Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I took delivery of a hanging scale like @Ponypoor showed in her video so I am going to start getting weights on everyone over the next few nights.
@Ponypoor - I am sure this is a silly question, but how do you get the chicken in the bag? And more importantly out of the bag?!
I will be doing this at night with my headlamp - only way I can touch anyone really - and normally I get them to stand on my arm from the roost and carry them that way to wherever I am going to treat them or trim them or whatever. I then tuck them under my arm like a football and pin them to my side so they can't flap. I am not quite sure how to get them in a carrier bag without them being upside down!

Stupid question tax: Tassels assembling her crew. That branch is about 4’ off the ground. Only Tassels and Geronimo fly up straight from the ground without using the ladder or the tree stump. Bucky is still outside digging in the leaves.
View attachment 4220275

There are no ‘stupid questions’, and I actually thought of this when I was taping it but forgot to mention.

Most I shove in head first, the smaller and quieter ones I can put in feet first.

Head first: put the bag over top starting at the head and then let them scramble their way upright as you gently lift the bag.

Feet first: roll the sides of the bag down and set on the ground like a bowl, pick up the chooks and put their feet inside the ‘bowl’ and gently pull up the handles keep a hand on their back so they don’t jump out. You can practice this before hand with a can or bag of rice etc from the kitchen - just try am keep the handles out of the rolled sides a bit so you can pull the up.

Whichever ones are quiet do those first. So you get the hang of it. Go slow and if at first you don’t succeed try try try try….. again

 

[featherhead007]

Appetizers spitzlobin. Beautiful birds

Spitzlobin

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh sorry forgot to mention I came home with some construction adhesive - I replaced the lids on my septic tank with those septic risers - no more digging up the lawn next time.

Spoiler: Yep like these

Spoiler: Oh sorry I didn’t take photos of the new septic tank lids - what is this?

Now where did these two come from? More hijackers! I was terrified I tell you terrified!

They hopped into Ol Blue and told me ‘floor it, Hooman, we’re busting out!’

So what’s a gal to do ??? So I floored it! Scary aren’t they

 

[featherhead007]

There are no ‘stupid questions’, and I actually thought of this when I was taping it but forgot to mention.

Most I shove in head first, the smaller and quieter ones I can put in feet first.

Head first: put the bag over top starting at the head and then let them scramble their way upright as you gently lift the bag.

Feet first: roll the sides of the bag down and set on the ground like a bowl, pick up the chooks and put their feet inside the ‘bowl’ and gently pull up the handles keep a hand on their back so they don’t jump out. You can practice this before hand with a can or bag of rice etc from the kitchen - just try am keep the handles out of the rolled sides a bit so you can pull the up.

Whichever ones are quiet do those first. So you get the hang of it. Go slow and if at first you don’t succeed try try try try….. again

I know exactly how you feel!
I came on this internet site, trying to order a pizza. I never got that pizza! But I stayed, and found this room. That’s when Phyllis was the star of the show. That’s when my lovely rooster BLU saw me typing, and fell in love with her! An impossible relationship! I actually even made flight plans and checked vectors to bring him to see Phyllis (after all, they were both Polish)’

Oh sorry forgot to mention I came home with some construction adhesive - I replaced the lids on my septic tank with those septic risers - no more digging up the lawn next time.

Spoiler: Yep like these

Spoiler: Oh sorry I didn’t take photos of the new septic tank lids - what is this?

Now where did these two come from? More hijackers! I was terrified I tell you terrified!

They hopped into Ol Blue and told me ‘floor it, Hooman, we’re busting out!’

So what’s a gal to do ??? So I floored it! Scary aren’t they

View attachment 4220332View attachment 4220333View attachment 4220334

Smart move! Now you have better access to your

 

[Ponypoor]

FYI

Apparently there is a software update for the site tomorrow - has anyone heard this?

Starting at 7am PDT, approx 4 hrs to completely.

Thread '2025-09 BYC Update Thread '
https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/2025-09-byc-update-thread.45017/

 

[featherhead007]

FYI

Apparently there is a software update for the site tomorrow - has anyone heard this?

Starting at 7am PDT, approx 4 hrs to completely.

Thread '2025-09 BYC Update Thread '
https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/2025-09-byc-update-thread.45017/

Oh my God, no access to BYC , because of an lmnopqrstuvwxyz update?
What will I do with myself in the meantime?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Roo worry.
As I ponder the fate of little Chippy I looked up the standards for a Speckled Suspect Rooster. Meyer hatchery lists 9lb for a mature roo. OMG!!!
That is huge. Piglet weighs 3lb sopping wet! Actually I need to weigh her once she is done molting.
I know any rooster can injure any hen and it is all about how rough he is, and we hope he will be schooled by Tassels and Calypso who are decent sized hens, but does anyone think a 3X weight differential might be too much even if he is well mannered?
I am worried about poor Piglet and Pooh and not getting them stressed or injured and I think Cookie might end up the same sort of size as Piglet.
View attachment 4219530

I'll echo others and say I too have come across wide variations in male & female stated weight ranges among hatcheries and breeders and online information sites. My two cents on it - did others say this? - is that honest evaluations of certain breeds would differ on the same breed due to different breed lines developed, such as dual-purpose lines favoring meat over egg production. Also I think @bgmathteach pointed out the "heritage" lines tend to be bigger.

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh my God, no access to BYC , because of an lmnopqrstuvwxyz update?
What will I do with myself in the meantime?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I am sure I will be busy at work

 

[RoyalChick]

There are no ‘stupid questions’, and I actually thought of this when I was taping it but forgot to mention.

Most I shove in head first, the smaller and quieter ones I can put in feet first.

Head first: put the bag over top starting at the head and then let them scramble their way upright as you gently lift the bag.

Feet first: roll the sides of the bag down and set on the ground like a bowl, pick up the chooks and put their feet inside the ‘bowl’ and gently pull up the handles keep a hand on their back so they don’t jump out. You can practice this before hand with a can or bag of rice etc from the kitchen - just try am keep the handles out of the rolled sides a bit so you can pull the up.

Whichever ones are quiet do those first. So you get the hang of it. Go slow and if at first you don’t succeed try try try try….. again

THANK YOU!
It was way easier than I expected and easier than my flat digital scale. Well the flat scale is perfect for weighing Tassels when she is broody because she just settles herself down on it in the hope it will hatch!
Anyway, I weighed Pooh and Calypso this evening. Piglet and Sylvie are little porcupines so I will wait on them, and Tassels looked like she was not going to accept me grabbing a chick. I might be brave enough to do that tomorrow.
Here is what I got:
Calypso: 2.6kg = 5.6lb
Pooh: 2.2kg = 4.93lb

Pooh looks the same size as Piglet and they are the same breed, so maybe Piglet is heavier than I was thinking. Pooh is very dense for her size!

Tax: this is why Pooh is so dense, she is constantly showing off her skills with the rat proof feeder - she uses is much more than anyone else (though you can see Sylvie in the background using the second feeder).

Hope the BYC software update allows us all back in tomorrow as I have some nice mugshots to share for Monday!

 

[Ponypoor]

I'll echo others and say I too have come across wide variations in male & female stated weight ranges among hatcheries and breeders and online information sites. My two cents on it - did others say this? - is that honest evaluations of certain breeds would differ on the same breed due to different breed lines developed, such as dual-purpose lines favoring meat over egg production. Also I think @bgmathteach pointed out the "heritage" lines tend to be bigger.

And unless you’re breeding for showing then size/weight is going to be all over the place.

Just because the breed standards say it should be something doesn’t mean every single one wi be this way.

Most standards will read as a range (ie Roos 7 to 9 lbs), along with what they should look like.

Ok all have a lovely evening, it’s been and eventful day, and I am tired. New septic tank risers and hijacked by crazy chooks!

Pony Sunday
The trees are slow to turn colour this year

Look at that sky! It didn’t stay sunny though. It’s a thunderstorm out there at the moment - very late in the year for that.