Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

I have been so burnt out lately, all my property taxes due, dmv , and so many doctors appointments I said I’m taking a day off! Only one standing by me is a little girl from the yard. Tiny chicken

 

[Ponypoor]

Good advice.
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But were’s the cuppa tea?

 

[Ponypoor]

So are migrating geese... but we love hearing them honking high overhead .

Trumpeter swans are very noisy!!! When they fly over the chooks run for cover hahaha.

 

[Ponypoor]

No respect, no respect at all.

I thought she looked very stylish, really rocking that topknot! And she can see all the good treats before the others

 

[Ponypoor]

We bought in 2017. I'm still struggling with the garden. Old place, got stuff to grow with ease. Here....only stuff I can get to grow is the established prior. Anything I try planting stuggles the first year and doesn't come back or gets eaten by the deer. Same when I try moving or thinning something, even when it needs it to grow better. If it seeds itself, it grows like crazy.

On the other hand, hummingbirds didn't exist at the old place no matter how much I planted food/nesting sites, couldn't have animals (especially the chickens), was in a town and one of the kids was unlikely to have graduated high school let alone have gone on to pursue his dream (currently stationed in a country he's always wanted to see).

Also get to see cool things like the Sandhills and migrating geese with trumpeter swans mixed in (yes, saw that last year and so surprised that no pics). Saw a snowy owl on a walk at about 10-20 feet the first spring out here too.

I'll figure out the gardening eventually. Meanwhile, keep trying and ENJOY

Tax pics, from the last couple of years, either "I'm having fun, don't bug me" or "I'm focused on more important stuff so take that thing (camera) away"

View attachment 4128501breakfast

View attachment 4128502playtime, feet are fun to catch

View attachment 4128503extra goodies, hurry before the rest show up

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View attachment 4128505go away

View attachment 4128506what's this?

I love those last two photos.

 

[Ponypoor]

So embarrassing. Poor fellow.

Awwww - but he could see! For like 5 minutes until the elastic slipped off - oh well….

I am so hoping his topknot grows in soon, it’s sad seeing him half bald. Not that he cares! He is having a great time running around after the girls and not running into things!

 

[Ponypoor]

Your property is perfect for chickens. Even though they are tree perching birds at night chickens spend most all their time in the wild on the ground; therefore foliage, thick brush, tall weeds, potted plants, all offer them refuge from predators. It's the reason we planted so many bushy trees, put container plants around the patio, & made quick DIY lean-to benches, & doghouses around the yard for their mid-day snoozing. There's never a guarantee against predators but the foliage & low structures give the birds a feeling of comforting refuge.
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I love Trumpeter Swans... it was the reason I called my 1st Silkie "Trumpet" cuz he sounded like one
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As for planting gardens or veggies, sticking to the agricultural zone worked for me. I tried planting Russian & Hungarian cold zone plants & they did very poorly for me in our Zone 9 area. We had to enrich our soil w/ organic compost, vermiculite, wood ash, Azomite, organic plant food, chicken manure, even pulverized eggshells, to get anything to grow decently. The wild weeds & thorny roses did fine in hard untreated ground but good vegges needed pampered preparation. I love gardening cuz I learned so much from Mom on the farm. DH caught the chickeneering & gardening bug too... he planted all our vegges single-handedly this year since my broken arm put me out of commission for yardwork.

Love your pics.

My chooks are eyeing my beans that are starting to pop up -brats!

Thankfully it’s fenced off!

 

[knoturavggrl]

Made a few adjustments and added a few things.
New waterer, it has a hose where I can drain it at the bottom and they will surely not run out of water even when heat gets turned up this summer. It was the Silkies that figured out the waterer first, smart cookies!

New feeder, it holds 50 lbs of feed. So happy with this feeder.

The chickens like it too!

Fennel says hello

They all seem to be getting along very well, the calm before the hormones kick in. I am just gonna enjoy it.

I didn’t snap a pic but I did add a nice wide ramp up to the roost bar in the coop and I am attempting to lure them up there by leaving a trail of feed. They did go up at least, so there is hope they will start roost at night vs pile.

 

[Ponypoor]

Hi everyone.

I am behind. I think I need to go back to Sunday to play catchup. I will do that this evening after work.

I wanted to pop in and give a quick update.

I delivered my boss's 4 silkie chicks to her last night. The plan was originally for me to brood them for her. Over the weekend she got a very nice custom built chick brooder with a installed heat lamp. Very very nice and perfect for the 4 silkies. It is big enough to raise a dozen normal sized chicks for 5 to 6 weeks. These 4 silkies, they are set until it is time to go outside to the coop. I love that brooder, in fact I want one just like it. I have saw a couple like it for sale a few hours away. She had hers give to her. One of her employee's did some trading and he also took in that brooder and gave to her so she could raise her babies herself. I have her on the lookout for one just like it for me. If we find one I am taking the day off and we are going on a road trip to pick it up. I have also came to the decision that I am going to allow her to have Turkey. She started laying 2 weeks ago. Her eggs are currently significantly smaller then the silkies but once they come up to size I will definitely have a hard time telling them apart. She is still wild and untamed. I have tried with that little devil. Betty tamed Karen and she is the sweetest hen now. I have a feeling if anyone can tame Turkey it will be her. I also saw her rooster, he is small, the same size as George so he will not be too big for her which was one of my worries about giving her to Betty.

After today I will have time to catch up and flood everyone with pictures. Mom works the next 2 days and we got wonderful news yesterday. We are closed Saturday and Monday for Memorial day. 5 day weekend for me. I am ready for it. I have stuff I need to do and one of those days me and Rosie are heading to the lake. I have not taken a day for myself to go fishing in almost 4 years. That changes this weekend. Chicken therapy is wonderful, the best really. I still need a day with my girl, the water and a fishing rod in my hand. It has been too long.

Gosh I hope you have a lovely time. Sounds idyllic.

 

[Ponypoor]

Made a few adjustments and added a few things.
New waterer, it has a hose where I can drain it at the bottom and they will surely not run out of water even when heat gets turned up this summer. It was the Silkies that figured out the waterer first, smart cookies!
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New feeder, it holds 50 lbs of feed. So happy with this feeder.
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The chickens like it too!
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Fennel says hello
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They all seem to be getting along very well, the calm before the hormones kick in. I am just gonna enjoy it.
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I didn’t snap a pic but I did add a nice wide ramp up to the roost bar in the coop and I am attempting to lure them up there by leaving a trail of feed. They did go up at least, so there is hope they will start roost at night vs pile.

Jolly has figured out how to get up onto the roosting ledge. I am sure they will all figure it out.