
View attachment 4111117
View attachment 4111118
*she didn't hear me the first 5 times, of course

Progress! We're working on the chicken access door now...
View attachment 4111119

View attachment 4111123
"Umm, there's a problem! I seem to be stuck!"
View attachment 4111126


We'll put the garden netting over the top soon, and get the shelter and a roost in too. Nearly done!

This is so exciting! It's coming together very nicely.

 

[BY Bob]

Everyone, I have some really really sad news. This doesn't explain why I was gone for a few days, this literally happened today. This is hard to believe and I'm not lying but Grandma has left us. She might've had breathing problems but I'm not so sure. I just came home and my mom showed me where Grandma was. I thought she was hiding in a new spot from the sun, but no. She told me Grandma died. She didn't make it to May. My heart feels heavy and I feel sick to my stomach. I was really hoping she'll make it to her 10th birthday, but no. I'll never have another chicken like her. Good bye, Grandma. I don't think I'll ever get over this. Here are the last few pictures of her. Yesterday, we got new baby chicks and they are starting to annoy me now that Grandma is gone.
View attachment 4111214
View attachment 4111215

I'm so very sorry. She was a special hen and an FBA legend. Fly high Grandma. You will be dearly missed.

 

[Sylvester017]

Ugh. I shook myself out of my laziness and did some work in the yard. Mainly around improving the chicken environment.
The result of this? I have blood running down my arms (mine not chicken blood) and I am covered in ticks.


Yard hazard tax: tick hunters
View attachment 4111379

Ooooo...that doesn't sound pleasant! Do ticks bother the chickens?

 

[Sylvester017]

I got a new pair of "house shoes" today. Skechers "hands free" slip ons. I have a pair of house shoes, but I have to straighten the thing behind the heel every time I put them on. These hands free shoes were designed for just my issue!

Oh, and I had to buy men's size 10. Yeah, I have BIG feet!

I bought men's shoes for years. Way more comfortable than women's flimsy construction until I discovered slip-on nurse's shoes w/ the slightly raised heel lip so they hug the foot w/o slipping off when walking. They come in all colors & even patterned ones. & the innersole pulls out to wash clean. I have several colors. Great style w/a leather look I can wear to go shopping right after walking out of the chicken yard.

Because they look like leather but are made of water-resistant surface I don't care any more if the chickens wipe their dirty beaks on my shoes. I believe @Ponypoor has the same style in a rubber material when she sits outdoors w/her flock.

 

[BY Bob]

Ugh. I shook myself out of my laziness and did some work in the yard. Mainly around improving the chicken environment.
The result of this? I have blood running down my arms (mine not chicken blood) and I am covered in ticks.


Yard hazard tax: tick hunters
View attachment 4111379

I told you to sit still and watch them. Work was unnecessary today.

 

[Sylvester017]

My co-worker called to check on me and give me a current chick update.

9 have hatched so far. 5 blue, 4 black and one crazy looking black and red chick. Yup, that is a partridge chick. The remaining 6 eggs are rocking and rolling and have at least internally pipped so crossing fingers for her.

Now...I need to go have a conversation with my eggs. You all want to hatch out blue, it is very possible little ones. Lots and lots of blue chicks please.

She might negotiate a trade w/you if she has that many blue chicks

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you all for the messages. I'm trying to stop crying but it's hard when I've had something memorable for so long. I have throbbing headache and slightly nauseous from crying too much. I'll continue to read messages but I might not respond until tomorrow. Once again, thank you all.

Give yourself time to grieve. It's good to cry.

 

[Sylvester017]

Angel really does have the lavender color going. What a darling!

I'd like to see more pics of the laced birds. If I recall Sebrights correctly, they're "hen feathered" meaning they don't get the pointy hackle and saddle feathers nor the larger tail feathers of other breeds roos. (If I'm NOT recalling correctly, then it's a different bantam breed that does that).

Irritating the feed store told you that they had silkies....unless they sold most between the call and your arrival.

Irritating that not every feed store's hired employees are chick or feed experts !

We ask for the manager/owner to come to the phone before we make the long trip to our feed stores.

There's been such a customer run on chicks our feed store put in a huge chick stacker rather than small chick bins.