Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

It's Going to be a Late Night
I shout some video of the fireworks on the 4th keeping the Phyllistines up late.

Poor kiddos, likely wondering what all the noise was about. Hope they were able to settle down afterwards.

 

[Ponypoor]

Those Buckeyes just have amazing feathers. Beautiful chickens.

They are so glossy and the colour is so lovely.

 

[Ponypoor]

42 eggs across...34 slots. Going to be very difficult juggling all these. Navy wants eggs, but she's only 5 months old...View attachment 4167182
View attachment 4167183
Also here's the hospital coop. Yes, Delft has come ill as well. Thinking they got into moldy food or something. Tomorrow all the food and water dispensers will be scrubbed with dishsoap, and from now on all treats will be put in a pan or dishes.View attachment 4167184

Sorry to hear they are not feeling well. I am thinking good thoughts.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

None of this happens in my flock. From anyone, to anyone. Maybe I just have sweet hens?? I would not brook that kind of behavior from a chicken. It's rude as heck. Absolutely ZERO nest drama from anyone - I'm amazed, honestly. My girls just wait, and line up, quietly and calmly. Or pick another nest.

Roosting time? It's different every night. I'm there, every single night and have been for their entire lives - I'm there, I don't have an auto door to lock them up so I spend about an hour with them watching chicken TV before lock up every single night.

They roost in different spots all the time. No one fights. A squawk, perhaps, once every few days and that's the MOST drama I get.

Is your space bigger than a radius of 300 feet? That's how much area chickens will use if left to their own devices. 6.5 acres - asking because you didn't specify.

I'll watch and see if there is some kind of mysterious chicken jerkery happening outside of my observations; but I doubt it. I spend hours and hours with them a day. I don't see any of it.

For instance, if I bring out scratch - a very seldom treat - what happens? I give the call -- they come RUNNING from wherever they are - and wait for me to throw it out and they eat it. They don't peck each other. Chuck tidbits, but they all know where it is. No one 'gets it first' no one pushes anyone away.

The biggest new thing that is happening is that Oscar, our new Cockerel is starting to learn to tidbit and you get the odd hen or two who will listen to him. They already accept his mating them - and Chuck will not stop him from mating. Chuck only stops Heath.... because the hens do not like Heath. The hens like Oscar - and so, Chuck likes Oscar. That's about it.

I tolerate Raven's behavior because 99% of the time she is a sweet hen. Asserting her dominance though, if a squabble breaks out she can stop it with a glare.

Space wise. My yard is half a acre. They also have full access to the hillside and creek behind my house and they use it freely.

That being said, after having all my broody hens broken up finally this weekend I just went out to a new broody hen. The Queen herself was sitting on 9 eggs. She also chose this time around a good place to hatch. The problem, it is currently being occupied by Goose and her chick at night so there was drama with Goose wanting to take her chick to bed and being forced out.

I am very much thinking long and hard at the moment about moving Goose and her chick into the coop at night now and letting Raven have that spot. Before she became the lead hen, she was hands down my 2nd best mother, following very closely behind my old Game hen who is now passed on. She has not had chicks of her own since Butter passed last summer although she did hatch out one last year and it did not survive 24 hours at no fault of her own. Raven can easily cover 12 if not more silkie eggs and I have them.

I think I'm giving them another 30 minutes or so once it is fully dark and I am moving Goose and her chick into the coop. Raven is getting eggs. I do not have it in me to fight a very determined hen for 4 to 5 weeks to break her up.

 

[BY Bob]

A Special Day

The Phyllistines got their own piece of Hatchday cake.

This is the first time they have had corn.

 

[TOMTE]

The Phyllistines got their own piece of Hatchday cake.

View attachment 4167265View attachment 4167266
This is the first time they have had corn.

They're so PRETTY!!!

 

[TOMTE]

They're so PRETTY!!!

And that wide open beak

 

[BY Bob]

They're so PRETTY!!!

They are starting to shimmer in the sunlight.

 

[BY Bob]

And that wide open beak

How do you eat cake? I don't take small bites.

 

[Ikslo]

And some of their own poultry - are they landrace?

Yes, I believe so.