Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Marie2020]

I love those feathered feet! I really would love a Cuckoo Marans along with a dark Brahma.

Gonna need a bigger barn hahaha

I reckon a few blocks of flats is in order Kelly. No kidding

 

[Marie2020]

Isn't she lovely

 

[RoyalChick]

2fer

2 soggy birdsView attachment 4116634

An unusual pairView attachment 4116631

And a glorious morningView attachment 4116632

Wow! Gorgeous.

 

[Sylvester017]

KEIKO's crest feathers are forming & hope she doesn't attract any more feather grooming from the others!

April 22

May 6

Last year Sept

 

[Sylvester017]

View attachment 4116663
Isn't she lovely

Yes, she is

 

[featherhead007]

Good question...since I've never had a full-on adult roo of any kind but they all sure present themselves handsome in pictures

Intelligence is when a rooster knows when to crow and when not to crow. When to tidbit and when to hold food back.
When to stop fights and referee .

 

[Marie2020]

Intelligence is when a rooster knows when to crow and when not to crow. When to tidbit and when to hold food back.
When to stop fights and referee .

Intelligence is a darn dog knowing she's being watched on a baby camera.

I switched on and look what I saw

I'm laughing so much I'm going to wake everyone up at this rate

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Don’t take my word for this one, but I searched the Bible for answers to the question “will we see our departed pets in heaven again?” The synopsis was written that YES they will be there.
Sorry, maybe too much religious stuffView attachment 4115581

I am sorry you lost a little one. Please do not blame yourself. Accidents happen to everyone. Chickens are like horses, trying to find ways to kill themselves.

The religious stuff does not bother me. I hope our pets are waiting on us. I know there are some very special dogs, cats and chickens waiting on me. I miss them but I know until I get there Grandma is keeping them company.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Not to offend any Polish owners plz correct me if I'm wrong...it appears to me Polish are way too laid back to be a #1 flock roo & that other standard breeds are more assertive...I mean, even Branch, a Silkie roo(?), showed flock courage that I'm not seeing in sweet Polish roo's. Just thinking out loud again...

Or would you say Mr P is just an unusually laid back Polish roo? The way I'm reading about flock roo's they are all different as all birds are, but Mr P seems extremely mellow & unassertive as a roo or even just as a chicken. Polish roo's seem nice to chicks but other than happy Bert who has a smallish flock to lead I don't see Polish roo's as very assertive.

Or maybe Polish are similar to Silkies where they might have a tendency to mostly form their own Polish tribe away from other breeds the way Silkies seem to form their own tribe when in a mixed flock. Both Silkies & Polish have gentle temperaments & similarly will have vulnerable vaulted open skulls to protect which may be a reason they protect themselves w/ gentle temeraments to avoid altercations? In Europe, owners love their Polish so much they keep a "Polish only" flock who obviously get along well w/ each other as a same breed flock.

Birds are such cannibals & beat up sometimes to the death on weaker flockmates to ensure none of the flock members are weak against predators ~ flock mentality seems cruel but it's survival of the fittest !

(So, now, why did I agree to keeping chickens ?)

Open top Polish skull
View attachment 4115586

Open Silkie skull
View attachment 4115587

Domestic closed chicken skulls
View attachment 4115623

I do not have a full polish and have not had one....yet. So please take my observations on George with a grain of salt if you will.

George is 3/4 Polish and 1/2 silkie as a reminder. He also does not turn 1 year old until next month. He is very much still young and dumb so to speak.

I brooded and raised George myself with his silkie siblings. Early on he had guidance from Bubba. He then had some Guidance for a few more months under Randy Roo the stray game rooster who took up with me. I firmly stand by the thought that the best roosters are brought up under a older rooster, especially that first year if possible.

George had to take on the role of flock rooster young, I think around 7 months old. He has blossomed and is a wonderful rooster in that regard. He responds to the hens escort calls, he is gentle on the girls. He is protective of them and is not afraid to take on something much larger then himself if he feels there is danger. Remember, before he became flock leader he protected me. Well, he tried to anyway when he saw Russ as a threat. I will never forget the sight of him latching onto Russ's tail as we walked by him and Russ flicking his tail and sending him flying. I have a mixed flock, from tiny terrorist turkey to some very large Marans and mixes. His favorite girl is my Brahma Mrs. E. I will say George does not allow any of the hens to even attempt to pick at his head feathers, or his tail feathers. He will stand up for himself. There is one area where George is slightly untested. I do not know how he will do with chicks now that he is the flock leader. He was very good around Poppet and Turkey. He was not the only rooster then, he was also younger and still very much a baby himself at the time and Poppet was evil to everyone who looked at Turkey.

In saying all that, and having had silkies for a while now, I think George's temperament and personality comes from his silkie parentage. He may look pure polish, but, he has so many personality traits that Branch had and the rest of my silkies have.

 

[featherhead007]

I do not have a full polish and have not had one....yet. So please take my observations on George with a grain of salt if you will.

George is 3/4 Polish and 1/2 silkie as a reminder. He also does not turn 1 year old until next month. He is very much still young and dumb so to speak.
View attachment 4116707

I brooded and raised George myself with his silkie siblings. Early on he had guidance from Bubba. He then had some Guidance for a few more months under Randy Roo the stray game rooster who took up with me. I firmly stand by the thought that the best roosters are brought up under a older rooster, especially that first year if possible.

George had to take on the role of flock rooster young, I think around 7 months old. He has blossomed and is a wonderful rooster in that regard. He responds to the hens escort calls, he is gentle on the girls. He is protective of them and is not afraid to take on something much larger then himself if he feels there is danger. Remember, before he became flock leader he protected me. Well, he tried to anyway when he saw Russ as a threat. I will never forget the sight of him latching onto Russ's tail as we walked by him and Russ flicking his tail and sending him flying. I have a mixed flock, from tiny terrorist turkey to some very large Marans and mixes. His favorite girl is my Brahma Mrs. E. I will say George does not allow any of the hens to even attempt to pick at his head feathers, or his tail feathers. He will stand up for himself. There is one area where George is slightly untested. I do not know how he will do with chicks now that he is the flock leader. He was very good around Poppet and Turkey. He was not the only rooster then, he was also younger and still very much a baby himself at the time and Poppet was evil to everyone who looked at Turkey.

In saying all that, and having had silkies for a while now, I think George's temperament and personality comes from his silkie parentage. He may look pure polish, but, he has so many personality traits that Branch had and the rest of my silkies have.

You’re right about this