Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

The gang

 

[BY Bob]

Those breeds are all awesome. I always wanted a Scottish Fold, but they are prone to ear infections. American Curls are cool too.

This is Frogger, our suspected Maine Coone mix. She’s over 10 pounds and is actually very skinny. Big and has the longest tail I have ever seen on a cat. None of these pics do her tail justice.
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Cat tax - Cotton’s comb is at a jaunty angle. And not sure if it is a true walnut comb.
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Thanks for including tax. Great photos.

 

[BY Bob]

@BY Bob up to 15 chick from incubator. Currently 4 still in it (wet), 7 under Cardhu (mostly dark), and 4 under PITA (mostly blonde). #3 for her has 'Tude. Others all scrambled under her. 3 sat there looking up at her despite her urging it under. She was all head pulled back eyeing it while it sat there all "come on, Ma! I ain't tired yet!" when I grabbed the lantern to check (3 trips out, lantern sat out there, phone in house). Rest of babes all vanished under mothers' fluff.

This is awesome! Pictures of mom's and babies to come soon I hope.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Vet coming today. She ate a bunch of pellets from my hand, and then got her aspirin in yogurt.

 

[BY Bob]

I was tempted to put a couple at the barn, but figured the chooks would
Have it eaten in no time. They are as it is digging in the palms I potted up there. Oh it’s great fun for them - brats!!

Yes this banana will flower and fruit, but the fruit is very small and full of seeds. The plant needs about a yr and a half to grow before flowering. Yes it’s a sub-tropical plant, not able to survive winters here. I haul them up and pot them for winter. Mum killed off the last one I had - it was a dwarf cavendish which would have produced proper fruit. I was out west and told her bring it inside when it gets below 20C - she left it under the gazebo and it was frosty and died. I was quite mad it was a good height and likely would have bore fruit the next summer.

My chooks won’t eat bananas, they do not like them at all.

Banana Rama - the lazy days of summer tax
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I finally have 1 hen that will eat banana! Lady Featherington loves them. She gets it all if I bring one out. Everyone tries it but they'll leave it to her.

 

[Ponypoor]

How many more to go? I look forward to pictures of your beautiful property overrun with little chicks!

Me tooooo!

 

[Ponypoor]

Vet coming today. She ate a bunch of pellets from my hand, and then got her aspirin in yogurt.
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Poor sweetie.

Laverne had her right side all swollen

 

[BY Bob]

I think there were about 10 duds, so 31 total, some of which will likely quit also....math says 13 maybes?

Most of these will be going to FIL when mamas are done. He doesn't want to deal with heat source and raising in the house. Not a problem....I'm not raising them in the house either...

You have helpers!

 

[BY Bob]

Vet coming today. She ate a bunch of pellets from my hand, and then got her aspirin in yogurt.
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So glad the vet is coming. Fingers crossed they are helpful. I assume you are going to ask their advice about when to mix the new ones in. Please share what they say. I have some thoughts but I want to hold onto them until the vet weighs in.

 

[rural mouse]

This is awesome! Pictures of mom's and babies to come soon I hope.

I'm trying to keep a close watch for when mamas bring babies off nest. No idea if they'll co-brood the 17 between them or fight or simply separate. Cardhu started to climb in with PITA when she went for me yesterday and neither objected to the other's presence. Bringing babies off the nest is the next big test. 1st babies went out EARLY Tuesday morning, so nest vacate could be any time in the next 24-48 hours. Still have Focus to funnel chicks to, and maybe another pair/trio to PITA tonight, depending upon staying on the nest and how the hatch goes.

Heading back out for a look-see.

When I got to the coop, I found this

"Come, Jane, I made the nest deep enough for you to pancake the surface and be safe. Lay here."

Mamas

Cardhu

PITA

Edit: added some fresh shavings to the empty nest boxes then spread/dumped the bale on the other side of the coop.