Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ikslo]

Poor Twister is just not feeling well it seems. I have tried to temp her with some fish which she turned her nose up at.

I gave the fish to Marty who is doing wonderful BTW, I think she is now moulting also, but she has been digging around and acting more normal. The fish went over real well! Even Mr P ate from my hand and he never does that! I was absolutely thrilled he did that. Of course he then have it to the girls - silly boy!

View attachment 4223250

He is starting to look glorious again - another thing I am thrilled about, his topknot growing back.


Hmmmm look who has once again escaped. That Laverne is going to drive me nuts!

View attachment 4223251

Better go drag her butt out of the paddock before she gets hurt by a horse or something.

Feel better, Twister!

 

[Ponypoor]

That's only 16 out of 44 (plus the boys) - not counting the littles, so that means the rest are younger and still laying fairly regularly....I think you are just trying to talk yourself into some chicken math (which is okay - nothing wrong with that!)

I have a bunch who will be 3 and not laying as much; I have a bunch of egg clients so maybe I can keep them in eggs. Likely not though, I will definitely not get as much eggs next year.

So I will be letting some of my customers go, and as my flock ages I will stop selling eggs. Just keep enough for myself.

 

[Sally PB]

I bet I'll be buying eggs next week or the week after. I have 3 that might yet be laying, based on how red their combs are. One of those three had a feather explosion last night, so I think she has joined the molters and might be done for the season.

Of my 8 hens, 3 are five years old, 2 are four years old, and 3 will be three years old next May. I'm thinking I need to get chicks next spring.

Enable me, someone! Please!

 

[Ponypoor]

I bet I'll be buying eggs next week or the week after. I have 3 that might yet be laying, based on how red their combs are. One of those three had a feather explosion last night, so I think she has joined the molters and might be done for the season.

Of my 8 hens, 3 are five years old, 2 are four years old, and 3 will be three years old next May. I'm thinking I need to get chicks next spring.

Enable me, someone! Please!

I dub you ‘ Enabled’

Go forth and perform chicken math

 

[Ponypoor]

I bet I'll be buying eggs next week or the week after. I have 3 that might yet be laying, based on how red their combs are. One of those three had a feather explosion last night, so I think she has joined the molters and might be done for the season.

Of my 8 hens, 3 are five years old, 2 are four years old, and 3 will be three years old next May. I'm thinking I need to get chicks next spring.

Enable me, someone! Please!

Buttercup is just dropping feathers everywhere as she walks! I hauled a handful off to help her out but so many of them! I gave up, best I could do was help with her tail feathers. Those don’t get up in my nose and eyes!

 

[rural mouse]

I bet I'll be buying eggs next week or the week after. I have 3 that might yet be laying, based on how red their combs are. One of those three had a feather explosion last night, so I think she has joined the molters and might be done for the season.

Of my 8 hens, 3 are five years old, 2 are four years old, and 3 will be three years old next May. I'm thinking I need to get chicks next spring.

Enable me, someone! Please!

Meet up with Jenn.

 

[bgmathteach]

I bet I'll be buying eggs next week or the week after. I have 3 that might yet be laying, based on how red their combs are. One of those three had a feather explosion last night, so I think she has joined the molters and might be done for the season.

Of my 8 hens, 3 are five years old, 2 are four years old, and 3 will be three years old next May. I'm thinking I need to get chicks next spring.

Enable me, someone! Please!

That sounds about right! How much space do you have for them? (i.e. how many chickens can you comfortably house?)

If you can house a dozen or more, I would get 3 this coming spring...... and maybe 3 every other year? Unfortunately, you will lose some.... ?maybe 3 every other year is reasonable? Or maybe every 3rd year, meaning this year coming up is year 3.....????

I have lot of chickens, and do process some of my older girls...but I get a few chicks early every spring so they are laying when my older girls start to molt and stop. Plus, I always have a few broodies who hatch some for me, too (but those are straight run...any extra roos go to freezer camp)

I have to say, I have been bad about culling - last year I only did a few, so, unfortunately, I have a lot to do this year it is always a sad day. I will have 12-15 girls, plus a few young boys (but most of the boys are still very young, hatched only in July or early August, so those will be sent to freezer camp in the winter...late Dec or early Jan.). Between the few I lost when the pine fell, and the freezer camp candidates, it brings me down to 80-85ish, which is my 'winter carrying load' (what I am comfortable having when they really can't free range - due to snow and short days - except on weekends. Yes, I do shovel a bit for them, but it isn't the same as when the ground is bare.

@BY Bob , @RoyalChick & all - no worries, I will be keeping my 'Crop Girl (she is 8.5 now), and 'Friend', who is 7.5....plus a number who are broodies. Really, they don't even come close to paying for their feed, never mind bedding, repairs, etc!!!! I don't know what I will do upon retirement - I really AM working to feed/house them atm!! I will be increasing my egg prices next month - that should help so maybe they will (over the course of the year) with the new price cover their feed (not for the winter months, though!). I tell my husband that they are cheaper than paying for therapy, but he doesn't really buy that!!

 

[drstratton]

I bet I'll be buying eggs next week or the week after. I have 3 that might yet be laying, based on how red their combs are. One of those three had a feather explosion last night, so I think she has joined the molters and might be done for the season.

Of my 8 hens, 3 are five years old, 2 are four years old, and 3 will be three years old next May. I'm thinking I need to get chicks next spring.

Enable me, someone! Please!

We had to place a minimum order of 25, so I ordered 2 of each variety I was interested in... oh wait that's 26!
Hubs said we'd need to rehome some as we don't have enough room in the coop. He knew by my quiet non response and stubborn look that he lost that argument! There's plenty of room in the coop!

You need more Sally!

 

[Ikslo]

Darn it! Just lost a long post. Basically: now have eight layers, Wheaten Marans #2 Laverne’s is speckled, just like Ozzy’s, rather than dark brown. Their eggs look identical. Still gettin dark brown from Shirley. Two speckled in same day, different nests, and we saw who laid what. The egg shown is from Laverne, not Ozzy, though, because stinker Ozzy keeps laying behind a bench on concrete and today it cracked. So will need to remedy that.

 

[bgmathteach]

Darn it! Just lost a long post. Basically: now have eight layers, Wheaten Marans #2 Laverne’s is speckled, just like Ozzy’s, rather than dark brown. Their eggs look identical. Still gettin dark brown from Shirley. Two speckled in same day, different nests, and we saw who laid what. The egg shown is from Laverne, not Ozzy, though, because stinker Ozzy keeps laying behind a bench on concrete and today it cracked. So will need to remedy that.

View attachment 4223462View attachment 4223461View attachment 4223463

Gorgeous!!! (both the girls and the eggs!)