Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Good morning everyone.

I am now officially less then 48 hours away from rotator cuff surgery. I have a list a mile long of things I need and want to get done before hand. Yesterday was my last day at work for a while. I was bombarded yesterday with many hugs, prayers, well wishes and "you got this" from my regulars. I was also asked over a dozen times if "you already have tomorrow's meatloaf made up and ready to go?" and "who is going to make a proper cup of coffee?" Ahh, my elderly regular's and their shared love of a strong black cup of coffee. I will miss them the next few months. At times it was like being back on my great-grandmother's porch with family sharing stories. My boss Betty who is covering for me until someone else is hired informed me that Monday evening she is sending someone to pick me up. I am to point with my good hand in instruct her how to make the meatloaf as hers is inedible. I told her she has mom, who taught me everything when it came to cooking she could make it. That was met with "but they love yours, and yours sells out." I then told her Monday I would still be in the bandages I come home with, pajama bottoms, in a shirt 2 sizes too big and braless per doctors orders. "I will have you a comfy chair here in the back, no one will see you".
In other news from work, I'm sad to report that my co-worker was fired yesterday. Things had been rocky with her before her daughter passed. Her daughter had actually been banned from the diner a week and a half before she passed because she was caught using and selling meth in the parking lot. She ended up passing from a overdose. Betty gave her mom a week off paid. Val has ghosted her in her attempts to contact her to see if and when she was coming back. Mom reached out to her to see how she was doing, nothing in reply. In the end, Me and mom worked 60+ hours for the last 3 weeks alone and it just could not continue. Someone is supposed to start Thursday and Betty will cover for me the next 3 months. I may go back in about 3 weeks out for a few hours a couple days to strictly be on the register and answer the phone. I can do that one handed.

Now for a chicken update.
I came home to a surprise this past Friday evening when I ran out to check on everyone. Under the broody hoard of silkies in the bottom box, there was cheeping. I am guilty for not paying that much attention to the boxes the last few weeks. Yes I did notice that some of the girls were sleeping in them. But I was still getting eggs from the coop and none of them exhibited the shrieking I'm broody signs I look for. Granted I was only going in to do a quick head count, check food and water and gather any stray eggs I saw. They have been bad to lay outside the nest boxes and now I know why. 5 of them are broody. 3 in the middle box and the 2 in the bottom box. The chick was hatched in the bottom box and its a adorable little partridge and perfect. Sunday I went out and did a thorough inspection. The 3 girls who were broody in the middle box were sitting on nothing but each other. There was 2 more eggs under the 2 girls in the bottom box. I'm removing those eggs today if there is no signs of life in them. This lone chick has 5 momma's who all call it to food, water and now try to stuff themselves around the bottom box. It can and does go under all 5 for warmth. Talk about a crash course in hens co-parenting. I've been hesitant to be optimistic about it as I was afraid they might trample it fighting over it, but they are working together beautifully. One is staying on the other 2 eggs at all times while the others are tending to the baby. The girls are even taking turns sitting on the 2 eggs. Honestly, I do not know which of the 5 hatched out the chick and who the true momma is. Davy and Barbosa are curious about the baby but are not allowed near it, a gang of angry hens meets them. They are busy protecting the teens from the angry hoard of broodies. I do not know how this is going to play out. I worry and thought about removing it, but, physically I will not be able to brood a chick by myself now. I have to trust my girls in this and hope for the best. Raven also has 1 chick. I had intentionally set her with silkie eggs. well, she kicked out the silkie eggs and when she was let out to potty before lockdown happened one of the girls must have snuck in and laid a egg as it is not a silkie chick she hatched. I have one final George baby. My brother used leftover rat wire and built her a tiny temporary pen to keep her separated for the time being. I dare not put her in with the silkies in the bigger pen as she will fight them and disaster will happen with the silkie chick. Rosie has been personally going outside and letting her out in Russ's stall and sitting with her for a hour at a time so she can stretch her legs and not go nuts wanting loose. If she has to come in, she puts Raven and the baby up.

Unexpected babies such a nice treat.

I'm sure the diner will survive without you. Best of luck with the surgery in case we don't touch base again before then.

 

[BY Bob]

I feel the same! Laying or not- they are our kids and are welcome all their days!

Nice to see you here. Tell us about your chickens, and photos please.

 

[BY Bob]

View attachment 4194855
BFTP from Pip: a fluffy butt birthday heart to @featherhead007!

Gorgeous.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

This chick feeder I added this year, the base seems to spill a lot of feed. Maybe because of the sloped holes, the upper feed container lets a lot of feed down and it spills over the lower edges with the lightest peck. Tons of feed and dust surround it.

One similar to this I’ve had for years and it’s working great, very little spilling. I think it must be the level holes makes the difference?

I’ve retired the other because with everyone outside I don’t want feed on the ground molding or attracting mice and I’ve cleaned it up three times. Kept the bottom one going - the pullets are too light still to use the treadle feeder. There’s also two Omlet “stick your head in” trough-type feeders they use too, those work cleanly also.

The adults are eating out of all of them - everything chick has been of great interest - they aren’t spilling anything, and Tedi is a super-sweeper.

What are your experiences with these?

 

[BY Bob]

2fer Tuesday

 

[janiedoe]

2each -for- the 2 of us Taco Tuesday

I'm Kidding. Here's my 2 for Tuesday

Elmer & Hattie, the monogamous couple

 

[janiedoe]

This chick feeder I added this year, the base seems to spill a lot of feed. Maybe because of the sloped holes, the upper feed container lets a lot of feed down and it spills over the lower edges with the lightest peck. Tons of feed and dust surround it.
View attachment 4195737

One similar to this I’ve had for years and it’s working great, very little spilling. I think it must be the level holes makes the difference?

View attachment 4195738

I’ve retired the other because with everyone outside I don’t want feed on the ground molding or attracting mice and I’ve cleaned it up three times. Kept the bottom one going - the pullets are too light still to use the treadle feeder. There’s also two Omlet “stick your head in” trough-type feeders they use too, those work cleanly also.

The adults are eating out of all of them - everything chick has been of great interest - they aren’t spilling anything, and Tedi is a super-sweeper.

What are your experiences with these?

I have both types. I didn't care for either. The 1st is too messy and the scatter feed. The 2nd is better but mine kept coming apart. I may of had a defective one but when I picked it up the top would seperate and spill feed everywhere.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good morning everyone.

I am now officially less then 48 hours away from rotator cuff surgery. I have a list a mile long of things I need and want to get done before hand. Yesterday was my last day at work for a while. I was bombarded yesterday with many hugs, prayers, well wishes and "you got this" from my regulars. I was also asked over a dozen times if "you already have tomorrow's meatloaf made up and ready to go?" and "who is going to make a proper cup of coffee?" Ahh, my elderly regular's and their shared love of a strong black cup of coffee. I will miss them the next few months. At times it was like being back on my great-grandmother's porch with family sharing stories. My boss Betty who is covering for me until someone else is hired informed me that Monday evening she is sending someone to pick me up. I am to point with my good hand in instruct her how to make the meatloaf as hers is inedible. I told her she has mom, who taught me everything when it came to cooking she could make it. That was met with "but they love yours, and yours sells out." I then told her Monday I would still be in the bandages I come home with, pajama bottoms, in a shirt 2 sizes too big and braless per doctors orders. "I will have you a comfy chair here in the back, no one will see you".
In other news from work, I'm sad to report that my co-worker was fired yesterday. Things had been rocky with her before her daughter passed. Her daughter had actually been banned from the diner a week and a half before she passed because she was caught using and selling meth in the parking lot. She ended up passing from a overdose. Betty gave her mom a week off paid. Val has ghosted her in her attempts to contact her to see if and when she was coming back. Mom reached out to her to see how she was doing, nothing in reply. In the end, Me and mom worked 60+ hours for the last 3 weeks alone and it just could not continue. Someone is supposed to start Thursday and Betty will cover for me the next 3 months. I may go back in about 3 weeks out for a few hours a couple days to strictly be on the register and answer the phone. I can do that one handed.

Now for a chicken update.
I came home to a surprise this past Friday evening when I ran out to check on everyone. Under the broody hoard of silkies in the bottom box, there was cheeping. I am guilty for not paying that much attention to the boxes the last few weeks. Yes I did notice that some of the girls were sleeping in them. But I was still getting eggs from the coop and none of them exhibited the shrieking I'm broody signs I look for. Granted I was only going in to do a quick head count, check food and water and gather any stray eggs I saw. They have been bad to lay outside the nest boxes and now I know why. 5 of them are broody. 3 in the middle box and the 2 in the bottom box. The chick was hatched in the bottom box and its an adorable little partridge and perfect. Sunday I went out and did a thorough inspection. The 3 girls who were broody in the middle box were sitting on nothing but each other. There was 2 more eggs under the 2 girls in the bottom box. I'm removing those eggs today if there is no signs of life in them. This lone chick has 5 momma's who all call it to food, water and now try to stuff themselves around the bottom box. It can and does go under all 5 for warmth. Talk about a crash course in hens co-parenting. I've been hesitant to be optimistic about it as I was afraid they might trample it fighting over it, but they are working together beautifully. One is staying on the other 2 eggs at all times while the others are tending to the baby. The girls are even taking turns sitting on the 2 eggs. Honestly, I do not know which of the 5 hatched out the chick and who the true momma is. Davy and Barbosa are curious about the baby but are not allowed near it, a gang of angry hens meets them. They are busy protecting the teens from the angry hoard of broodies. I do not know how this is going to play out. I worry and thought about removing it, but, physically I will not be able to brood a chick by myself now. I have to trust my girls in this and hope for the best. Raven also has 1 chick. I had intentionally set her with silkie eggs. well, she kicked out the silkie eggs and when she was let out to potty before lockdown happened one of the girls must have snuck in and laid a egg as it is not a silkie chick she hatched. I have one final George baby. My brother used leftover rat wire and built her a tiny temporary pen to keep her separated for the time being. I dare not put her in with the silkies in the bigger pen as she will fight them and disaster will happen with the silkie chick. Rosie has been personally going outside and letting her out in Russ's stall and sitting with her for a hour at a time so she can stretch her legs and not go nuts wanting loose. If she has to come in, she puts Raven and the baby up.

Good luck for surgery and what a lovely surprise chick. It will be spoiled rotten with 5 mothers!

 

[drstratton]

This chick feeder I added this year, the base seems to spill a lot of feed. Maybe because of the sloped holes, the upper feed container lets a lot of feed down and it spills over the lower edges with the lightest peck. Tons of feed and dust surround it.
View attachment 4195737

One similar to this I’ve had for years and it’s working great, very little spilling. I think it must be the level holes makes the difference?

View attachment 4195738

I’ve retired the other because with everyone outside I don’t want feed on the ground molding or attracting mice and I’ve cleaned it up three times. Kept the bottom one going - the pullets are too light still to use the treadle feeder. There’s also two Omlet “stick your head in” trough-type feeders they use too, those work cleanly also.

The adults are eating out of all of them - everything chick has been of great interest - they aren’t spilling anything, and Tedi is a super-sweeper.

What are your experiences with these?

Same problem here
with the red one. I've never seen the blue one, I can see how it would work well.

Now that our girls are big enough they use the pvc pipe feeders my husband built. They work great.

Tax

 

[RoyalChick]

This chick feeder I added this year, the base seems to spill a lot of feed. Maybe because of the sloped holes, the upper feed container lets a lot of feed down and it spills over the lower edges with the lightest peck. Tons of feed and dust surround it.
View attachment 4195737

One similar to this I’ve had for years and it’s working great, very little spilling. I think it must be the level holes makes the difference?

View attachment 4195738

I’ve retired the other because with everyone outside I don’t want feed on the ground molding or attracting mice and I’ve cleaned it up three times. Kept the bottom one going - the pullets are too light still to use the treadle feeder. There’s also two Omlet “stick your head in” trough-type feeders they use too, those work cleanly also.

The adults are eating out of all of them - everything chick has been of great interest - they aren’t spilling anything, and Tedi is a super-sweeper.

What are your experiences with these?

I had one like the top one. I didn’t love it because I couldn’t hang it. And yes they spilled a lot.
Somehow I can’t find it so these current chicks got food in a mini crock pot I got on eBay. It is heavy so doesn’t tip over. Only disadvantage is that Chippy is dust bathing in it. Tassels keeps scooping her out so everyone can eat!
You can see the two little pots in this picture.