Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[CCsGarden]

It is crazy what they will eat.

So true! I just started thread about her since this rubber stuff keeps coming up into her crop. Seems like it's not going anywhere.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Thirsty Thursday


Cowspots is leading the flock of youngsters. They're rather friendly compared to him.

Louis, Vuitton, and Spotty are in the white coop now. Kicked Delft and her babies out so they have a nice spot for Vuitton to recover. They're doing well. Spotty could use a crest trim if I get a chance.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Honestly, I didn't bother hand-taming my chickens. The roosters all give me space to work, and I give them space to rooster.

 

[bgmathteach]

Sorry for the lengthy post!

Please enter this is in the caption contest
"I'm a big Mamma Jamma!" LOL

There are big debates about the restraint methods of taming versus free-will enticement, what are your thoughts?

I find that they tend to trust you more if you can do it the 'free-will' way as older chickens - even as baby chicks if you can do it within the first few days...like @RebeccaBoyd with food on hand and let them come to you and stand on hand and peck the food. With adults, it is more of a bribe needed to get them close (treats, not just pellets), and some will gradually let you touch them, some won't.

For me, because I don't have the time to spend with them given my f/t job and p/t teaching...plus the sheer number of animals...I do find a slightly expedited way is what @RebeccaBoyd does at night. since i HAVE to put many of them to bed at night (rotten tree/fence roosters!, lol), I get them to step up onto the handle of a shovel, bring eh shovel down, and then get them to step off the shovel onto my forearm. for skittish ones, I lightly touch their breast...then gradually, over time, give them crop massages. Sometimes that is as far as I can go, sometimes I will bring my free hand up under their wing and gently massage their shoulder. I now have a number of them who will now each scratch out of my hand. (all of this, mind you, after dark) BUT: a few that would only ever run from me during the day, will now come up and eat out of my hand. Still no hold in daylight...but they are calm at night and most let me do all of the above (I still have a couple of hold-outs.) I have a couple that tremble if I hold them, but don't if I let them stand on my arm (i.e. they are in control, not me).

Buckeye Hazel is totally nervous when being carried, she trembles, and tries to avoid being caught at first. (I found that if I place her where she is standing on her own as soon as possible she calms down and does much better.)

Have you tried, instead of actually holding her, per se, letting her stand on your arm? I find some of my chickens that don't like to be held (think gentle football carry), will stand on my forearm okay - I think they feel more in control as opposed to being restricted that way!

So what did I do there that's different with Diane, if my behavior is the root of it?

I don't think it is your behavior. Each person/each chicken has their own personality and temperament.

I tried many red-associated names on her but they all tend to be feisty characters and she strikes me as more calm and reflective.

How about Pebbles? (Barney Rubles cartoon - the daughter) she is a red-head! ??? ???

 

[CCsGarden]

Please enter this is in the caption contest
"I'm a big Mamma Jamma!" LOL

Heeheee! I should and I will!

 

[BY Bob]

Normalizing Relations

It looks like Tilly and the cat may have reached an understanding.

 

[Ponypoor]

A "B" name came to me...Beula / Beulah.

Another one is my great-grandmother's name Bertha, she was French-Canadian and it was pronounced more like Bair-ta (I think).

Yes in Newfoundland my nana was Berta (Bertha)

Beulah sometimes Be-yul-e-ah (say it fast though).

 

[RoyalChick]

Current state of the cabbage. View attachment 4229858
And they spent most of yesterday locked in with the cabbage.

There is something wrong with either your chickens or mine. A whole head of cabbage lasts at most an afternoon around here!
I think mine are Class A gluttons (and it isn't just Piglet).

 

[RoyalChick]

Honestly, I didn't bother hand-taming my chickens. The roosters all give me space to work, and I give them space to rooster.

But do you hand tame the roosters? It is our relationship with our roosters-to-be that @ChicoryBlue and I are worrying about.

 

[RoyalChick]

Sorry for the lengthy post!

Please enter this is in the caption contest
"I'm a big Mamma Jamma!" LOL

I find that they tend to trust you more if you can do it the 'free-will' way as older chickens - even as baby chicks if you can do it within the first few days...like @RebeccaBoyd with food on hand and let them come to you and stand on hand and peck the food. With adults, it is more of a bribe needed to get them close (treats, not just pellets), and some will gradually let you touch them, some won't.

For me, because I don't have the time to spend with them given my f/t job and p/t teaching...plus the sheer number of animals...I do find a slightly expedited way is what @RebeccaBoyd does at night. since i HAVE to put many of them to bed at night (rotten tree/fence roosters!, lol), I get them to step up onto the handle of a shovel, bring eh shovel down, and then get them to step off the shovel onto my forearm. for skittish ones, I lightly touch their breast...then gradually, over time, give them crop massages. Sometimes that is as far as I can go, sometimes I will bring my free hand up under their wing and gently massage their shoulder. I now have a number of them who will now each scratch out of my hand. (all of this, mind you, after dark) BUT: a few that would only ever run from me during the day, will now come up and eat out of my hand. Still no hold in daylight...but they are calm at night and most let me do all of the above (I still have a couple of hold-outs.) I have a couple that tremble if I hold them, but don't if I let them stand on my arm (i.e. they are in control, not me).

Have you tried, instead of actually holding her, per se, letting her stand on your arm? I find some of my chickens that don't like to be held (think gentle football carry), will stand on my forearm okay - I think they feel more in control as opposed to being restricted that way!

I don't think it is your behavior. Each person/each chicken has their own personality and temperament.

How about Pebbles? (Barney Rubles cartoon - the daughter) she is a red-head! ??? ???

I endorse the stand on forearm thing - at night that seems quite low stress for them.
And Pebbles - I forgot about Pebbles - definitely worth considering. I will ask her what she thinks of that as a name and see if she likes it.