Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

That is such a beautiful picture. Thank you for bringing that girl to visit your mother, she looks so happy.

When grandma moved in with us after her stroke, she took such a interest in my chickens. She became my enabler and partner in crime. She was so curious about my incubator and how it worked. Did I need to set it, nope, but for her I did. I could have set just a few eggs, Grandma wanted it filled up so fill her up we did. Almost immediately she knew and remember what the temp and humidity settings were supposed to be, dementia and stroke be darned. If the humidity went one way or another by even just a single percent she either fixed it herself or hollered at me to fix it no matter the time of day. Grandma was a night owl, she had us move one of the recliners beside the table in the living room next to it so she could look in whenever she wanted. My wall was beat on many times throughout the night with her cane for me to come check settings when she could not sleep. We hatched out 36 chicks that time around, one of the best rates to date from it. I also had at the time my girls favorite nest boxes on the porch, just for her. Of course they chose to go broody in those boxes. If I failed to realize that before she did, she set them and dared me me to remove them. My hens took advantage. There was a reason after she passed last spring I really did not use my incubator and broke every hen from going broody. I needed a break.

Those last few months when she became bedridden and could no longer go outside on the porch to visit "her" chickens, I brought them inside to her. She had started to forget who we were at times but never forgot the chickens names. Whichever one she asked for, I would go out and catch and bring it inside for a visit. Owly was a favorite along with my silkies Branch and Poppet. Branch was a regular visitor. He knew the drill, and would settle in right beside her on the towel and just purr like a cat. The poor hospice nurses and aides, they never got to leave until they got to "meet" Branch. She always thought it was the first time even if it was the 30th. They were angels, those nurses. They told me if chickens made her happy bring her a chicken.

Gosh I remember those discussions - brings a tear to my eye.

But you forgot about bunny and her nesting on your chesterfield

 

[Ponypoor]

Good day to dear lovely lady.
You caught me on my way out. I’m flying Marie to South Bend today. Going to see Hannah (she’s desperate again) and my wonderful friend Dianna is going to watch the chooks. I love my animals very much, it’s so hard for me to leave them, but humans are different creatures all together.
I love this picture of Gizmo:View attachment 4204751

Wow he is sure looking lovely, what a beautiful chook!

 

[Sylvester017]

Combs, & wattles (or lack thereof)

#1
Shanai.
Her ambition knows no bounds. Destined for glory, if only in her own mind. Actually I agree with her, so that's two of us...
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#2
Isabel/Elizabeth - Lizabel/Isabeth
She is getting along pretty well with compromised eyesight. When it's a specific point she hits her target only sometimes right away, but usually has to make a few stabs. It seems depth perception might be the issue.
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#3
Picabo, I think!
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#4
Not named yet
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#5
Not named yet
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I'd have to use leg bands or toenail polish to tell them apart Lovely rich feather color on young birds. Our birds get dingy after a season of dustbathing in dirt. Sun also fades their colors.

 

[Sylvester017]

2 for Tuesday
Raven out for some supervised time with her chick yesterday.
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The little nugget who is right at 2 weeks old. Do you all notice something.
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Are you keeping him?

 

[Ponypoor]

Close, very close. Look again at that comb and tell me what else you see.

Well I don’t see wattles, but it does seem to be getting colour….. ?

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Little cockerel there! He's gonna have some COLORS

And we have a winner!!

Yes, another boy. gosh darn it out of my 4 big birds that have hatched 3 are boys.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Are you keeping him?

No, not him. He makes #3 from my big girls. Right now, I would like to keep both Homer and Juice. Homer because he is so so calm and sweet. He also will look very close to grandpa Bubba as a adult. Juice who I need to get pictures of still does not like me handling him although he is getting better. Juice is rocking a little mohawk. He is going to be bigger, not as big as Homer but definitely bigger than George. It is the way Juice carries himself that I see my George shining through. Now with Calypso switching genders and being a boy, if I kept them all that is 5 roos. I don't need 5 roos. I should be able to make it work with the 3 silkie roos in their coop. Soon Homer is going to be too big and need to join his brother Juice with the big girls. I'm praying they get along. If I had to rehome one of them it would be between Homer and Juice. I am not able to say who I would choose to keep between the two. For their own reasons both are special to me so they had better behave and get along.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Well I don’t see wattles, but it does seem to be getting colour….. ?

Yes darn it. Color at weeks old. Why is there color at 2 weeks old.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Gosh I remember those discussions - brings a tear to my eye.

But you forgot about bunny and her nesting on your chesterfield

Your right in the midst of it all Bunny was allowed to go broody and hatch on the couch.

I was so tired back then, and it was so hard. I miss her deeply though. Almost a year and a half later which it does not seem like it has been that long since she passed. The tiredness and frustrations are a blur. Oh I can still remember the many arguments that would leave me and everyone in tears if I try. I am able though to go past that and remember the good times. There were plenty of good times. In the moment of being drained physically and mentally I did not see some of them as good times. Looking back though, they really were.

 

[rural mouse]

And we have a winner!!

Yes, another boy. gosh darn it out of my 4 big birds that have hatched 3 are boys.

Comb like that at 2 weeks?! Is he going to be black breasted, too?

Maybe time for @RoyalChick to consider a road trip your direction next spring.... a Palace needs a King