Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

It’s a sunny start to the day, yesterday I made a special purchase, which I will post about later on

For a Pony Sunday morning here are some BFTP photos.

Truly as a foal, she will be 23yrs old on the 26th of May. Her mama is Dinarah.

View attachment 4114119

Malaka, June 2004, Kentucky Horse Park
View attachment 4114123

Awwww...she is such a cute little filly!

 

[bgmathteach]

So what eggs did you let her have? Can’t wait to see her babies

A mix of ones from her 'sisters.' I removed a small one from under her, left the others and added 2, ones from my welsummers. Her usual nest got 'occupado' when she was thrown off the nest by me, and it was a girl she is below and couldn't evict, so she hopped in the next-door nest which already had some eggs in it - laid that morning. We will see what happens - she brooded 2 years ago and was a good mom - but she never went brody last year.

Good news is she just bought herself a permanent place in my flock if she hatches again. (Instead of going to freezer camp this fall.).

I didn't tell you all, did I, that I have 17 littles? I can't upload pics since the computer doesn't recognize the camera anymore - but I had ordered for March 12 heritage BRs and added 3 Welsummer pullets to round the order to 15 (the Welsummers were actually free - the three cost less than the extra shipping would have been for an order under 15!). They had a max. order of 5 Heritage BR pullets and 5 BR straight run...and I added 2 Heritage BR roos. They are now 7 weeks old - the Welsummers are fully feathered, the Heritage BRs still have a bit of the baby fuzz on the back of their heads/necks. The boys are becoming quite obvious with the lighter barring (more white in the stripes than the girls.). Of course, the two 'extra' chicks they sent were boys, too. I want to set up a breeding program with them - so need a min. of 6 girls and 3 boys - I was hoping for 8 girls and 4 boys so I could use some selection to keep the best 6 girls and best 3 boys for the breeding to keep genetic diversity....3 trios, boy A mates with Girls 'B', and boy B mates with Girls C, and boy C mates with Girls A. Young stay in Mom's group - this keeps some diversity. The goal isn't to become a breeder per say - it is just to be able to keep my own flock in perpetuity without having to 'buy in' new chicks all the time.

(Maybe once in a while for new genetics, but not on a regular basis.)


Anyways - the chicks are so cute - and I have been for the past week fencing off a portion of he run adjacent to their brooder coop so they are safely mingling with my adults. Soon, I will be releasing them without the protective fencing - but with a 'block' insert on their door so most adults can't get in and harrass them (if they. need an escape) nor devour their food. I do have 3 leghorns from the 'surprise/mixed' group I got last fall - and they are so slight that they will probably be able to get in - but not my other, fuller bodied girls.

 

[Ponypoor]

Pony Sunday

Someone is building a nest on the window ledge. Front row seat to babies!

 

[Ponypoor]

A mix of ones from her 'sisters.' I removed a small one from under her, left the others and added 2, ones from my welsummers. Her usual nest got 'occupado' when she was thrown off the nest by me, and it was a girl she is below and couldn't evict, so she hopped in the next-door nest which already had some eggs in it - laid that morning. We will see what happens - she brooded 2 years ago and was a good mom - but she never went brody last year.

Good news is she just bought herself a permanent place in my flock if she hatches again. (Instead of going to freezer camp this fall.).

I didn't tell you all, did I, that I have 17 littles? I can't upload pics since the computer doesn't recognize the camera anymore - but I had ordered for March 12 heritage BRs and added 3 Welsummer pullets to round the order to 15 (the Welsummers were actually free - the three cost less than the extra shipping would have been for an order under 15!). They had a max. order of 5 Heritage BR pullets and 5 BR straight run...and I added 2 Heritage BR roos. They are now 7 weeks old - the Welsummers are fully feathered, the Heritage BRs still have a bit of the baby fuzz on the back of their heads/necks. The boys are becoming quite obvious with the lighter barring (more white in the stripes than the girls.). Of course, the two 'extra' chicks they sent were boys, too. I want to set up a breeding program with them - so need a min. of 6 girls and 3 boys - I was hoping for 8 girls and 4 boys so I could use some selection to keep the best 6 girls and best 3 boys for the breeding to keep genetic diversity....3 trios, boy A mates with Girls 'B', and boy B mates with Girls C, and boy C mates with Girls A. Young stay in Mom's group - this keeps some diversity. The goal isn't to become a breeder per say - it is just to be able to keep my own flock in perpetuity without having to 'buy in' new chicks all the time.

(Maybe once in a while for new genetics, but not on a regular basis.)


Anyways - the chicks are so cute - and I have been for the past week fencing off a portion of he run adjacent to their brooder coop so they are safely mingling with my adults. Soon, I will be releasing them without the protective fencing - but with a 'block' insert on their door so most adults can't get in and harrass them (if they. need an escape) nor devour their food. I do have 3 leghorns from the 'surprise/mixed' group I got last fall - and they are so slight that they will probably be able to get in - but not my other, fuller bodied girls.

Awwww! More babies! Love it

 

[BY Bob]

A New Home

I think today is the day they move to the Cluckle Hut for the first time. It is going to thunderstorm off and on all day and they are just too big to stay inside all day. I have been out of town a lot over the last 2 weeks and the Hut is not ready but I will have to make it so. I don't know that I am ready to move them out there permanently. It is still quite chilly at night but that might also be me not wanting to give up the rides in and out each day.

Perhaps I will move the rabbit hutch to the yard by the garden and move them to grass each day for a while. Lots to consider but they have definitely out-grown the trunk.

Here they are. Notice the speckled chest on Niamh.

Nimue

Roosted together

Nimue remains significantly larger than Niamh. Nimue is calm and easily handled. Niamh is the opposite she is wild, can be frantic, and while Nimue will calmly sit on my arm, Niamh is prone to climb up onto my head. Niamh also had a lot more white mixed in than Nimue.

 

[BY Bob]

Sure thing, I will just wear Blu-Kote to church tomorrow morning

I would love to see that photo!

 

[BY Bob]

I am excited about it. Basically I am lashing branches together or staking them to the ground and then weaving them together at the top.
It is already a real shelter but I will get it much denser on top to provide a real hiding spot for them.

It's a brilliant idea.

 

[BY Bob]

Earthquake!
It was a small, gentle, rolling quake, but one none the less. What makes this different is that the chooks were awake. I saw four of them standing by the door, looking concerned but not having a big panic like the last quakes. Feliictas was sitting on the perch like she didn't care about anything. I don't recall ever having a quake when the chooks were awake, so it's been interesting to see just how little they care while awake.

That's fascinating. I just love how chickens learn and adapt.

 

[bgmathteach]

Pony Sunday

Someone is building a nest on the window ledge. Front row seat to babies!
View attachment 4114150

Maybe that will quench your thirst for littles???? At least until they fledge?

 

[bgmathteach]

A New Home

I think today is the day they move to the Cluckle Hut for the first time. It is going to thunderstorm off and on all day and they are just too big to stay inside all day. I have been out of town a lot over the last 2 weeks and the Hut is not ready but I will have to make it so. I don't know that I am ready to move them out there permanently. It is still quite chilly at night but that might also be me not wanting to give up the rides in and out each day.

Perhaps I will move the rabbit hutch to the yard by the garden and move them to grass each day for a while. Lots to consider but they have definitely out-grown the trunk.

Here they are. Notice the speckled chest on Niamh.
View attachment 4114164

Nimue
View attachment 4114165

Roosted together
View attachment 4114166

Nimue remains significantly larger than Niamh. Nimue is calm and easily handled. Niamh is the opposite she is wild, can be frantic, and while Nimue will calmly sit on my arm, Niamh is prone to climb up onto my head. Niamh also had a lot more white mixed in than Nimue.

Niamh also has a slightly wilder 'hairdo' to fit her personality - unlike Nimue's more elegantly/refinedly styled coif. Very fitting!

I do hope that she settles down a bit - it is no fun seeing them be frantic. That said - maybe you should change your name to 'Jim'......clearly Niamh thinks you are her jungle Gym/Jim!