Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Eggceptional Endeavors

So the chickens did all they could to confuse me today regarding who was laying in the cluckle hut. Until today only the rare chicken has ever laid in the Cluckle Hut. I armed the cameras this morning and what do I see......

Aster, the only other chicken who lays a white egg is now in the nest box.


Why is she in the box? She has never used it before.

Aster does her business, lays her egg and leaves. Who comes trundling in next? A very ungracious hen. Watch her kick the eggs around.

I had put the small egg back into the nest box to encourage whomever was laying to return. Watch in this video as Aurora breaks it. You can hear it break too.

After all this does Aurora lay an egg, nope. She breaks the egg, eats some of it, sits on the other 2 eggs for a bit, and departs.

Aurora just had to try out the new spot. Lady Featherington laid her egg in the main coop alone today. She was probably quite happy about it.

One nest box, no waiting.

After all this nonsense, I discovered who was laying.

That is Nimue. Here she is with the first egg which she laid yesterday.

Nimue is 24 weeks old. Phyllis was 23 weeks old when she laid her first egg. I have seen no sign that Niamh is ready to lay yet.

 

[Ponypoor]

Hello FBA! It’s been a while, and I miss all of you greatly.
Don’t worry, my mother knows I am on here right now. I have a few questions and statements to make. Also, I am aware that this message is EXTREMELY long, so my apologies. If there are any typos or grammatical errors, I’m sorry.

First, I hope you are all well and that all of your precious chooks are doing amazing. I miss seeing daily pictures of chickens.

Second, I’m debating asking my dad if I can get back on here… I am much more mature than I was two(?) years ago—although I argue that I was mature even then—and I know that I will not give out personal information, although I hardly did, and the info I did give out was very vague.
I want to get back on here for many reasons, but the biggest one is something I recently realized, and it shocked me.
I am actually losing interest in chickens. It’s something that just gradually happened, and I didn’t realize it until a month ago or so. I realized that I have spent less time with them, I don’t look forward to feeding them, I don’t hold them or socialize with them often anymore, and I don’t even talk to them. I hardly take pictures of them anymore, whereas when I was still on BYC, my phone was filled with chook pictures.
I think it’s happened because I have no one to talk about chickens to. None of my friends care that Splotch found a huge roach and ate it yesterday… they think it’s gross. I’ll occasionally mention something about chickens, especially if something major happened to one of mine (like one of my free rangers getting run over by Mom’s car on Monday…), but no one actually cares. And I don’t really care either. I’ve found other things to talk about with people, but I miss talking about chickens almost every day. Even once a week would be nice. I want to have an interest in other people’s chickens and my own. I just noticed today that Bolt’s neck feathers have grown back but now her tail feathers are all missing (I don’t know when or how it happened… which will be a conversation in a moment.)
I don’t notice things anymore. I didn’t notice that Athens had a scratch on his leg until Mom pointed it out while I was holding him (to show her that he has no long tail feathers anymore.).

I am but am not attached to my chooks anymore. I have a few special ones (Bolt, Athens, Willow, and a few others.) but most are just chickens. Some have personalities and some don’t. I care if some die and I don’t care for others. The one that got hit by a car, I liked. I didn’t truly care though. I thought she was sweet and I named her Maddison, but I didn’t cry when she died. I felt slightly disappointed, but after about an hour I felt nothing towards it.
When BBQ was sick, I cried when she was suffering and because I knew that I didn’t have the guts to cull her, but I didn’t cry when she died.
As I’ve said, I just don’t feel anything towards my chooks anymore. I have about 42, I believe. 7-ish of them don’t have names. I have told my mom all of this, but not my dad. Dad would make me get rid of every single one of my chickens if he found out that I have lost interest. It’s not like I am going to stop taking care of them, I just see it as a chore now.
I don’t want to get rid of any of them though. I can’t. I still feel attached but at the same time I think I could move on easily if I got rid of even my favorites. Athens is probably the chook closest to my heart, and while I can’t see myself ever getting rid of him, I think that as long as he found a good home, I would be fine. Same with Bolt.

I think I need chicken conversations in order to make me interested in them. I don’t know how emotionally intelligent chickens are (although I have seen first hand that mine are hurt that I have been “ignoring” them), but Athens flies up into a perch that is level with my face and does his wing dance for me and gently pecks my hand. I think that he thinks I’m a hen, but it’s endearing either way. He especially does this on a day where I just want to dump the food and get out. If I ignore him, he will make cute noises to get my attention and force me to pet him.
If I ignore Bolt, she attacks my feet and if I try to pet her, she fluffs her feathers up at my hand. On days where I don’t ignore her, she is a sweet baby.

Anyways, that’s that conversation. I just don’t think Dad would let me in here, and if I told him why I want to get back on here, he would tell me to get rid of all but five chooks. Also, I know that I have sent pictures of my coops before and they are quite small… don’t worry, not all chooks are in one pen. I have 11 in one, 7 in one, 4 in one, 7 in one, and 14-ish in a whole different part of my property but those all free range. And I have no idea if that matches up. All I’m sure about is the 7, 7, and 4… not sure about the others.

Okay, next topic. Molting.
My chickens are ugly. I’ve noticed this much.
I have a handful with perfect feathers. Lemme try to name them… just for fun.
Splotch, Brisket, Crystal, Juno, Iris, Aurora, Minerva, Venus, Tara, Khione, Circe, Aphrodite, Demeter, Ming-Ming, Blue, Red, Syracuse, Pretty Girl, and P2.
Everyone else has some time of missing feathers that I find hideous.
The worst are 5 of my Wyandottes, 3 unnamed Polish, Hera, Bolt, Athens, Ruby, and maybe Boston.
I did get some pictures today, and I will likely take a video of all my chooks tomorrow to show how good some look and how awful others look (cough, Bolt.).

Now, it is molting season, right? Because I looked at Ruby (whose entire back is bare) and I saw no lice. Nothing. So it is either picking or molting. While I have had lice issues in the past, and saw a few on Bolt today, I can’t imagine that they will make a bunch of chickens look amazing (literally I have one coop of perfect chickens) and a bunch of chickens look half dead.
Here are some pictures of the chooks, and my apologies if they are not great pictures.

Here’s the big girls eating. Ruby, Bolt, and Opal look the worst in this picture.
View attachment 4215639
Here is Athens with his bald head and short “hen” tail feathers. I noticed his feathers and head two days ago, and they were not like that a few days before. Also, notice the piles of feathers laying around. Molting or picking?… I’ve never had an issue with picking in my Polish coop and I have never seen them peck one another.
View attachment 4215640
My free ranging coop. The Wyandottes look like crap and the all black rooster is missing most of his tail feathers. The two black hens look great and the red rooster looks good. There were three chickens that didn’t go in, two of which are awful looking, one of which is great looking.
View attachment 4215644
Polish Hera has a bare back, and the hen behind her, Calypso, does too.
View attachment 4215645

That’s all the main pictures I have. I’ll try to grab a video tomorrow and post it here.
I miss all of you greatly, and I am sorry for the long post.

Awwww poor Athens, you will remember poor Mr P is also bald on his head and just low growing back his feathers. I have had to lock him away from the main flock as some of those bad youngsters have taken to picking a his pin feathers making them bleed like crazy. But his head feathers are growing back and look like Athens at the moment.

I have a bunch losing feathers, tis the time of year. And I have a few hens in need of hen aprons from Mr Little Chicken and Clyde over breeding them. Maybe you and your mum can make up some aprons for the girls of yours that need them.

Ok now on to the serious stuff.

First I am sorry for the loss of your hen, and don’t beat yourself up over not bawling your eyes out over her passing. The older you get and the more life experience you have you will find that you will handle things differently than when when you were younger.

And sad to say but the more experience you have with your pets passing, the more different your emotions will be each time. I would not think of your feelings as being indifferent, think of it as accepting the inevitable.

We all miss you and your chooks here also, if I can make a suggestion. Maybe you can downsize a bit to something more manageable for this point in time. Soon you will likely be going off the college or university, who will care for your flock? I am thinking your parents. Our parents do a lot for us to help us. Maybe you can downsize a bit, that will give you more time with your chooks and also help your parents.

You can explain to you dad that you wish to get back into the chooks more, discuss their care with those only BYC. If you present a mature well organized case for your wanting to become more involved with the chooks maybe he will allow you to get back online.

Mr P the wee bald leprechaun - this was a few weeks ago.
As you can see he is slowly growing his lovely topknot back

The feathers have grown in even more now, I give him a scrooch nightly, with his feathers, to help loosen the casings around his feathers.

 

[Ponypoor]

No pictures as I had my hands full (of rotting peaches).
I delivered a bunch of fallen peaches to the chickens today and Tassels summoned her brood with her 'dinner is on the table' sound. Chippy and Bucky came immediately and started tucking in to peaches.
Cookie and Geronimo however did not respond. They were up high in the butterfly bush, and judging from the size of their crops really did not need peaches!
Tassels however was not happy that they did not immediately come running on her command. She waited to make sure Chippy and Bucky were in the front row of the peach-fest and not being blocked by any of the big ladies, and then she marched out to the butterfly bush and stood under where Cookie and Geronimo were perched and gave them a piece of her mind.
They hopped down and rushed in pretty pronto after that!

At nearly 6 weeks old it is hard to see how these Littles are ever going to be independent because Tassels clearly has no intention of letting them go.
If they ever do get some independence it will be I believe Chippy who leads the rebellion. She is large compared to the others and sometimes stands tall facing Tassels like she is considering challenging her (not a good idea Chippy - she really is a lot bigger than you!).

Not for peaches, but in this video you can hear the ‘dinner is on the table’ sound Tassels make. Sort of a high pitched clicking. She usually starts with a different ‘come over here’ sound which is lower and slower. And as soon as she is certain there are good eats she starts with the sound in this video. It doesn’t matter whether it is something I provide or a bug she finds. Same sound.

My broodies make that sound also; I think Holly is planning on leaving the kids to Georgie. They are spending more time with her. Holly comes running to me when she sees me, and when I pick her up she snuggles in for a nap.

Georgie is still calling the chicks all the time. Maybe Holly if getting jealous of sharing mums attention

 

[bgmathteach]

No pictures as I had my hands full (of rotting peaches).
I delivered a bunch of fallen peaches to the chickens today and Tassels summoned her brood with her 'dinner is on the table' sound. Chippy and Bucky came immediately and started tucking in to peaches.
Cookie and Geronimo however did not respond. They were up high in the butterfly bush, and judging from the size of their crops really did not need peaches!
Tassels however was not happy that they did not immediately come running on her command. She waited to make sure Chippy and Bucky were in the front row of the peach-fest and not being blocked by any of the big ladies, and then she marched out to the butterfly bush and stood under where Cookie and Geronimo were perched and gave them a piece of her mind.
They hopped down and rushed in pretty pronto after that!

At nearly 6 weeks old it is hard to see how these Littles are ever going to be independent because Tassels clearly has no intention of letting them go.
If they ever do get some independence it will be I believe Chippy who leads the rebellion. She is large compared to the others and sometimes stands tall facing Tassels like she is considering challenging her (not a good idea Chippy - she really is a lot bigger than you!).

Not for peaches, but in this video you can hear the ‘dinner is on the table’ sound Tassels make. Sort of a high pitched clicking. She usually starts with a different ‘come over here’ sound which is lower and slower. And as soon as she is certain there are good eats she starts with the sound in this video. It doesn’t matter whether it is something I provide or a bug she finds. Same sound.

I agree with @rural mouse : That sound is very much like a 'tid-bitting' sound a rooster makes to call his hens over because he found a good treat. Universal chicken sound for. 'dinner is here, come and get it!' I love hearing moms and roos make that sound....and with moms, then watching them make sure each chick gets some/eats some of whatever she was tid-bitting about!

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

That’s a lot to take in and I have some thoughts (I am sure others do too), but I am in the middle of chores so just quickly for now:
1) It is great to see you back here and I am glad you have your Mom’s permission. We miss you!
2) Molting. Two of mine lost their tails in the course of a few hours and everyone but two look like a big mess right now.

I’m glad it’s not just mine molting. All three of my agriculture teachers are coming out to my place on Tuesday, and I was planning on being so embarrassed about why my chooks look like they’ve had all their feathers ripped out by foxes and hawks. Now I can defend their hideous state since I am certain that it is molting and that there likely isn’t major picking or lice going around my flocks (although I will pay closer attention and make sure to treat anyone with lice.)

Mom is actually the one who told me that I should talk to Dad about getting back on here. She said I’ve matured since he forced me to get off, (I am still not sure the reason. I’m pretty sure it is because I did a necropsy on a pullet that dropped dead after we went to D.C. and then he called me a psychopath…) and that she would have no problem with me getting back on, it’s just him that might.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

1. Glad you're back with Mom's permission.

2. It is moulting season. They will shed approximately half to 3/4 of their feathers to grow in new ones just in time for winter. When they go through the prickly hedgehog phase, do NOT touch. The feathers growing in can be painful. Once the fan starts spreading out past the pin, they arent as sensitive.

3. Back feathers missing can be moulting or from attentions from the roosters. Hens with lots of ways to get away don't seem bothered by it. Hens who actively try to get away and are caught reluctantly (don't squat, don't raise their tail for the roo) aren't happy and don't like him.

4. Maybe see if you can work out something with your mom where you're on to post 1 evening a week and can get on the next morning or evening just to read responses. Then wait for the next week, taking notes of what you want to share/questions you have so you can put it all together when you're allowed to get back on.

Ah, okay. I’ve very lightly touched the pins to check for lice and mites, but I will make sure to steer clear of their pin feathers. It’s been a while since I have refreshed my poultry knowledge, so I’m glad to know that them looking awful is completely normal. Mom was telling me it was molting season, and I remember one of my chooks molting badly last year, (maybe BBQ?) but I can remember it too well.

There’s no rooster in with my big girls, besides a cockerel who has shown no interest in the hens as far as I can tell. He is terrified of them. But that does make sense. Especially for my Polish and free rangers. Just today I saw my red rooster chase one of the hens for about two minutes before he caught her and I shoved him off her.
I either need to get rid of some roosters, or put more of my hens out there to free range. I did have six roosters out there over the summer, but two are now in my freezer awaiting to be made into stew. I am actually very proud of myself for processing my own chickens… I’ve done it to friends’ chooks before, but never my own.

That is a good idea! If I can’t get back on here daily with my parents permission, I will see if I can make that deal with them.

 

[BY Bob]

No pictures as I had my hands full (of rotting peaches).
I delivered a bunch of fallen peaches to the chickens today and Tassels summoned her brood with her 'dinner is on the table' sound. Chippy and Bucky came immediately and started tucking in to peaches.
Cookie and Geronimo however did not respond. They were up high in the butterfly bush, and judging from the size of their crops really did not need peaches!
Tassels however was not happy that they did not immediately come running on her command. She waited to make sure Chippy and Bucky were in the front row of the peach-fest and not being blocked by any of the big ladies, and then she marched out to the butterfly bush and stood under where Cookie and Geronimo were perched and gave them a piece of her mind.
They hopped down and rushed in pretty pronto after that!

At nearly 6 weeks old it is hard to see how these Littles are ever going to be independent because Tassels clearly has no intention of letting them go.
If they ever do get some independence it will be I believe Chippy who leads the rebellion. She is large compared to the others and sometimes stands tall facing Tassels like she is considering challenging her (not a good idea Chippy - she really is a lot bigger than you!).

Not for peaches, but in this video you can hear the ‘dinner is on the table’ sound Tassels make. Sort of a high pitched clicking. She usually starts with a different ‘come over here’ sound which is lower and slower. And as soon as she is certain there are good eats she starts with the sound in this video. It doesn’t matter whether it is something I provide or a bug she finds. Same sound.

That is so wonderful. She is such a great mum. They will be better for listening to her. Freedom will come soon enough.

It is interesting to note how the other hens allow the littles to eat from their bowl. This does not happen at my place. But I have never had my alpha hen hatch and raise young.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

Awwww poor Athens, you will remember poor Mr P is also bald on his head and just low growing back his feathers. I have had to lock him away from the main flock as some of those bad youngsters have taken to picking a his pin feathers making them bleed like crazy. But his head feathers are growing back and look like Athens at the moment.

I have a bunch losing feathers, tis the time of year. And I have a few hens in need of hen aprons from Mr Little Chicken and Clyde over breeding them. Maybe you and your mum can make up some aprons for the girls of yours that need them.

Ok now on to the serious stuff.

First I am sorry for the loss of your hen, and don’t beat yourself up over not bawling your eyes out over her passing. The older you get and the more life experience you have you will find that you will handle things differently than when when you were younger.

And sad to say but the more experience you have with your pets passing, the more different your emotions will be each time. I would not think of your feelings as being indifferent, think of it as accepting the inevitable.

We all miss you and your chooks here also, if I can make a suggestion. Maybe you can downsize a bit to something more manageable for this point in time. Soon you will likely be going off the college or university, who will care for your flock? I am thinking your parents. Our parents do a lot for us to help us. Maybe you can downsize a bit, that will give you more time with your chooks and also help your parents.

You can explain to you dad that you wish to get back into the chooks more, discuss their care with those only BYC. If you present a mature well organized case for your wanting to become more involved with the chooks maybe he will allow you to get back online.

Mr P the wee bald leprechaun - this was a few weeks ago.
As you can see he is slowly growing his lovely topknot backView attachment 4215699View attachment 4215700View attachment 4215702

The feathers have grown in even more now, I give him a scrooch nightly, with his feathers, to help loosen the casings around his feathers.

I remember you putting green stuff on Mr P’s head once. He’s such a pretty little man.
Question about his comb… none of my Polish have combs. Athens doesn’t, Nemesis didn’t, Philippos (Athens’ kid) doesn’t, and none of my hens do. I’ve even tried searching for their combs in their topknots but have never found them. Do certain colors of polish have combs? All of my Polish mixes have insane combs, some of which are the little devil horns, so it’s made me curious.

I have definitely realized that I have grown numb to animals passing away. I haven’t cried when guineas died (I am down to three and I have owned 22 or something like that in the past four years) or when chickens died. Now, when I was younger I cried. But the past year or so I have been unable to cry. I don’t really mind it, but I do feel upset at myself for not showing any emotion at one of my pet’s deaths.
With BBQ, when I realized she was going to die is when I cried. When she did die though, I was just grateful she was in peace.

I’m either going to downsize, or move a ton of chooks out to free range. My dad actually likes the free rangers, so if I can choose a bunch of hens to put out there, I think it would please us both.
I’ve only lost two free rangers so far, and they’ve been out for a few months. One of them just disappeared (RIP Eli) and then poor Maddison got hit by the car . I might be comfortable enough to put Ruby, Opal, Crystal, Amethyst, Laci, and Butch out there, and maybe some others. I would just hate for them all to just blend in with the others and for their personalities to blur. Especially Ruby and Crystal. But I could put them out there.
It’s something to think about, for sure. My parents have made it very clear that they will be getting rid of every chook when I go off to college. (Maybe not Athens and Bolt if I ask super nicely.)

Dad is pretty stubborn, but I might be able to put together a slideshow to try to convince him.
I just don’t have the time right now. I am very far behind on my Gov class work and am failing the class… badly. What makes it even better is that it’s a college course. Yay me.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I remember you putting green stuff on Mr P’s head once. He’s such a pretty little man.
Question about his comb… none of my Polish have combs. Athens doesn’t, Nemesis didn’t, Philippos (Athens’ kid) doesn’t, and none of my hens do. I’ve even tried searching for their combs in their topknots but have never found them. Do certain colors of polish have combs? All of my Polish mixes have insane combs, some of which are the little devil horns, so it’s made me curious.

I have definitely realized that I have grown numb to animals passing away. I haven’t cried when guineas died (I am down to three and I have owned 22 or something like that in the past four years) or when chickens died. Now, when I was younger I cried. But the past year or so I have been unable to cry. I don’t really mind it, but I do feel upset at myself for not showing any emotion at one of my pet’s deaths.
With BBQ, when I realized she was going to die is when I cried. When she did die though, I was just grateful she was in peace.

I’m either going to downsize, or move a ton of chooks out to free range. My dad actually likes the free rangers, so if I can choose a bunch of hens to put out there, I think it would please us both.
I’ve only lost two free rangers so far, and they’ve been out for a few months. One of them just disappeared (RIP Eli) and then poor Maddison got hit by the car . I might be comfortable enough to put Ruby, Opal, Crystal, Amethyst, Laci, and Butch out there, and maybe some others. I would just hate for them all to just blend in with the others and for their personalities to blur. Especially Ruby and Crystal. But I could put them out there.
It’s something to think about, for sure. My parents have made it very clear that they will be getting rid of every chook when I go off to college. (Maybe not Athens and Bolt if I ask super nicely.)

Dad is pretty stubborn, but I might be able to put together a slideshow to try to convince him.
I just don’t have the time right now. I am very far behind on my Gov class work and am failing the class… badly. What makes it even better is that it’s a college course. Yay me.

One of the great things about chickens is that they don't demand hours and hours of your time every day. Go kill your classes!! (and talk to your teachers - most of them love to have students come to ask them how to dig out of a deep hole.)

 

[RoyalChick]

Ah, okay. I’ve very lightly touched the pins to check for lice and mites, but I will make sure to steer clear of their pin feathers. It’s been a while since I have refreshed my poultry knowledge, so I’m glad to know that them looking awful is completely normal. Mom was telling me it was molting season, and I remember one of my chooks molting badly last year, (maybe BBQ?) but I can remember it too well.

There’s no rooster in with my big girls, besides a cockerel who has shown no interest in the hens as far as I can tell. He is terrified of them. But that does make sense. Especially for my Polish and free rangers. Just today I saw my red rooster chase one of the hens for about two minutes before he caught her and I shoved him off her.
I either need to get rid of some roosters, or put more of my hens out there to free range. I did have six roosters out there over the summer, but two are now in my freezer awaiting to be made into stew. I am actually very proud of myself for processing my own chickens… I’ve done it to friends’ chooks before, but never my own.

That is a good idea! If I can’t get back on here daily with my parents permission, I will see if I can make that deal with them.

It truly is a shocking sight when they molt.
Piglet lost her tail over about 3 hours in the afternoon. I see it beginning to regrow now - but her head and neck are now almost completely naked with just the odd feather sticking up which somehow makes it look worse.
Sylvie is heading to the same place and there are feathers everywhere!