Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Mother of Chaos]

Depending on the region or era you're from in Russia will depend on how phlegmy pronunciations are. My folks & relatives came from a region that spoke soft consonants ~ to the point that the harsher current Russian spoken today almost sounds foreign to me. For instance my family pronounced the hard Russian "г"(hard Russian G) more like a soft American "h" ~ my college Russian professors instantly knew what region my folks were from when they heard my Russian dialect/accent.

The rare Russian Pavlovskaya chicken ~ nice bird for snow but our heatwaves aren't good for them here ~ also too expensive for my wallet

Now that I think about it, хулиган would be a great name for a rooster!

My late father-in-law spoke fluent Yiddish. Now THAT’S a phlegmy language!

 

[Sylvester017]

This evening I managed to weigh Piglet. She is quite a bit smaller than Pooh but a bit heavier than I feared she might be (feared because I am anticipating a large rooster in Mr. Chips).
Piglet: 1.97kg = 4lb 4oz
Pooh: 2.2kg = 4lb 15oz
And I cannot thank @Ponypoor enough for the hints on using a fish/luggage scale - it is soooo much easier to weigh them this way, though I may need a bigger bag for some of the larger chickens.

I also trimmed Piglet's nails - I may not have taken off enough - will see how she does. Her nails seem to grow at odd angles and are twisted in a spiral so they don't get worn down when she digs. I am hoping by trimming them she will be able to dig better too.
I got some pictures of her nails - it is the middle toe nails on both feet that are growing in a spiral - like a rams horn.
View attachment 4230532View attachment 4230533View attachment 4230534View attachment 4230535View attachment 4230536

I have some who grow like that, Mr P’s grow crazy due to his crooked toes. I keep them trimmed so he doesn’t tear a nail off. I will trim his spurs this weekend. I did his beak last week, it grows very fast and has a rather large hook like a hawk if I don’t keep it trimmed now.

I wonder if the way they are roosting on the perch that it might be causing the curling?

 

[BY Bob]

1 Lady Down

Somehow Joy is off the roost.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm really tempted to do the same. I just ate a BYM cockerel because he wasn't a great fit for my current flock right now and I don't have enough space to keep all the 'maybe's, but I do think he and my oldest pullet would make some great chicks. She's been a great layer for the short time she's been laying and they're both solid, meaty, nice-looking birds. I know her eggs are fertile and I've been saving and turning them for the last week or so, while telling myself I'm definitely not going to hatch any It's a stupid time of year to be starting chicks here, but I was already starting to get a small electric setup sorted for the plot (batteries initially, then solar to charge it in future) and the Brinsea heat plates run off 12V...

Someone enable talk some sense into me, please?

You came to the wrong place for that.

 

[BY Bob]

Good Morning Update

So far so good this morning. Wake up was peaceful with no pecks delivered. Niamh would prefer to be out of the run but I'm not seeing any concerns over vicious pecking at all.

Neither Tilly nor Joy have concerned themselves with their order at this point.

Video to come later.

 

[kattabelly]

That sort of changes things a bit. But as long as the heat source (heating pad) stays on, they should be fine. The challenge is keeping the bigs from hogging the heat. Once they're integrated (tinies happen faster and more easily) they may snuggle together....then again, the bigs may refuse to have anything to do with them and you'll end up raising in the house.

For the first few weeks they'd need to be in their own separate, secure area overnight and when I wasn't around to supervise. Far too many places a tiny chick could go missing otherwise and they're much more vulnerable to predation at that age.

Why I am talking about this like I'm seriously considering it

 

[ChicoryBlue]

For the first few weeks they'd need to be in their own separate, secure area overnight and when I wasn't around to supervise. Far too many places a tiny chick could go missing otherwise and they're much more vulnerable to predation at that age.

Why I am talking about this like I'm seriously considering it

Because you’re experiencing chick withdrawal?


You do want to do it sooner or later, and it’s good to plan and talk out everything involved.

No walk-in coop or run, so what does everyone do when it’s really bad weather, like heavy rain? Would chicks have a safe dry environment then?

 

[Ponypoor]

Really? You expect me to swank my butt to the barn to take a photo of a duck?

Oh - wait - I was on my way out anyways….. ok one duck coming up!

Duck…. Quick!

She’s still a wee bit rattly at times but she is feeling good enough to fly up on everything (me) so I am very happy - I was very worried about her.

Now if Daisy (who is not as wheezing this morning), and Curly (who isn’t coughing so much) would hurry up and get better I will be very happy.


You all know what this means - right?

No more chooks can ever come here. And I cannot in all good conscience rehome any Roos. So what ever those silkie babies are they are here to stay, same with the Polish chicks.

Leah

Petra

Today they get a hair cut.

 

[rural mouse]

For the first few weeks they'd need to be in their own separate, secure area overnight and when I wasn't around to supervise. Far too many places a tiny chick could go missing otherwise and they're much more vulnerable to predation at that age.

Why I am talking about this like I'm seriously considering it

BecUse you're talking to a bunch of enablers.

 

[rural mouse]

So....today, rainy when going to open coop, so I'm wearing my poncho, still dark. Chooks are nervy so I'm talking to them (familiar voice). Bijou followed me out like she usually does....and promptly decided it was better INSIDE the coop. I tossed her out....twice....as I was leaving....and she bounced right back in.

Good luck, girl, catch a mouse.
Good luck, feathered friends