Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

As long as she has a good temperament w/ humans & other livestock allow her some senility moments in her older age??

The palm tree pic is precious...

Oh she’s not senile (that’s me), she has a sleep issue and falls asleep standing up, falls and breaks things, like walls and doors. I leave a chain across her doorway so when she falls she doesn’t hurt herself breaking a door - or a leg! But I don’t want her loose as she might break the chain on Reeenie’s door and get her loose. And then they get scrapping…..

Bad enough the drama with the chooks at bedtime!

Tax time pay up

Sweetie Pie

Patches (or maybe Silver )

 

[knoturavggrl]

Twofer Tuesday
Nyx and Pebble - yup he is still being a not so sweet rooster. Lucky he is cute and not particularly scary. Even the kids aren’t the slightest bit intimidated. Thyme keeps checking him for his more obnoxious behavior as do the bigger girls. At some point I hope he gets the idea.

Not a twofer but a reluctant Auntie. She brought them out of the run for the first time since integration yesterday afternoon and they followed her like she was their mom and they even try every now and again to get under her. Then she has enough of it and pecks them (not to hard) and just till they give her space. It’s pretty cute and a bit comical.

It’s like she is saying… oh come on! Anyone else come take these peeps please… no one?? Really??? Fine, fine but don’t touch me, now here’s how to chicken.

 

[Ponypoor]

Who is our beekeeper on this thread? Is the following true: that bees see different from humans & that bees don't see reds but see more in the yellow/blue/purple/ultraviolet spectrum?
https://beeculture.com/bees-see-matters/

If that's true... I'm glad I planted Lavender Rosea iceplant to attract bee pollinators for our fruit & vegetable garden.
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Most of our food plants have been w/chickens in mind besides ourselves. But bees don't see red which explains why we never saw them buzzing around the red pomegranate blossoms ... however, the hummingbirds loved the Pom blossoms so that was good. Butterflies like our white lemon blossoms. I think we've got the pollination colors covered w/ a variety of pollinators! Interesting that tomatoes do not need pollinators.

Pomegranate blossoms for hummingbirds
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Pomegranate tree & raised veggie garden bed
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Yellow zucchini blossoms for bees
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A teeny tiny fiery butterfly pollinating a fragrant white lemon blossom in the middle of the photo
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A couple winters ago we had the discussion on night vision in chooks, after I saw Marty jump into the abyss one night at 2am!

Their night vision isn’t as good as ours apparently.

she was ok - Fyi you may think it’s light in there but it’s an illusion with the Infra red lights on the camera (night vision), it’s pitch dark actually.

I knew bees saw purples and violets well Neighbour has bees

 

[knoturavggrl]

I would say that lightest one will be white. The orangey one who knows. And Chippy-choo I guess will be black.

Just kidding hahahaha

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Omg they are so cute! The Marans are too. I know you plan on not keeping all or most of these sweeties but I am so glad you got to raise some this summer. Chicks are so much fun

 

[knoturavggrl]

Oh my, Geronimo is wearing a shawl. Very fetching.
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So adorable, they all are precious and I am so glad all this went well. Your beautiful girl is doing a great job with these little ones.

 

[Sylvester017]

Oh she’s not senile (that’s me), she has a sleep issue and falls asleep standing up, falls and breaks things, like walls and doors. I leave a chain across her doorway so when she falls she doesn’t hurt herself breaking a door - or a leg! But I don’t want her loose as she might break the chain on Reeenie’s door and get her loose. And then they get scrapping…..

Bad enough the drama with the chooks at bedtime!

Tax time pay up

Sweetie Pie
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Patches (or maybe Silver )
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So, then, w/ your experience, how do you handle 1000 lbs from injury or property damage? She has maybe another decade of lifespan remaining? What a dilemma?! & like chickens in a flock, do horses need to have another horse companion?

Sweetie Pie always has the appropriate face to go w/her name. Patches or Silver ~ twins?

 

[TOMTE]

Some old twofers

Sybil has been doing just fine without her bff as far as I can tell. The flock definitely feels different... But I can't tell how much of that is just me. There's definitely a tangible hole where Aliss was. I know there's four but I still want to look for five. I look at the spot where I buried her, in the ferns where they all liked to chill out during the heat of summer, and half expect to see her standing there. She isn't there at my heels anymore while I walk around the yard. She doesn't come running like a bat out of hell when I call for treats. I wonder how deeply the girls feel her absence? She was their leader. She was at the center of everything in their world. From my outside perspective it looks like they're all taking it in stride... But they don't seem to be as together throughout the day. Like their glue is gone. It's a strange feeling.

Thank you everyone who has sent kind words, and advice. I appreciate each and every one of you. I'm too overwhelmed to respond to everyone individually but just know I'm really grateful for your support

 

[Ponypoor]

So, then, w/ your experience, how do you handle 1000 lbs from injury or property damage? She has maybe another decade of lifespan remaining? What a dilemma?! & like chickens in a flock, do horses need to have another horse companion?

Sweetie Pie always has the appropriate face to go w/her name. Patches or Silver ~ twins?

Well Truly is 23, and I figure if she makes it to Spring without killing herself it will be a miracle. I’ve been toying with having her euthanized before winter…. Rennie would be fine with being an only child, she basically does her own thing.

Silver-bird and Patches are from the same batch of chicks I got from Peavey Mart last year - not sure which of Hoovers hybrids they are. But they both lay brown eggs.

Silver is a bit bigger than Patches, and doesn’t have as much white patches as Patches.

 

[RoyalChick]

Some old twofers
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Sybil has been doing just fine without her bff as far as I can tell. The flock definitely feels different... But I can't tell how much of that is just me. There's definitely a tangible hole where Aliss was. I know there's four but I still want to look for five. I look at the spot where I buried her, in the ferns where they all liked to chill out during the heat of summer, and half expect to see her standing there. She isn't there at my heels anymore while I walk around the yard. She doesn't come running like a bat out of hell when I call for treats. I wonder how deeply the girls feel her absence? She was their leader. She was at the center of everything in their world. From my outside perspective it looks like they're all taking it in stride... But they don't seem to be as together throughout the day. Like their glue is gone. It's a strange feeling.

Thank you everyone who has sent kind words, and advice. I appreciate each and every one of you. I'm too overwhelmed to respond to everyone individually but just know I'm really grateful for your support

 

[RoyalChick]

Poor Piglet. She lost her entire tail in the space of a couple of hours yesterday and is keeping herself to herself.
Looks like she is growing in new feathers at a good rate so hopefully she will be done before it turns really cold.