Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

He’s doing well today. He has energy and isn’t as lethargic. I thank God for small favors. The vet suggested giving him a multi vitamin and baby aspirin as I see fit.

I hope he has a full recovery and Karma to visit whoever did the horrible thing to him.

I want to suggest a product called Rooster Booster to you for vitamins.

I have not had to use it, but, it is highly recommended from people around me who I try not to associate with. I do not condone in any way shape form or fashion with they raise their chickens for and some do with them. I do ease drop and listen at times when they discuss products used or remedies for "injuries". Everyone around me talks about the rooster booster products. They informed me I needed to know about it because it is also useful if I have one of my chickens survive a predator attack.

https://www.amazon.com/Rooster-Boos...da7502336c0533de90&qid=1751825896&sr=8-1&th=1

I have this one unopened and on hand incase such a emergency ever arises.

 

[Ponypoor]

What a difference ~25 minutes and a pop-up storm makes
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...And now the sun is coming back out, so the heat index is about to go way up again

In other news, some chookie pics from a couple hours ago:
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(I always get such goofy pics of Gytha)
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They look (and probably feel) so natural in the ferns

True jungle fowl.

Chicks today, they're about six weeks old now. Preparing the tractor coop for them. Meanwhile...
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@featherhead007 the pillows are the softest, that's why!
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But you can really stretch out here
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Yeah that does look good
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Below: Well I can do that up here too! Sleepy Isabel on the right. I don't know how but she is still with us. Growing, though still smaller, as the others, like @Ponypoor says, are growing like weeds. She's not far behind though. Maybe she's keeping up, even. She's still having a great time being a chicken, and I notice she has a friend that hangs with her. She's surprisingly active today. Naps yes, but so far the in-between activities are dominating today.
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One of their favorite pastimes is log rolling and here is Isabel!
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It also makes a great perch of course. Not sure who this is.
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I have three named and two without names or real identifying features and I can't tell them apart except by behavior. So far there's Shenai, Brow, and Isabel. Isabel's friend is one of the unnamed chicks.
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Wow ! They may never want to leave the house that’s one impressive setup!

I hope he has a full recovery and Karma to visit whoever did the horrible thing to him.

I want to suggest a product called Rooster Booster to you for vitamins.

I have not had to use it, but, it is highly recommended from people around me who I try not to associate with. I do not condone in any way shape form or fashion with they raise their chickens for and some do with them. I do ease drop and listen at times when they discuss products used or remedies for "injuries". Everyone around me talks about the rooster booster products. They informed me I needed to know about it because it is also useful if I have one of my chickens survive a predator attack.

https://www.amazon.com/Rooster-Booster-Poultry-Cell-16-Ounce/dp/B007NS0DWW/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1342504267152139&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZsxJWlKP3WEImDKgA1F-aHS5ibv7KDTQu9ZLIquDQ8HYHJL9egVo7F-GHRUo7NObsZBtkF5m5Neb-QypsGKHLAUDpC5oT81eao58Lo12cFPE28-OZrG5xCab8RpwzGhWViugSqyLj0qtBs5VFbrHSdazOEVe1tAZ_5x2VdhkkIUpMkZFn_zl_NxH7Us_SPn2f91jZjydX_9oWP24UlXwEi5KiVzrEeucChxny_OH58dQe_P_RX7OhTwMUgr_gGinaAPF_efT7eif6dwXAxCR1Wa8Zfy5e0e5m9g4YGSYF24.aRfwvCgRysbfqbSvohGMVHPM1VS-GKSXK-iKk463EOs&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83906902999415&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=50806&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83906871858833:loc-190&hydadcr=24660_13770028&keywords=rooster+booster&mcid=b1d3970d408237fda9bda59cbec59a15&msclkid=fe575b06b8d211da7502336c0533de90&qid=1751825896&sr=8-1&th=1

I have this one unopened and on hand incase such a emergency ever arises.

We have similar product here, I started using the calcium & Vit D supplement last winter.

I think it helped with their eggs.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Chicks today, they're about six weeks old now. Preparing the tractor coop for them. Meanwhile...
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@featherhead007 the pillows are the softest, that's why!
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But you can really stretch out here
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Yeah that does look good
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Below: Well I can do that up here too! Sleepy Isabel on the right. I don't know how but she is still with us. Growing, though still smaller, as the others, like @Ponypoor says, are growing like weeds. She's not far behind though. Maybe she's keeping up, even. She's still having a great time being a chicken, and I notice she has a friend that hangs with her. She's surprisingly active today. Naps yes, but so far the in-between activities are dominating today.
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One of their favorite pastimes is log rolling and here is Isabel!
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It also makes a great perch of course. Not sure who this is.
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I have three named and two without names or real identifying features and I can't tell them apart except by behavior. So far there's Shenai, Brow, and Isabel. Isabel's friend is one of the unnamed chicks.
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I had wanted to be a little more proactive about their going outside for the daytimes at five weeks, but my schedule was a little busy and they themselves have been quite hinky about changes, more so than the Buff Orpingtons, so we’ve been going more gradually. A big thing is Isabel’s situation, it has me thinking about accommodating her. She needs a quiet and warm, safe-feeling place to rest.

They did an hour out a few days ago, transported in that bin in the back of the pic here, which I’m getting them comfortable with now by having it there on the bed, it was too new before. Anyway once outside they wanted nothing to do with the exterior environment. They spent the whole time foraging in the bin hemp. They did look at the sky and whatever they could see through it & had breeze on them. Isabel was getting pelted with hemp and peeping so I picked her up and held her next to me for warmth. She crawled into my open overshirt, climbed up into the armpit, then down the sleeve a little and napped there.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I hope he has a full recovery and Karma to visit whoever did the horrible thing to him.

I want to suggest a product called Rooster Booster to you for vitamins.

I have not had to use it, but, it is highly recommended from people around me who I try not to associate with. I do not condone in any way shape form or fashion with they raise their chickens for and some do with them. I do ease drop and listen at times when they discuss products used or remedies for "injuries". Everyone around me talks about the rooster booster products. They informed me I needed to know about it because it is also useful if I have one of my chickens survive a predator attack.

https://www.amazon.com/Rooster-Booster-Poultry-Cell-16-Ounce/dp/B007NS0DWW/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1342504267152139&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZsxJWlKP3WEImDKgA1F-aHS5ibv7KDTQu9ZLIquDQ8HYHJL9egVo7F-GHRUo7NObsZBtkF5m5Neb-QypsGKHLAUDpC5oT81eao58Lo12cFPE28-OZrG5xCab8RpwzGhWViugSqyLj0qtBs5VFbrHSdazOEVe1tAZ_5x2VdhkkIUpMkZFn_zl_NxH7Us_SPn2f91jZjydX_9oWP24UlXwEi5KiVzrEeucChxny_OH58dQe_P_RX7OhTwMUgr_gGinaAPF_efT7eif6dwXAxCR1Wa8Zfy5e0e5m9g4YGSYF24.aRfwvCgRysbfqbSvohGMVHPM1VS-GKSXK-iKk463EOs&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83906902999415&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=50806&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83906871858833:loc-190&hydadcr=24660_13770028&keywords=rooster+booster&mcid=b1d3970d408237fda9bda59cbec59a15&msclkid=fe575b06b8d211da7502336c0533de90&qid=1751825896&sr=8-1&th=1

I have this one unopened and on hand incase such an emergency ever arises.

I have that, it has a lot of iron & minerals in it which one needs to be aware of. For blood loss from injuries it might be just the thing too? For energy/calories and vitamins for the chick Isabel, the vet recommended Nutri-Drench over the Poultry Cell (rooster booster); it doesn’t have the heavy mineral content. Given straight, if the chicken will eat it. She wouldn’t. But especially noticing how much Isabel drinks, it seems more often than the others, I’ve been mixing it up in the drinking water here (fresh every day), and they like it. So everyone is getting a few more calories and vitamins.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I see there is a debate going on about pecking order.

I will throw my observations in.

Backstory, beside the silkies currently, my flock is a total free range flock. They have the yard, creek and hillside behind my house and they use it all, especially the hillside. Until this spring my silkies also free ranged full time, but, after seeing how well they have adapted to being confined I will no longer risk them free ranging. I have Roosters, always multiple boys, they are my favorite.

I have around 40 chickens total, I can tell you with 100% accuracy that Raven is my top hen. Before Raven, when Butter was alive she was the "Queen" of the flock. I have multiple feeders and water stations plus I toss scraps out to them. Raven is there first, gets what she wants and will run those lower then her away as she see's fit. When Raven needs to lay a egg, if her chosen spot is occupied she drags the unfortunate victim out of the nest by the comb. Raven roosts on the roosting bar overtop the horse stalls. She has her "spot" on the roost. If she is late getting up there she will throw other hens down in her way to get to it. No hen is allowed to roost to the left of her, strictly enforced. She only allows my buff orp Siri to roost directly beside her and Siri must stay a foot away. Siri gets closer Raven pecks and pushes her back. If any other hen gets in Siri's spot, Raven is ruthless and throws them down and allows Siri to claim her spot. The rest of the roost is fluid with several hens snuggled together. The only other constant is spooky who is always last in line. When I allowed my silkies to free range with my big chickens I can tell you they were near the top of the pecking order. Butter's enforcer was my dear departed Chiquita. Raven's minion was Poppet when she was allowed to free range. Tiny little hen who no one messed with and got away with murder. Poppet is now the Queen of the silkie flock in the coop and she learned from the best in Raven.

My roosters, they do their jobs and do it very well. My boys have and had a working relationship and there is a clearly established dominate roo. The best working example I had was between my Black Copper Marans Bubba and my silkie Branch who have both passed on and missed dearly. They were hatch mates and grew up together. First under the guidance for a few months under Bubba's daddy Drumstick before the coyote attack. He taught them in his short time with them. Branch was surprisingly the boss of Bubba. There were a few brief squabbles between them when hormones hit and Branch won them all. I think I saw 3, very brief with Bubba getting clobbered by Branch and that was all it took. They shared their duties and responsibilities from then on after. They each had their "preferred" set of hens they would attend escort duties for. Bubba was the king of finding and creating new hidden nest spots for the girls. I know he was the culprit of many of my old Momma Hen's hidden treasures. Especially the cave on the hillside. When it came to attending to a mother hen and her chicks, that was Branch's calling. He knew when a hen was hatching chicks and was right there. Either right outside the nest, or in some cases in the nest beside the hen while she was hatching. He was the only one who was immediately allowed access to the chicks and he fed them and would let them under him as well. He never felt the hens held onto them long enough even if she clung to them for 4 months before booting them off. He would spend another month or longer keeping the teenagers right with him taking over her duties and roosting with them at night. Both were vital in bringing up younger cockerels, they kept them in line. I hang onto my boys for a while trying to place them into good homes, sometimes they are close to a year before that right home has come about. I have raised rooster's successfully without the guidance of a older establish flock rooster, and those with a flock rooster. I'm a firm believer the best roosters are those raised under a older boy. Honestly the best have had both a older rooster and many older, take no nonsense hens to whip them into shape.

I'm seeing it all unfold again as of this weekend. One of my current momma's has a single chick. 4 weeks old Tuesday I think. He is getting adventurous already and is breaking off from momma in small spurts. Yesterday he shadowed his daddy George. We got in a new load of hay and stacked it and of course George decided the top bale was perfect for a new nest spot. He was up there digging out a crater calling the hens to him. His son, was on top of the feed barrel watching his daddy like a hawk.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

He’s doing well today. He has energy and isn’t as lethargic. I thank God for small favors. The vet suggested giving him a multi vitamin and baby aspirin as I see fit.

Why not Meloxicam for him for inflammation & pain, prescribed by the vet? Maybe less risk of bleeding too.

 

[Sylvester017]

This morning I remembered that I don’t really have much squabbling unless it’s one of the ladies going broody, and have seen my silkies get into some vicious fights when they are starting to go broody.

And the silly girls go out of their way to pick fights with hens way bigger than they are. I watched wee Georgie march all the way up the barn aisle and go into a stall, march up to someone like Misty who was just digging around, and Georgie proceeded to beat the crap out of her!

Normally Georgie is placid and just minds her own business, of course Misty is three times Georgie’s size so Georgie is the one who loses. When I see someone who is going broody I keep an eye out to see if they will become one of those tiger ladies.

Crazy hens! There is something to be said for those breeds that don’t tend to go broody.

Silkies are one of the sweetest most congenial teddy bears in a flock... UNTIL they are broody indeed. We've dealt w/ Silkies 14 yrs & it's just normal for us. If we keep our broodies locked out of the coop nests they break w/i 2-4 days back to their happy selves. Still... glad we only have 5 to deal w/ & next yr a couple will be past laying age & won't be broody.

 

[Sylvester017]

Hay. I am too old for this stuff! I moved my high velocity fan up to the mow, and that helps. But I am so out of shape and not used to slugging.

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I could quite happily sit on this bale in front of that fan all day!

But I need to move all this
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To the front of the barn
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The chooks are doing well, they have decided to bury themselves in the dirt - smart birds!


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Looks like whether summer or winter... they both have their pros & cons...

 

[Sylvester017]

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The 5 labeled "SG" are showgirl silkies. The rest are assorted from the silkie pen
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Blue circled are Cream/Opal/Blue legbar
Red circled are Tolbunt Polish
Black circled are orpington (silver, jubilee, buff, chocolate, and I think she said black?)
So many eggs!!!
Now you know why we're making a new chicken mansion.

Beautiful! Hope all the Legbar hatch since there's only 3

 

[Sylvester017]

Unfortunately Yeti Feathers passed away last night. I accidentally buried her right next to a red ant nest.
Blue is able to hold her head up today, it's wobbly but she might be on the mend. She's feisty enough to fight against the medicine gel.

That is so sad, Jenn... hope Blue makes it