Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Maybe try putting the rat trap on the ‘path’ where you see it going a lot? Or put the food away in a rat proof bin or shed or something at nights. That way the only food is in the rat trap!

The rat comes out from under that plywood I have leaning against the wall there, I really need to remove the plywood I guess.

I also need to strip out the bedding from that pen, the chooks have spilt their feed on the ground which, while gives them all something to do scratching around, also tows in the vermin.

All their food containers I close up and I dump their water so there is no water available and the only food is what the chickens don’t find scratching around.

I have tried many different food types in the traps but nothing is a favourite for them. Dratted creatures!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I agree with @rural mouse : as many obstacles as possible, no corners for him to catch her. I think that it is really, really good that the BOs are standing up to him to protects her....and it seems like Diane-Ida is willing to 'push him away'. GOOD, GOOD, GOOD! I know you want to integrate them, but could you keep the door between the two areas closed first thing in the morning...and then closed it up again early evening - to keep them separated during the worst part of the day (hormonally speaking)?

I think that if the B.O.s will defend her, they WILL get a good thumping or two in, and that will go a long ways towards teaching him manners. I think if you are able to monitor some (from a distance)...to be sure she is being defended....and see if they do actually thump him good...not just runs away...I think things will then settle down some. But, again, he needs to be thumped a time or two (or three!), not just chased/pushed off for him to learn his lesson.

And, yes, the boys mature faster than the girls, hence why he is interested in Hazel - she is mature, and less a threat to him then the BOs...easiest 'adult' target.

I think what RM (correct me if I am wrong, @rural mouse ) meant is if he wins Hazel over, then the others will fall in line and be his, too. Truth is, though, while it might help some, he actually has to work for EACH hen for them to become his. (Well, some hens will just fall beaks over spurs for a roo....no telling about taste for some!) but most need to be 'woo-ed' and have the roo show them he will be a good provider and look-out and escort.

My internet has been troublesome for a few days so I haven't been on...lots to catch up!

Haven't seen any thumpings at all in several days. Unless they are already together, which is happening a lot now, Hazel will run to one or more BO's and Shehnai won't go further after her once she's standing in with them.

This morning he caught her in the run, or she gave up - she wasn't trapped, I saw them after he caught her. He mounted her while she strenuously objected, and I don't think her tail was up.

The run build required me to move the big coop, so I did try a fence of sorts, first one Hazel could see through it and was getting trapped against it by Shehnai yesterday; second one somehow Annie got out of this morning so they were separated and a little upset. They seemed to not like the inability to go where they wanted yesterday, like up into the rhododendron bushes. So instead I made visual blocks between the main run and the aviary area that are working somewhat. All the doorways and passages are open now.

From a couple of days ago, there are more blocks now -

Hazels preferred hidey -corner

And then the view opposite is the big coop where Shehnai was hanging out a lot. Once Hazel saw he wasn’t visible and he couldn’t see her she eased up a lot.

that is exactly what I think he is fumbling his way through. In addition, I think Diane will step into leader shoes one day (source of her biting you is higher authority attempting to correct behavior of lower ranks when the stare isn't being respected: she sees you as a flock member violating flock rules). If that's actually what is going on, expect a knock down brawl between her and hormonal idiots (both currently and in future). She is likely 2nd in command and the current enforcer.

Not arguing exactly but the leader role is far out of her reaches right now, though it could be in the future - Diane is bottom ranking, but definitely thinks she shouldn’t be. Both Annie and Tedi successfully correct her. She does seem to be campaigning for the lieutenant job in multiple ways (hanging & foraging with Hazel, the most willing to push Shehnai away, actual fighting with Shehnai prior to this week).

They (pullets) should scream for help which should bring the BO over and set him up for sneak attacks all round. Once the hatch mates start laying, they'll probably be willing to crouch for him simply because they grew up with him. Once they're crouching, he should settle down some just because he has an outlet for the hormones. The older ladies should make him court them and will take a while. Once the hormonal outlet gets going, he'll be able to recognize the need to court and should start that on his own....probably with his hatchmates first. The older ladies will watch for a while. If he's tidbitting over every blade of grass, pebble, and twig, they'll be more stand offish. You can aid him in the tidbitting (once you see him trying to) by giving him a bit of walnut or a blueberry or other choice thing and letting him call the ladies. In doing that, withhold more treats until the first is consumed. Repeat for a few before distribution to all and sundry.

Shehnai is harassing and dominating the pullets but I don't see any attempts at mounting or grabbing necks.

The pullets screams don’t inspire any BO’s to action either. Maybe because they aren't laying? The BO's are only concerned with Hazel and go with her according to her wishes or do their own thing and come over when she calls. There may have been more physical fighting prior, as now Shehnai is totally afraid of them. Hazel, if she's alone, runs to them if she can when Shehnai comes around.

Tidbitting? Very cute to see - a BO was growling this morning, Tedi I think, advancing and trying to push Shehnai off, and he was backing up from her with hackles raised, but then suddenly he was picking at the ground and picking up a weedy stem and dropping it a few times, tidbitting for her I think! Then he ran away. First time I've seen what really looks like tidbitting!

Yes, the rest of the ladies will be more likely to cooperate with him if Hazel does. He still has to court each one, though.

Definitely sounds like patrol duties. Integration is definitely there when they're all hanging out napping/bathing close enough together for sentinel to be able to watch over all at once. You should see/hear him pause and crow periodically through resting periods like that. "All's well!" If you see him dustbathing, take a look around to note which hen(s) is(are) standing watch. Those ladies have accepted him at least provisionally as a rooster flock member. His status is still subject to change depending upon his behavior, but it does mean they're looking out on his behalf not as "red alert, the brat is coming for us".

No crowing yet, I’m waiting!

I did see a couple pullets standing by him when he was snuggling down into the litter which may have been a dust bath. Not clear yet what that was.

A bit upsetting to see was that some pullets are following his lead and joined in with pecks and jumps when she ran by them while he was chasing her. This morning I saw a pullet run after her briefly. It must appear to them that he is driving her away.

He’s all over the place behaviorally. He acts like he used to act, an average chicken, and then seems to get waves of antsy-ness and he’ll charge at a pullet who usually runs. Sometimes a standoff ensues with everyone’s hackles raised, sometimes he’s jumping at them, and they’re screaming and running. But then this pullet action is like a preview to try for Hazel and he goes looking for her.

Here below is a quiet time not long after chasing Hazel, she knew he was sort of “safe” for awhile though she’s not relaxed. The two groups were remarkably close. It is noticeable that the groups aren’t mixing like they used to. The pullets stay generally near Shehnai, and the BO’s with Hazel. They did relax together in a sense, but with the main run wire separating them, mid-day yesterday.

While I was working day before yesterday - the Littles group on left, Bigs group on right, with Hazel using the BO’s (and the cinder block) as blockers

Our boy

A couple pullets relaxing on perches, they find that up on things is definitely better!

The BO's & Hazel's butt

 

[rural mouse]

There’s me talking about us having no rats, I go outside and find a rat hole that was dug last night under the concrete slab we have the chicken waterer on! I guess it’s eating the eggshells I have for the chickens calcium. I can’t put it out in the open because of the crows and I can’t hide it because of the rats. One of our cats had a dig at the rat hole but gave up as obviously the rat is safe deep down. It will be up to the rat traps, if it doesn’t move on tonight after being disturbed. When we had rats under the coop they were there for a bit before I noticed and then I went out at night put the cat on one side and I pushed a stick under from the other. Walked round to see how the cat was doing just in time to see her pull it out and the rat run in the wall just as she had it! We have black cat rat trap and another one they are very good quality. Now I’m wishing I had a trail cam sort of thing to see if the rat is using the treadle feeder.

Dry ice packed into the rat hole can work, especially if you can block the other entrances

 

[RoyalChick]

Dry ice packed into the rat hole can work, especially if you can block the other entrances

Yup. I think I got several that way.

 

[rural mouse]

My internet has been troublesome for a few days so I haven't been on...lots to catch up!

Haven't seen any thumpings at all in several days. Unless they are already together, which is happening a lot now, Hazel will run to one or more BO's and Shehnai won't go further after her once she's standing in with them.

This morning he caught her in the run, or she gave up - she wasn't trapped, I saw them after he caught her. He mounted her while she strenuously objected, and I don't think her tail was up.

The run build required me to move the big coop, so I did try a fence of sorts, first one Hazel could see through it and was getting trapped against it by Shehnai yesterday; second one somehow Annie got out of this morning so they were separated and a little upset. They seemed to not like the inability to go where they wanted yesterday, like up into the rhododendron bushes. So instead I made visual blocks between the main run and the aviary area that are working somewhat. All the doorways and passages are open now.

From a couple of days ago, there are more blocks now -

Hazels preferred hidey -corner
View attachment 4224668
And then the view opposite is the big coop where Shehnai was hanging out a lot. Once Hazel saw he wasn’t visible and he couldn’t see her she eased up a lot.
View attachment 4224666

Not arguing exactly but the leader role is far out of her reaches right now, though it could be in the future - Diane is bottom ranking, but definitely thinks she shouldn’t be. Both Annie and Tedi successfully correct her. She does seem to be campaigning for the lieutenant job in multiple ways (hanging & foraging with Hazel, the most willing to push Shehnai away, actual fighting with Shehnai prior to this week).


Shehnai is harassing and dominating the pullets but I don't see any attempts at mounting or grabbing necks.

The pullets screams don’t inspire any BO’s to action either. Maybe because they aren't laying? The BO's are only concerned with Hazel and go with her according to her wishes or do their own thing and come over when she calls. There may have been more physical fighting prior, as now Shehnai is totally afraid of them. Hazel, if she's alone, runs to them if she can when Shehnai comes around.

Tidbitting? Very cute to see - a BO was growling this morning, Tedi I think, advancing and trying to push Shehnai off, and he was backing up from her with hackles raised, but then suddenly he was picking at the ground and picking up a weedy stem and dropping it a few times, tidbitting for her I think! Then he ran away. First time I've seen what really looks like tidbitting!


No crowing yet, I’m waiting!

I did see a couple pullets standing by him when he was snuggling down into the litter which may have been a dust bath. Not clear yet what that was.

A bit upsetting to see was that some pullets are following his lead and joined in with pecks and jumps when she ran by them while he was chasing her. This morning I saw a pullet run after her briefly. It must appear to them that he is driving her away.

He’s all over the place behaviorally. He acts like he used to act, an average chicken, and then seems to get waves of antsy-ness and he’ll charge at a pullet who usually runs. Sometimes a standoff ensues with everyone’s hackles raised, sometimes he’s jumping at them, and they’re screaming and running. But then this pullet action is like a preview to try for Hazel and he goes looking for her.

Here below is a quiet time not long after chasing Hazel, she knew he was sort of “safe” for awhile though she’s not relaxed. The two groups were remarkably close. It is noticeable that the groups aren’t mixing like they used to. The pullets stay generally near Shehnai, and the BO’s with Hazel. They did relax together in a sense, but with the main run wire separating them, mid-day yesterday.

While I was working day before yesterday - the Littles group on left, Bigs group on right, with Hazel using the BO’s (and the cinder block) as blockers
View attachment 4224667

Our boy
View attachment 4224669
View attachment 4224670

A couple pullets relaxing on perches, they find that up on things is definitely better!
View attachment 4224673
View attachment 4224671

The BO's & Hazel's butt
View attachment 4224672

1. Sounds like thumpings have already occurred.

2. Part of the current issues: essentially dealing with 2 flocks. Hazel in "rooster" position of the one (leader), Shehnai leader of the other.

3. Yes he's tidbitting. Good. Now, Young Idiot, tidbit over the good treats, not over just anything.

4. When the pullets start laying, it will help draw the 2 groups together. And hopefully settle things down a bit.

 

[rural mouse]

13 week baby update.

Made for the nieces who saw mamas take babies off nests, so bird names got left out.

 

[Pebbles25]

Yup. I think I got several that way.

I know we’ve done onion and coffee grains before!

 

[rural mouse]

I know we’ve done onion and coffee grains before!

That works?! The dry ice will kill them (but not poison them or anything that eats the bodies).

 

[Pebbles25]

That works?! The dry ice will kill them (but not poison them or anything that eats the bodies).

Oh that’s good to know! Yeah they don’t like the smell!

 

[Ponypoor]

It's a challenge keeping this all straight. It takes a lot of extra time. I have given up my morning walks for now. I need to also spend time with each of them so they get to know me and are more comfortable around me.

Joy still runs at the initial site of me. Tilly is more feisty and does not really run from me. I think she is busy plotting her beak out from quarantine.

Well Petra has learnt that the screen in the office door is no problem at all, she flew out of the crate while I was putting Leah in Lulu’s old stall.

When I tried to catch her, Leah got loose, so there I was 4:30am cursing ‘darn chickens that can fly’ (although have to say the flying is less traumatic to me - and the bird- than those silkies that launch themselves into the abyss…), so I said some choice words and let her and Leah just run amok with Mr P’s group.

FYI I have had them out in the run with them after work as the weather has been so lovely. Mr P introduced himself and then ignored them. Marty came around checked them out and also ignored them.

So I wasn’t worried about them getting hurt, but darn, quarantine has been a failure. But as they are still on the Tylosin I figure bacteria load will be next to zero, and I have not heard either of them coughing since last week.

Soooo, come the weekend I might try seeing if they can stay with Mr P and His gang during the day in the Summer House. Not a hardship if not, they can stay in Lulu’s stall as long as needed.

But wow I am laughing at how easy Petra figured out she could push through the screen! Of course she’s likely seen Tippy and Muffy doing it to get into the feedroom.


Hahaha they want to break in and the chickies want to break out! That will change once they figure out where the treats are!