Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Pony Sunday.

Hubby was trimming the hedge and almost cut the nest with the hedge trimmers - he saw the nest at the last minute...and has since taken some of the trimmed branches and stuck them back into the hedge to give the nest a bit of shelter from view and from sun.
View attachment 4173711
They must only be a few days old????

And, no, my camera still doesn't connect to my computer - hubby took a pic with his phone and emailed it to me.

How darling.

 

[BY Bob]

I still do not know what I am dealing with.

I will have a live trap curtesy of the neighbors in front of me delivered by Wednesday at the latest. It will not be big enough to catch a coyote but would handle a large raccoon. I am paranoid now knowing both have been in the yard.

I've almost settled on a name for Goose's chick. I've been testing out both Max and Homer on him. Homer is winning out. The poor little man is just so homely looking at the moment. Gangly, tall, no tail and bald patches on his wings. Even the silkies at their worst have not looked this rough as a chick. Of the 3 he is the calmest and the one who will get closest to me. I can handle him without any fuss. I cannot say that about Juice or Georgina.

He is also the only one I can look at, even at his ugliest, and I can see the future with him. He is going to be big, and that will be a understatement. He is going to be broad also just like his grandpa Bubba. By 6 months old he is going to have a mighty fine tall comb and a impressive set of wattles. Thick legs with good feathering and huge feet. The copper coloring is just starting around his chest, it will begin appearing in the next week on his back and wings. It is not possible, but to the naked eye as a adult he will look like a Black Copper Marans. He is not even half Marans, at most he is 1/4 Marans although he is pulling everything in him from those genetics.

Knowing the direction he is headed, calm "big" little dude, Homer seems fitting and appropriate as a rooster name.

As I said it is not settled, I'm still trying out max. The more I watch him something else may pop up that suits him more. Right now though, I'm thinking he's Homer.

I love that name.

 

[Ponypoor]

Late Pony Sunday

Yesterday morning Truly broke loose

Now tonight Reenie broke loose

And now at 3am I see they are playing musical stalls. Both have broke loose. And Reenie is in Truly’s stall.

I could just throttle these two this gives me more work to do fixing things. Sheesh!

And those door sitters have figured out how to get up on the door - Tippy, Mr LC and Buttercup.

 

[drstratton]

Late Pony Sunday

Yesterday morning Truly broke loose
View attachment 4173952

Now tonight Reenie broke loose
View attachment 4173950

And now at 3am I see they are playing musical stalls. Both have broke loose. And Reenie is in Truly’s stall.
View attachment 4173951


I could just throttle these two this gives me more work to do fixing things. Sheesh!

And those door sitters have figured out how to get up on the door - Tippy, Mr LC and Buttercup.
View attachment 4173953

Oh no, I'm sorry that happened.

 

[Sylvester017]

Someone shared video of a fox about 4 miles from our house, but I've never seen one here. We have had problems with coyotes and one year I'm sure a skunk killed off some of our chickens, but that was probably 20 years ago. The biggest problem we have are packs of dogs. People just let them run and they can decimate a flock in no time, kill and leave them lay. That's why we put in the fenced chicken yard in 2020.

Hope your girls stay safe.

Yep, fences are a must. We are in the suburbs so stray dogs are a problem...whether owners let the dogs loose on purpose or whether their own fences/gates are too flimsy to hold in their animals. Our own chainlink fence & wooden gates weren't sturdy enough to keep out stray dogs. We tore down the chainlink & put up block wall & iron bar gates all around the property. For people w/ larger, more rural land, I like Ponypoor's suggestion to use electric fencing. I've heard this suggestion also from many other owners over the years.

Our old chainlink fencing was about 60 yrs old. It was time to do something about it. Some of the galvanized posts were rusted/broken, some of the chainlink gnarled out of shape. Any suburb dog, raccoon, skunk, etc, could easily dig into the yard. After a couple stray dogs broke in (no hens harmed TG!) we took action to replace the crumbling eyesore.

2011

2015

The hens had a blast digging thru construction rubble.

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh no, I'm sorry that happened.

Brats all of them brats!

It’s a good thing they are cute!

Have an awesome day everyone, I need to do chores then my cousin will be here and we will put up some more hay.

It’s really smoky out there.

And here’s a Mugs Monday BFTP from Nov 2024

Mr P, I laugh everytime I see this photo

Clyde the Brave and Mr LC - adorable little brats

Have an awesome day everyone!

 

[Ponypoor]

Yep, fences are a must. We are in the suburbs so stray dogs are a problem...whether owners let the dogs loose on purpose or whether their own fences/gates are too flimsy to hold in their animals. Our own chainlink fence & wooden gates weren't sturdy enough to keep out stray dogs. We tore down the chainlink & put up block wall & iron bar gates all around the property. For people w/ larger, more rural land, I like Ponypoor's suggestion to use electric fencing. I've heard this suggestion also from many other owners over the years.

Our old chainlink fencing was about 60 yrs old. It was time to do something about it. Some of the galvanized posts were rusted/broken, some of the chainlink gnarled out of shape. Any suburb dog, raccoon, skunk, etc, could easily dig into the yard. After a couple stray dogs broke in (no hens harmed TG!) we took action to replace the crumbling eyesore.

2011
View attachment 4173956

2015
View attachment 4173957

The hens had a blast digging thru construction rubble.
View attachment 4173958

I love the idea of a concrete block wall/fence. I would love to do that here to stop Reenie from trashing my board fence. And the keep the chooks safe of course!

 

[rural mouse]

Late Sunday video

 

[RoyalChick]

Late Sunday video

Wow!

 

[Ponypoor]

Late Sunday video

Amazing how they can fly so fast, stop, turn and blast off again!