Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

CATURDAY ~ sneaking a peek at Thanksgiving table preparations ~ 2019
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Sneak attack on the turkey

 

[ChaosMom]

Thank you - he is a handsome boy. The lady who came and picked up Sir Surely wanted me to let her know first if I ever wanted to rehome him Seems like everyone is smitten with him and Mrs LC.

He is a saucy boy but he still enjoys a snuggle when it’s cold or if he is tired. Same with Clyde the Brave. My two boys will stay, even if they fight with Mr P. At least they are ok with the ladies.

Speaking of Sir Surely, he is doing well, and today his new Hoomans went and picked up 3 Silver Laced Wyandotte for his harem! I am very jealous! Wish I had the chance to get some from Hoovers when I did, never thought they would go out of business.

Oh well - one day!

Wait, what??? Hoovers went out of business? When did that happen?

Did they just get tired of all the calls about “pullets” being cockerels and breeds being completely wrong?

 

[Sylvester017]

Been super busy here, lots of chicken stuff but several other things. Am trying to catch up with the thread now.

Another attempt at aviary netting. Hair-brained?
Huge project. The netting got a lot more wrecked last year than I had realized in the winter disaster and I had to repair at least a few dozen holes as I went along. Very slow-going. Also, this is a new area off the coop & runs and I wanted to incorporate some small trees and go right over the big rhododendron bush. Big trees in the back made a handy semi-circle defining the enclosure.
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Picture from our second story (that's a power line and old phone line to the house running right across the view).

I've got monofilament wire strung around in the woods back to the strong wooden parts of the runs, in a big "U". New 1 inch aviary netting for the side walls which works better for newbie chicks and pullets, though it is heavy, and old 2 inch netting for the top.

Almost nothing is directly tied to the wire coop runs, to save them in case of another disaster. The greenhouse frames are gone as supports; the surviving ones are just for summer tarps and windbreaks. Instead I'm trying wooden tripods of 2x2's, which being lashed together are easily moveable and collapsible. I've had one for years holding the power and fencer line (the grey one).

Cement blocks hitch-lined from the very tops have worked so far in keeping them in place when heavy winds blow and try to push the top netting off and tripods over (ask me how I know).

The idea here is to have easily removable support for when an early or late snowstorm comes. The netting is much wider than the area covered, so without the supports a lot of it lies on the ground in the middle. Hopefully if laden with snow it will just stretch a little and lie on the ground. Got that idea from someone on BYC here with aviary netting who does this with a big center pole they lay down for snowstorms, just keeping the surrounding fencing attachments. I fold/ loop the excess middle netting over the tops of the tripods so I can move under it.
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I just got a couple more cement blocks to tie down the back tripods.

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Above here's a view through the inch netting, and below, the gang checking out under the rhododendron. This was last week before the rains. Everything has since really greened up.
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Me resting in the rhododendron shade. Preening party for company.
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Annie's Toe Update
Annie's toe is crooked and loose at the joint, it is definitely broken, but seems to not be a problem. I didn't bandage or splint it after three attempts that didn't last. The swelling went quickly down, within days, and no redness & no limping. It doesn't look right but she runs and walks normally.

Here she is today sunbathing in the warmth of the coop panel and a little bit of sunlight.
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She's next to Hazel, also taking a short rest.
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I've been leaving the panels on a schedule with a wireless plug and app, and with the cold mornings they do use it. Hazel likes it a lot. I've noticed she also goes back into the coop and into a nest box for a short while on cold mornings. Today Tedi wanted to lay and was kind of hesitant about where to go as Hazel was in the "preferred" box. Hazel and others do hang by the panels otherwise.

Diane Ida-Biter Update
Diane has been an interesting study and I've been working with her. She's actually very tame and compliant once I have her picked up and in my arms and she doesnt really fight me getting picked up. She lets me look at her feet, check under her feathers, etc.

I think the pure CBD oil does mellow her. I've tried doses of around 12.5 mg in a piece of bread, and I'd say for a few hours she displays less intense keening sounds and does a little of her posturing around me but doesn't act on it with the intensity she otherwise would, or she chooses not to act. I've tried CBD gummies with her too, cut to the same dosage and into a couple small pieces dusted with cornmeal, and these are easier to give her. In New York one can grow a few plants so I am going to try growing high-CBD ones. I have no idea if she'll eat the greens but she does take small pieces of the chopped hemp bedding, they all do.

I've taken advantage of these more mellow CBD hours by hanging with her and the others especially at that time, on the ground or a low seat, letting them all explore and peck around. Tedi and Annie both want lap and armpit time, Hazel settles on the litter near us and usually Diane hangs close. She might normally look for a fight and opportunities to bite hands, but is less inclined to with the CBD, so I pick her up if she's real close. She growls and may try to nip my hands as they go under her, but she really doesn't fight it, and might take a short lap nap with her crop all snuggled against my arm. She stays there quite a while. I'm hoping these peaceful times are a sort of training for her and also a respite for her in interacting with me.

Here she is helping Hazel look her best
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Below- the whole gang preening, left to right: Annie, Diane, Hazel, & Tedi
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French Drain & Run Pavers Update: Working Great!!
With all the days of steady rains, drizzle, etc., I can report that though the area around the chickens has been absolutely soaked and puddling, the ditch & stones drain around the roofed run and the pavers elevating the floor of both runs have been working brilliantly! Only the actual rain and dripping from the roof have made the run edges wet in places. Nothing wet from below. Yay!

What a lovely field for them to play. Making it hard for predators to get thru barriers is a must & you put a lot of work into it. I can't imagine how you folks w/snow manage to keep chickens

Good news that the CBD helped. It's nice that you've got better temps now to spend time w/the girls .

 

[Ponypoor]

Wait, what??? Hoovers went out of business? When did that happen?

Did they just get tired of all the calls about “pullets” being cockerels and breeds being completely wrong?

Well to be fair I only had one ooops it’s a boy chick.

No, they couldn’t compete with Princess Auto and Canadian Tire I guess. I saw the writing on the wall last summer, I was having a terrible time getting poultry feed, my gals really liked the Hi-Pro 17% layer pellets. But it was always on back order or something or other. Then over Christmas they had nothing! And no horse feed (which I also had issues getting), oh I knew then they were going to go to creditors. And they did way back in February.

I just wish that Hoovers could send chicks to other feed dealers here but I guess they can’t - they would need a guaranteed number of sales to send up here and without a firm like Peavey doing bulk order it just won’t happen.

Oh how I wish I had ordered some Wyandottes and Brahma now.

Oh well…..

Of course there is always my neighbour up the road who has 1 and 2 week old silver laced Polish and Hmong also!

 

[ChaosMom]

Well to be fair I only had one ooops it’s a boy chick.

No, they couldn’t compete with Princess Auto and Canadian Tire I guess. I saw the writing on the wall last summer, I was having a terrible time getting poultry feed, my gals really liked the Hi-Pro 17% layer pellets. But it was always on back order or something or other. Then over Christmas they had nothing! And no horse feed (which I also had issues getting), oh I knew then they were going to go to creditors. And they did way back in February.

I just wish that Hoovers could send chicks to other feed dealers here but I guess they can’t - they would need a guaranteed number of sales to send up here and without a firm like Peavey doing bulk order it just won’t happen.

Oh how I wish I had ordered some Wyandottes and Brahma now.

Oh well…..

Of course there is always my neighbour up the road who has 1 and 2 week old silver laced Polish and Hmong also!

Hoovers Hatchery sold horse feed? (and chicken feed?) Or is this a Canadian store chain?

I am so confused.

 

[Sylvester017]

Well to be fair I only had one ooops it’s a boy chick.

No, they couldn’t compete with Princess Auto and Canadian Tire I guess. I saw the writing on the wall last summer, I was having a terrible time getting poultry feed, my gals really liked the Hi-Pro 17% layer pellets. But it was always on back order or something or other. Then over Christmas they had nothing! And no horse feed (which I also had issues getting), oh I knew then they were going to go to creditors. And they did way back in February.

I just wish that Hoovers could send chicks to other feed dealers here but I guess they can’t - they would need a guaranteed number of sales to send up here and without a firm like Peavey doing bulk order it just won’t happen.

Oh how I wish I had ordered some Wyandottes and Brahma now.

Oh well…..

Of course there is always my neighbour up the road who has 1 and 2 week old silver laced Polish and Hmong also!

Hmong? A new breed?

 

[Sally PB]

"We apologize for the inconvenience, we currently do not have availability to accept new orders for the 2025 season. We will be shipping all orders that are placed.
We encourage you to visit one of our trusted farm store partners in your area for your poultry needs. Thank you for your understanding and support!"

The above is from the Hoover's Hatchery in Iowa.

 

[Ponypoor]

Hoovers Hatchery sold horse feed? (and chicken feed?) Or is this a Canadian store chain?

I am so confused.

Peavey Mart - sold livestock feed. And shipped chicks up from Hoovers Hatchery to sell, you could also order specific breeds (like light Brahma). They were generally a farm and hardware store.

Peavey is now out of business likely due to competition from Princess Auto and Canadian tire with regards to hardware etc. they just couldn’t sell products at the prices one could get at C Tire and P Auto.

But their chick sales were really good business. Too bad C Tire doesn’t sell chicks

 

[Ponypoor]

"We apologize for the inconvenience, we currently do not have availability to accept new orders for the 2025 season. We will be shipping all orders that are placed.
We encourage you to visit one of our trusted farm store partners in your area for your poultry needs. Thank you for your understanding and support!"

The above is from the Hoover's Hatchery in Iowa.

Same here with Freys Hatchery! Nothing on order for specialty breeds till August at least.

Regular layers and meat chicks though are available.

Just as well nothing is available- less of an enticement for me!!!

 

[ChaosMom]

Peavey Mart - sold livestock feed. And shipped chicks up from Hoovers Hatchery to sell, you could also order specific breeds (like light Brahma). They were generally a farm and hardware store.

Peavey is now out of business likely due to competition from Princess Auto and Canadian tire with regards to hardware etc. they just couldn’t sell products at the prices one could get at C Tire and P Auto.

But their chick sales were really good business. Too bad C Tire doesn’t sell chicks

Whew, thank you. I was really lost.