Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

@RoyalChick

After some reading yesterday and today I get the sense that the likely hood of Chippy being a male has sent you into a mild panic. Being that you have never had a rooster before, and seeing how everyone has horror stories about the bad boys it is understandable.

Please my friend, take a step back and breathe.

Now that's out of the way, let's asses the situation calmly. While it is highly suspected and a good chance that Chippy is a boy, it is not yet confirmed. At any rate, at 6 weeks old he should be receiving the very same treatment as any other chick. You stated he was curious with you and came up to say hi and have a blueberry. Boy or girl, well done that is a start with taming the broody reared gang. As far as Chippy goes Blueberries are going to be your friend, invest in them. You could also try other sorts of treats to tempt him and the others. All chickens are different. Some enjoy fresh fruit or tomatoes, mine prefer dried fruit such as raisins and craisins. I'm proud to say dried mango's may be the key to my little Juice's heart, he ate out of my hand today.

I saw that you are worried about the potential size Chippy will become. In my experience with hatchery stock they will not reach the upper end of the size range. He may be taller which will give the illusion that he is larger then he actually is. Let's just say he ends up being in the 5 to 6lb range. That is really not too large for 3lb piglet.

I will say it is good that you are reading up on Shad's article on roosters. Many of us on here also have roosters and will be available if and when you have questions.

I honestly feel if you can go into the next year with a open mind about Chippy you and your flock will be rewarded in the long run. After that first year he will bring a stability in your flock that you very well may not even realize is missing.

For now to quote our dear bob who has told many of us during this chick phase, "Enjoy this time with them".

As for names for Chippy, he could become Chip. He may be a Sir Lancelot or Arthur or Merlin or Zeus for that matter. No need for a name change just yet while he is still questionable. If a name change is indeed in order take your time and watch him. Try a few options out, he will reveal to you who he truly is.

You are a sweetheart and I will lean on you heavily for advice. But don’t worry too much about me. I don’t really panic, what I do is worry through things a lot.
I am sure I over think, but it is my way of processing. And it prepares me for whatever actually comes to pass.
I won’t do anything rash and I am enjoying the time with him. He is an endearing little chap and yesterday he took a bite of peach I was holding out for him. Tassels however didn’t approve of that fraternizing and prefers he take the peach from her beak so she scolded us both!
Actually I sense a subtle change in Tassels - she no longer gives 100% of the treats to the babies - she sometimes sneaks a bite for herself.
The other ladies sense this change too and are more willing to lunge at a chick who comes close when they are eating. More pecking and shrieking is going on but nothing serious. Tassels chases off the perpetrator of the pecks but previously she didn’t even let them get that close. I think she is very slowly relaxing her grip!
Your comment is reassuring about weight - that was something I was seriously worried about when I read the standards. Also ratio of hens to roosters - but with 8 hens I might be OK on that. And before you all chime in, yes I know the solution to that is more hens!

Panic tax:

 

[Marie2020]

Sap can be cut with vegetable oil. Or baby oil. I had to use to use vegetable oil to remove one of my birds from a sticky mouse trap.

Olive oil work on my old dog when he got messed up with a sticky mouse trap

 

[Marie2020]

Caturday. These were the resident cat and kitten from where I was staying.
View attachment 4219779View attachment 4219778

That black and white cat was called mauri. He was more like the Mama cat. He always made sure the little ones ate and they loved snuggles from him.

 

[Marie2020]

“Sticky, and hard to get rid of”
(Sounds like my ex wife)

How dare you call me sticky

 

[rural mouse]

You are a sweetheart and I will lean on you heavily for advice. But don’t worry too much about me. I don’t really panic, what I do is worry through things a lot.
I am sure I over think, but it is my way of processing. And it prepares me for whatever actually comes to pass.
I won’t do anything rash and I am enjoying the time with him. He is an endearing little chap and yesterday he took a bite of peach I was holding out for him. Tassels however didn’t approve of that fraternizing and prefers he take the peach from her beak so she scolded us both!
Actually I sense a subtle change in Tassels - she no longer gives 100% of the treats to the babies - she sometimes sneaks a bite for herself.
The other ladies sense this change too and are more willing to lunge at a chick who comes close when they are eating. More pecking and shrieking is going on but nothing serious. Tassels chases off the perpetrator of the pecks but previously she didn’t even let them get that close. I think she is very slowly relaxing her grip!
Your comment is reassuring about weight - that was something I was seriously worried about when I read the standards. Also ratio of hens to roosters - but with 8 hens I might be OK on that. And before you all chime in, yes I know the solution to that is more hens!

Panic tax:
View attachment 4219996

Shad's ratio is something like 3-5 per roo, but that's ranging. My set up is similar except I have 1 large coop, not a series of small coops for individual groups. I don't know of that's the reason for the fluidity between hens (A, B, and C go off together with roo 1. F and G join them. B migrates over to join D, E, and H dustbathing under the supervision of Roo 2, while I and J nap in the shade close by...etc) or other stuff I haven't observed yet. Babies tend to run in groups, cockerels branching off, until pullets are getting close to laying. Hens tend to push pullets away until they ACTUALLY lay.

As an aside/behavior demo, Matilda may have gotten hurt in her tree escape the other day. Friday, at coop close she was missing. Started checking trees for her, couldn't find. Closed the coop, started towards the house, the realized Bijou wasn't with me. Back to coop to make sure she wasn't locked in. No Bijou, but found Matilda snuggled in corner under nest boxes. Last night Cheetah was snuggled in there with her like Whiskey did with Twirp. I set the egg basket with lantern down caught her and did an touch inspection right there with her speeches on the basket/handle. No blood, no flinched, legs seem good, only "swelling" full crop, so I set her back down next to Cheetah. He had stood up and watched the whole process, but stayed put. They snuggled back down. Well see how she is today. Whiskey and Tuff were roosting above me as were the cockerels. I didn't try to hide my actions but tried to keep them in the "concerned" sort of thing. The guys, while sleepy, all watched alertly, but trusted me to give her back. Dunno of my taking Thing 2 way "blind" and bringing her back "cured" (crest trim) contributed to that or not. Whiskey wouldn't leave Twirp inside without him when she was shocky, but she was ready to go with him, so I let her. I have leftovers for today, including a few shrimp. Matilda's name is on one of those. Will be able to do some observation then...I hope....Bijou likes to follow...I may have to go out the other side of the house....

 

[RoyalChick]

Shad's ratio is something like 3-5 per roo, but that's ranging. My set up is similar except I have 1 large coop, not a series of small coops for individual groups. I don't know of that's the reason for the fluidity between hens (A, B, and C go off together with roo 1. F and G join them. B migrates over to join D, E, and H dustbathing under the supervision of Roo 2, while I and J nap in the shade close by...etc) or other stuff I haven't observed yet. Babies tend to run in groups, cockerels branching off, until pullets are getting close to laying. Hens tend to push pullets away until they ACTUALLY lay.

As an aside/behavior demo, Matilda may have gotten hurt in her tree escape the other day. Friday, at coop close she was missing. Started checking trees for her, couldn't find. Closed the coop, started towards the house, the realized Bijou wasn't with me. Back to coop to make sure she wasn't locked in. No Bijou, but found Matilda snuggled in corner under nest boxes. Last night Cheetah was snuggled in there with her like Whiskey did with Twirp. I set the egg basket with lantern down caught her and did a touch inspection right there with her speeches on the basket/handle. No blood, no flinched, legs seem good, only "swelling" full crop, so I set her back down next to Cheetah. He had stood up and watched the whole process, but stayed put. They snuggled back down. Well see how she is today. Whiskey and Tuff were roosting above me as were the cockerels. I didn't try to hide my actions but tried to keep them in the "concerned" sort of thing. The guys, while sleepy, all watched alertly, but trusted me to give her back. Dunno of my taking Thing 2 way "blind" and bringing her back "cured" (crest trim) contributed to that or not. Whiskey wouldn't leave Twirp inside without him when she was shocky, but she was ready to go with him, so I let her. I have leftovers for today, including a few shrimp. Matilda's name is on one of those. Will be able to do some observation then...I hope....Bijou likes to follow...I may have to go out the other side of the house....

Hope Matilda is OK and she learns to come into the coop to roost in future!
Mind you, if getting into trouble in a tree gets you a dedicated shrimp in the morning, you may find her more determined than ever!

Over the years I have been planting and encouraging shrub cover around the Chicken Palace. I am sure you have all seen the pictures of them hiding in the butterfly bush. The other day a hawk flew over and Pooh sheltered in my living gazebo which made me very happy.
Anyway, I have been pondering for a while whether to do away with the electric fence and let them truly free range. I am a bit torn because they don’t really use the full extent of the fenced area and the foxes and coyotes clearly respect the perimeter. But maybe having a rooster will be what tips me over into doing that. Or maybe I will wait until the fence breaks because really it would be a pain to store!

Tax: underneath the butterfly bush

 

[rural mouse]

Hope Matilda is OK and she learns to come into the coop to roost in future!
Mind you, if getting into trouble in a tree gets you a dedicated shrimp in the morning, you may find her more determined than ever!

Over the years I have been planting and encouraging shrub cover around the Chicken Palace. I am sure you have all seen the pictures of them hiding in the butterfly bush. The other day a hawk flew over and Pooh sheltered in my living gazebo which made me very happy.
Anyway, I have been pondering for a while whether to do away with the electric fence and let them truly free range. I am a bit torn because they don’t really use the full extent of the fenced area and the foxes and coyotes clearly respect the perimeter. But maybe having a rooster will be what tips me over into doing that. Or maybe I will wait until the fence breaks because really it would be a pain to store!

Tax: underneath the butterfly bush
View attachment 4220017

That sounds like a decision for some time next year when you've been able to observe adult behavior and have mostly gotten past the idiot phase.

 

[RoyalChick]

That sounds like a decision for some time next year when you've been able to observe adult behavior and have mostly gotten past the idiot phase.

Yes. Am in no rush on that, particularly after all the effort I put in this growing season to stop weeds shorting out the fence!

 

[Ponypoor]

I’m surrounded by pine trees. The evergreen types don’t shed their needles, pacific pines shed. The kinds you buy for the holidays, shes badly (even planted in the yard) ask my rooster which ones are best, because he hides his ladies underneath them.
Ive been hanging out with Mr Wyandottey today.View attachment 4219913

The ones that shed their needles (leaves) are called Tamarack (also called Larch), and around here Hemlock. The wood on the Hemlock is very hard I use it in the barn for stalls.

The White pines and other true conifer trees will shed old needles but keep the new ones. The new needles are the ones that will drip pine pitch (sap) - makes a sticky mess but yes great places for the chooks to hide out!

 

[Ponypoor]

Yes. Am in no rush on that, particularly after all the effort I put in this growing season to stop weeds shorting out the fence!

Roundup - spray along the fence line and it will keep the vegitation away.

Leave it 24 hrs before turning livestock (chickens, horses) out.