Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[drstratton]

Basically an allotment, yes. I'm the only one keeping chickens there at the moment but other people have in the past. I've taken over someone else's setup after it sat unused for a few years - some bits were still more or less usable and I'm rebuilding the rest.

The site rules say chickens are the only "livestock" that can be kept there but a few of us have been thinking bees probably don't count as livestock. It's not a very easy place to keep bees though, so I'd want to spend a couple of years planning and planting first to ensure they had enough food and shelter from the weather.

That's really great that you can have chickens in a community garden. Bees would be a great addition. I've seen a couple of community gardens with hives.

This is our setup.

We've planted a lot of flowers. We'll be planting clover in front of the Apiary this fall.

Tax: Lacy

 

[drstratton]

Tony decided to come inside the house. I gave her some coconut flakes, which she tried but I don't know if she likes them.
View attachment 4196224
Tony's own selfies. Consider this a late Mugshot.
Perplexed.
View attachment 4196225
The camera would rather focus on the background than Tony...
View attachment 4196226

She's lovely! This is the first time we've had Barred Rock, I'm really loving them.

 

[drstratton]

Had a difficult task tonight. Hector had turned back into a hormonal idiot.....age 3..... ladies lingering out to avoid him....trouble staying on due to his feet (never fully straightened out from the vitamin deficiency when he was a chick). Shad's thread has had some discussion about when to remove a rooster and what truly constitutes a good rooster. Post hormonal idiocy phase he's one the ladies hang out with, tidbits the treat the them, they crouch without being chased and grabbed by him.

Doing some chick observation, I realized he's mostly off on the fringes, chasing the ladies, and a couple of them have stayed out to almost dark only to get grabbed with a ruckus the instant they poked their beaks into the coop. Last night, I was able to grab him and move him into the garage. One of the ladies not only didn't come back to the coop, but wasn't loitering around the door this morning. He spent the day in the garage. She turned up this evening. The only kerfuffle I heard this evening involved the chicks being told they had to move.

Due to the condition of Hector's feet, rehoming him to a rooster less flock isn't really feasible either. A friend gave me some daylilies to add to my garden today. They're now planted on his grave.

So sorry you had to make that decision. It's never easy.

 

[Ponypoor]

Thank you! That gives me a little more insight into what they might be.

I can't wait to see their eggs too. Blue would be lovely. But I wouldn't mind green, a pink cast would also be beautiful. I should get beautiful blue eggs from my Cream Legbar's. And my Ameraucana should give green or blue.

Tax: Willow
View attachment 4196265

I have a few Americanas and it always makes me smile to see my big red hen Jaffarra laying a blue egg. I would
Expect a brown egg from her but nope blue!

 

[Ponypoor]

Had a difficult task tonight. Hector had turned back into a hormonal idiot.....age 3..... ladies lingering out to avoid him....trouble staying on due to his feet (never fully straightened out from the vitamin deficiency when he was a chick). Shad's thread has had some discussion about when to remove a rooster and what truly constitutes a good rooster. Post hormonal idiocy phase he's one the ladies hang out with, tidbits the treat the them, they crouch without being chased and grabbed by him.

Doing some chick observation, I realized he's mostly off on the fringes, chasing the ladies, and a couple of them have stayed out to almost dark only to get grabbed with a ruckus the instant they poked their beaks into the coop. Last night, I was able to grab him and move him into the garage. One of the ladies not only didn't come back to the coop, but wasn't loitering around the door this morning. He spent the day in the garage. She turned up this evening. The only kerfuffle I heard this evening involved the chicks being told they had to move.

Due to the condition of Hector's feet, rehoming him to a rooster less flock isn't really feasible either. A friend gave me some daylilies to add to my garden today. They're now planted on his grave.

I am very sad to hear this, but one needs to always take into account the animals well-being and the whole flock/herds well-being. You are a responsible pet owner to ensure their well-being is looked after. But that doesn’t make it any less easy I know.



I will miss seeing lovely Hector.

 

[Ikslo]

Had a difficult task tonight. Hector had turned back into a hormonal idiot.....age 3..... ladies lingering out to avoid him....trouble staying on due to his feet (never fully straightened out from the vitamin deficiency when he was a chick). Shad's thread has had some discussion about when to remove a rooster and what truly constitutes a good rooster. Post hormonal idiocy phase he's one the ladies hang out with, tidbits the treat the them, they crouch without being chased and grabbed by him.

Doing some chick observation, I realized he's mostly off on the fringes, chasing the ladies, and a couple of them have stayed out to almost dark only to get grabbed with a ruckus the instant they poked their beaks into the coop. Last night, I was able to grab him and move him into the garage. One of the ladies not only didn't come back to the coop, but wasn't loitering around the door this morning. He spent the day in the garage. She turned up this evening. The only kerfuffle I heard this evening involved the chicks being told they had to move.

Due to the condition of Hector's feet, rehoming him to a rooster less flock isn't really feasible either. A friend gave me some daylilies to add to my garden today. They're now planted on his grave.

 

[rural mouse]

I am very sad to hear this, but one needs to always take into account the animals well-being and the whole flock/herds well-being. You are a responsible pet owner to ensure their well-being is looked after. But that doesn’t make it any less easy I know.



I will miss seeing lovely Hector.

I'm contemplating keeping the black cockerel in the chicks in addition to the one I really want. He's a little guy, so wouldn't be the same (good), yet would still bring the 'shiny black rooster' look.

One of the others I want to keep has a suspiciously red comb, but zero growth on it. Thankfully PITA is still brooding them.

With the anniversary of MIL's death this week, FIl will probably be AWOL camping in the woods for a week or so. Labor Day weekend (1st weekend in Sept) will probably be the time frame for chicks moving, so can wait on the decision. More observations will be needed. And PITA isn't done yet.

 

[bgmathteach]

I KNEW you couldn't resist.

She never can......remember 'resistance is futile'...at least in @Ponypoor 's case!!

 

[bgmathteach]

Had a difficult task tonight. Hector had turned back into a hormonal idiot.....age 3..... ladies lingering out to avoid him....trouble staying on due to his feet (never fully straightened out from the vitamin deficiency when he was a chick). Shad's thread has had some discussion about when to remove a rooster and what truly constitutes a good rooster. Post hormonal idiocy phase he's one the ladies hang out with, tidbits the treat the them, they crouch without being chased and grabbed by him.

Doing some chick observation, I realized he's mostly off on the fringes, chasing the ladies, and a couple of them have stayed out to almost dark only to get grabbed with a ruckus the instant they poked their beaks into the coop. Last night, I was able to grab him and move him into the garage. One of the ladies not only didn't come back to the coop, but wasn't loitering around the door this morning. He spent the day in the garage. She turned up this evening. The only kerfuffle I heard this evening involved the chicks being told they had to move.

Due to the condition of Hector's feet, rehoming him to a rooster less flock isn't really feasible either. A friend gave me some daylilies to add to my garden today. They're now planted on his grave.

I know it was hard - but you did right by your flock. I wonder if Hector was starting to feel 'sidelined', and made him 'step up his game' so to speak. I do truly believe you did right by everyone. I'm sending you a pm, too.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I went out and sat with the silkies for a bit yesterday. With everything that needed done I really did not have the hour and a half to kill in that pen, but, I've missed my chooks. I can now say it is official, only 1 will hatch, all 5 momma's were off with the chick when I came in. I quickly candled the remaining 2 eggs and they were clears so I tossed them. I simply sat out there observing. I'm cautiously optimistic 5 mommas and 1 chick will turn out ok. It can go under any of the girls when it wants, they all are trying to show it food and water. My poor teens, they stay far away from wherever that group is. If they get close 2 of the momma's break off and chase them. I placed chick starter in several different locations for it. The momma's ignore that and have it eating something out of the feeder with the henhouse reserve feed. That and bugs and worms. If the gang get near one of the spots with the chick starter it will eat it for a second so there is that. It is vigorous and healthy and 5 days old yesterday when I took that video. If it can just make it to tomorrow at a week old it's odds for survival increase drastically. Rosie will be my eye's and ears in that pen for the next couple days. I do not figure I will be up to going out there the first few days so she has been given her list of chores that MUST be done.

I managed to get 2 video's before my camera's battery died. I suspect this one could be a Poppet baby. I also suspect based on coloring that it might be a silver partridge like she is.