Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

OMG, the facebook group rabbit hole just bit me in the butt. Finalizing details now.

The last 48 hours been on a secret mission, still in the works.
I took a break from searching and simply was scrolling through my feed and a local post caught my eye. As in local within 5 minutes of my work. I should not have inquired, but I did. Price is perfect, age is perfect and they are willing to drop her off at the Diner. They are also willing to sell separately from the 2 cockerels. I do not need her, but, well, she comes home Friday.
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Yay! A Polish - welcome to the Polish club

 

[knoturavggrl]

Suspect Or jubilee Orps?

Neither actually, they are Bantam Calico Cochins

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Yay! A Polish - welcome to the Polish club

I do not know what I'm thinking. Actually I do, George's loss has hit me harder then I realized. I miss the hairdo, I miss the strut that Polish walk with. That swagger and pizzazz. You cannot tell me Polish do not walk different, I've saw it. High stepping and so fancy. I've saw several listed close by, all cockerels or roosters. I've been tempted, I just cannot take on another rooster without rehoming one of my current cockerels which I'm unwilling to do. This is the first pullet I've saw posted and when I saw the location I had to enquire. I really thought they would be unwilling to sell separately. When they readily agreed and then offered to drop her off at my work Friday evening as they only live 5 minutes away, it's fate. She is 4 1/2 almost 5 months old so maybe will start laying by the end of October.

Rosie was snooping over my shoulder as we were discussing arrangements. She's claiming her and already named her. Saturday I will officially introduce you all to "Inky". After quarantining she will live with the silkies.

 

[RoyalChick]

You have a bear. Specifically a black bear. They're the smallest bear in North America (90-280ish pounds) and are smart....can even manipulate things. Make sure food is cleaned up, stored in containers in the garage with everything closed. Windows should be closed also. Any easy access food is a bonus. Easy food: chicken feed (or a chicken sleeping out), dog/cat food, trash can contents, etc. If you have a plastic dumpster with a flip open lid, keep it inside the garage except on trash day. A bungy cord over the lid is easily cut with those claws or teeth. The claws are 1-2 inches long.

This time of year, they're looking for places to den up to hibernate for the winter. Something to bear in mind (no pun intended), is that in warmer areas, they may NOT hibernate during the winter.

DS saw one climb over a guardrail on his way to work last week. First one any of us have seen in the 8 years here. At our previous home, 1 wandered INTO the high school. It also wandered out again. Kids stayed in class until it left the building, with adults monitoring from the other end of the hall. No one was hurt, including the bear. Respect the bear's space and it will usually do the same.

Typically bears are more afraid of people than people are of them. Make noise and give it space. Don't come around a corner quietly. As long as it hears you coming, it will probably move off in the opposite direction.

Oh, and black bears CAN climb trees (and other things). They climb very well.

We have a lot of bears. I see one close to the house every 2-3 years but there are signs most years.
Out town issues instructions about bears to everyone when they send out the tax notices each year. One piece of advice that always makes me laugh is to bang two saucepan lids together. Bears really don’t like noise. But am I likely to have two saucepan lids on me when I am outside doing chores?!
Bear tax:

 

[featherhead007]

Neither actually, they are Bantam Calico Cochins

Any friend of Cochin is a friend of mine!

 

[Sylvester017]

@Sylvester017 I'm the one with the tolbunt pair.
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Megamind
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He's gonna be a looker for sure
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Misty (and Cinnabun)View attachment 4221874
Delft is a mother
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The two eggs from Chocolate hatched. Cemani orpingtons, Riddick is 100% the father haha.
The egg Delft laid was unzipping when I checked as well.

Yes, I misspoke on Ponypoor's Polish but I had already posted & didn't bother to edit.

Good job Delft Fun to see those Riddick babies grow. So far so good w/ that dark skin. Now the gender quiz begins

 

[featherhead007]

The ones to worry about are the very young just separated from mama (happens I spring though) and very old bears. Those are the ones that become nuisance bears and can become dangerous.

If you can get electric fencing I would put that up around your animals. That’s about the only thing to keep out bears.

Bear tax
My wall sitters - I really wish they would learn to go into the hen house to roost.
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You really had to bear your soul to post that one didn’t you? Kel

 

[Sylvester017]

No wattles Wednesday!
I finally got some pictures of Bucky. Isn’t she pretty?! No wattles. Definitely a girl right?
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LOVE the rounded ends of her straight tail feathers... let me know if I won

 

[Sylvester017]

The ones to worry about are the very young just separated from mama (happens I spring though) and very old bears. Those are the ones that become nuisance bears and can become dangerous.

If you can get electric fencing I would put that up around your animals. That’s about the only thing to keep out bears.

Bear tax
My wall sitters - I really wish they would learn to go into the hen house to roost.
View attachment 4221956

Fluffy butt Friday already? How many days have I missed?!

 

[rural mouse]

We have a lot of bears. I see one close to the house every 2-3 years but there are signs most years.
Out town issues instructions about bears to everyone when they send out the tax notices each year. One piece of advice that always makes me laugh is ti bang two faucet lids together. Bears really don’t like noise. But am I likely to have two saucepan lids on me when I am outside doing chores?!
Bear tax:
View attachment 4221967

A couple of sticks, a stick and a rock, a stick and a piece of metal.....useful reason for keeping tin cans (well washed) mount on a post/branch/wall/fence, and leave a stick close to each. Bear wanders in, snatch the stick and start drumming. The metal doesn't sound quite natural to a bear's ears and they can be scattered all over as mini drums. Metal wind chimes can be scattered about too...