Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

The bear looks small (is it just an optical illusion with the camera & angle?). I was thinking we should see mom (and quite possibly siblings)...I know that isn't what you want, of course, but one that small should have a mom around.

I agree he is young. He is about the height of the back of the blue bench which is probably 28” (I can measure later), and he has that leggy look that the babies have before they fill out and get stocky.
I think black bears leave Mom in spring at about 18 months old. So I think he just started out on his own this spring.
I haven’t seen Mom but of course I will keep an eye open. Usually I get bears a little later when the apples ripen so she may swing by then.
This is the last bear to visit the Chicken Palace a few years ago and you can see that bear is older and more robust.

That one stood up tall to get the fruit.

 

[bgmathteach]

More 8 week pics

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View attachment 4203268Cheetah's courting Nellie...and the 2 chicks are responding to his calls.

View attachment 4203269the splash in the middle is the last chick to hatch, green egg, and I'm keeping her. Left side is the Thing grand daughter (blue), keeping her too.

View attachment 4203270cockerel at PITA's bum is the one I want to keep. He's got COLORS! And I think is a Bielefelder x (no idea with what).

I'm debating another cockerel and another pullet for 6 chicks. Need to make a decision soon as next weekend is moving time, I think.

Questions, thoughts, etc would be appreciated just to help me clarify my thoughts and observations.

If you keep another cockerel & pullet, what will be your overall ratio? I know you tend to have a higher cockerel to pullet ratio due to the free ranging with no pens for safety......but you are already keeping one cockerel, correct, as a replacement.

How many generations of just your chicks do you have (weren't your initial starter flock from your mother-in-law?). I'm asking for genetic diversity - can you keep cockerels that you know are from her/FIL's flock - and how much genetic 'fresh genes' would that introduce. I no longer remember the lineage of all of yours, and know you have given them some of your chicks, too.....

That said - if your flock will tolerate an additional cockerel without undo stress/fighting, I would say DO IT. Unfortunately, you have a lot of risks, and having an extra Roo as both a look-out and a defender is a good thing. It would mean each roo has to 'look out for' fewer hens, and allow for the flock to still be in a variety of places and still have a roo ( or two if a larger selection of hens) to be on the look-out.

My 2 cents. You do what you feel you have space for (in the coop) and what the flock will tolerate and live peacefully with, while still maintaining enough genetic diversity. (and, maybe, help allay the urge for physical/color diversity in your flock.)

 

[RoyalChick]

I think Tassels is beginning to lose control.
There are only four - but somehow there are chicks everywhere! They don’t stray all that far from her but they are definitely no longer glued to her side and she is constantly needing to call them back when they get too far away.
Sometimes she calls and they flutter down from on high because they are definitely enjoying climbing up into branches.
Here are the spots I was seeing on Chippy.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good news. Piglet roosted last night so I am down to one broody (Sylvie).
Piglet celebrated by spreading out in the sun.

 

[Ponypoor]

I'll Take Curtain Number 1

It's getting close to time for the Phyllistines to start laying. I don't think Niamh was looking for a place to lay but she did check out the old litterbox today.
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The Cluckle Hut nest boxes have never been used on a regular basis by anyone. I've always thought that with the window so close the nest box might be too bright. So this is our solution.

View attachment 4203110

Mrs BY Bob made them. I hope the ladies like them. They did roost in their coop tonight without me moving them.

Very swanky! Well I like them, and I sure the young ladies will also.

 

[Ponypoor]

I just saw this and had to share it.

@knoturavggrl your daughter will get a kick out of this one.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1094917889450206

1000% accurate by the way.

Clowns - that’s what they are!

Can’t wait to see the colour of the chicks that hatch, might get an orange one

 

[Ponypoor]

Good news. Piglet roosted last night so I am down to one broody (Sylvie).
Piglet celebrated by spreading out in the sun.
View attachment 4203283

Probably saw what motherhood was all about and decided ‘nope not going there’.

 

[BY Bob]

Seen at Breakfast

This morning

 

[RoyalChick]

This is Bucky. She seems to have spots too.
I give up!

 

[Ponypoor]

Yep, I would've loved a sweet Cuckoo Marans but ours was obnoxious ~ picking on a sweet timid Partridge Silkie till almost all her feathers were chewed off by the Marans & who picked fights w/ our nice White Leghorn who didn't put up w/ the Marans & put the Marans in her place. The Marans however harassed both our Silkies but picked on the more timid Partridge Silkie the most. The Silkies learned to pal around w/ the Leghorn for safety.

The innocent-looking Marans culprit Tish ~ she didn't care for humans either.
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Damage was done to the Partridge Silkie Violet ~ the Black Silkie Mini managed to avoid most of the Marans bullying but Violet went bald plus all her outer feathers & tail had been pulled out & only underdown remained. We thought she was moulting but caught the Marans cornering & harassing her. After we saw the Marans cornering Mini too we rehomed the Marans to our friend's layer flock who was more than happy to have the occasional brown Marans eggs & where bigger layers kept the Marans in her place!

Mini ~ & Violet was bald w/ outer body/tail feathers gone.
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Violet hanging out w/ the nice Leghorn
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A few weeks later after rehoming the Marans Violet got her plumage back.
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Our next Cuckoo bully was a large heavy 7-1/2 lb Cuckoo Breda Fowl who kept singling out 2-lb Violet to bully. Our wonderful cuckoo Dominique trio rushed to protect Violet & kept the Cuckoo Breda in her place but after losing the Doms down to only one Dom left the Breda got bold about bullying Violet again so the Breda was rehomed finally to a friend's farm. She's ok w/humans...
& apparently ok w/dogs now too...
View attachment 4203163

Raven is my bully hen - but she is put in her place by the silkies and Mr P.

Raven waiting for me to give her some cheerios.

But if she can get away with bullying she will - right after this picture she chased poor Patches when patches jumped down from where she was just standing!

Patches