Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Roosting tonight was chaos
Pure, unmitigated chaos!
I tried not to watch but I could hear Cookie's distress calls from inside the house so out I went. I think I can safely say that Cookie is 'directionally challenged'. She can see just fine since I took the scissors to her - and all day she has been fluttering around up at the top of the butterfly bush and having attacks of the zoomies. She can see, she can jump, she can run and she can fly and land in a sensible place.
What she cannot do is remember where the door to the Chicken Palace is located. So while everyone else was milling around in the run and coop and considering roosting - she was 'stuck' outside. Tassels came out twice to call her in, but she couldn't figure out how to get to Tassels. In the end I herded her in with a broom.
But that was simply the start of the night's fun.
Cookie managed to find the blue stairs and go into the coop just fine once I had 'swept' her into the run. There she proceeded to roost on the main roost. Geronimo joined her. Then so did the other two.
Tassels came in and took her favorite spot and for a while it looked like the little family would all roost together on the main roost.
But then Calypso arrived and all hell broke out.
The end result is Tassels in her favorite spot without her babies.
Calypso in the number two spot - she tried to unseat Tassels but that didn't go so well.
Pooh and Sylvie have retreated to another, more peaceful roost.
Piglet is next to Calypso on the main roost.
Where are the babies? Why, in the cardboard box of course! Tassels did not encourage it - in fact she was very happy having them roost next to her. I think it was Mr. Chips or maybe Geronimo who led the little group into the box after Calypso attacked them.
And no, I did not remove the box. I couldn't think why I would do so if they like it. I am sure they will roost eventually. I did remove the half of it that the big girls were using to lay eggs, but I left the part that the Littles sleep in.

I am emotionally drained by all the drama, but in the middle of it all I was told a name.
Meet Nutmeg. I have no idea why she is called Nutmeg, but she assures me that is her name. Like Mr. Chips she is accomplished with the rat proof feeder.
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I feel your bedtime drama pain! They will eventually roost so best to just leave them to it.

Hello Nutmeg! I love that name!

 

[BY Bob]

Roosting tonight was chaos
Pure, unmitigated chaos!
I tried not to watch but I could hear Cookie's distress calls from inside the house so out I went. I think I can safely say that Cookie is 'directionally challenged'. She can see just fine since I took the scissors to her - and all day she has been fluttering around up at the top of the butterfly bush and having attacks of the zoomies. She can see, she can jump, she can run and she can fly and land in a sensible place.
What she cannot do is remember where the door to the Chicken Palace is located. So while everyone else was milling around in the run and coop and considering roosting - she was 'stuck' outside. Tassels came out twice to call her in, but she couldn't figure out how to get to Tassels. In the end I herded her in with a broom.
But that was simply the start of the night's fun.
Cookie managed to find the blue stairs and go into the coop just fine once I had 'swept' her into the run. There she proceeded to roost on the main roost. Geronimo joined her. Then so did the other two.
Tassels came in and took her favorite spot and for a while it looked like the little family would all roost together on the main roost.
But then Calypso arrived and all hell broke out.
The end result is Tassels in her favorite spot without her babies.
Calypso in the number two spot - she tried to unseat Tassels but that didn't go so well.
Pooh and Sylvie have retreated to another, more peaceful roost.
Piglet is next to Calypso on the main roost.
Where are the babies? Why, in the cardboard box of course! Tassels did not encourage it - in fact she was very happy having them roost next to her. I think it was Mr. Chips or maybe Geronimo who led the little group into the box after Calypso attacked them.
And no, I did not remove the box. I couldn't think why I would do so if they like it. I am sure they will roost eventually. I did remove the half of it that the big girls were using to lay eggs, but I left the part that the Littles sleep in.

I am emotionally drained by all the drama, but in the middle of it all I was told a name.
Meet Nutmeg. I have no idea why she is called Nutmeg, but she assures me that is her name. Like Mr. Chips she is accomplished with the rat proof feeder.
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Nutmeg is perfect.

 

[featherhead007]

My Dakota has gone missing! She was in the coop last night when I closed up. Haven’t seen her all day. I know she wasn’t feeling great, but to just disappear like this is strange. Hopefully she’s just hiding somewhere that I haven’t looked. Maybe she’s got a clutch of eggs she’s setting. Maybe a neighbor stole her. Maybe I should go see a therapist
I fear for her safety.

 

[RoyalChick]

My Dakota has gone missing! She was in the coop last night when I closed up. Haven’t seen her all day. I know she wasn’t feeling great, but to just disappear like this is strange. Hopefully she’s just hiding somewhere that I haven’t looked. Maybe she’s got a clutch of eggs she’s setting. Maybe a neighbor stole her. Maybe I should go see a therapist
I fear for her safety.

Oh no! I hope you find her.

 

[BY Bob]

Bedtime Adventures

I got to watch roosting tonight in person.

Joy has it down. She went into the coop first, got up on the roost, walked back and forth on the entire length of it 4 times, then settled in so she can poop into the food.

Then Niamh started.

She is forever looking for an outside roost.

In Out Up Down

In the coop

On the roost

Off the roost

Out of the coop

On the porch

In the coop

In the nestbox

On the roost

Off the roost

Out of the coop

Onto the ground

Over and over again. She was desperate for a different roost somewhere.

There was a moment that all three were on the roost.

Tilly waited for a while and then just roosted while Niamh roamed about. Niamh finally settled in the nestbox again tonight.

 

[featherhead007]

I had those two visitors today. Two of the three original pullets from Nachos first hatch. Remember queso, jalapeño, and Frijole? Queso and the barred Jalapeño were here from next door. That neighbor must have let them out of that cage.
No Dakota at lock up time

 

[rural mouse]

Roosting tonight was chaos
Pure, unmitigated chaos!
I tried not to watch but I could hear Cookie's distress calls from inside the house so out I went. I think I can safely say that Cookie is 'directionally challenged'. She can see just fine since I took the scissors to her - and all day she has been fluttering around up at the top of the butterfly bush and having attacks of the zoomies. She can see, she can jump, she can run and she can fly and land in a sensible place.
What she cannot do is remember where the door to the Chicken Palace is located. So while everyone else was milling around in the run and coop and considering roosting - she was 'stuck' outside. Tassels came out twice to call her in, but she couldn't figure out how to get to Tassels. In the end I herded her in with a broom.
But that was simply the start of the night's fun.
Cookie managed to find the blue stairs and go into the coop just fine once I had 'swept' her into the run. There she proceeded to roost on the main roost. Geronimo joined her. Then so did the other two.
Tassels came in and took her favorite spot and for a while it looked like the little family would all roost together on the main roost.
But then Calypso arrived and all hell broke out.
The end result is Tassels in her favorite spot without her babies.
Calypso in the number two spot - she tried to unseat Tassels but that didn't go so well.
Pooh and Sylvie have retreated to another, more peaceful roost.
Piglet is next to Calypso on the main roost.
Where are the babies? Why, in the cardboard box of course! Tassels did not encourage it - in fact she was very happy having them roost next to her. I think it was Mr. Chips or maybe Geronimo who led the little group into the box after Calypso attacked them.
And no, I did not remove the box. I couldn't think why I would do so if they like it. I am sure they will roost eventually. I did remove the half of it that the big girls were using to lay eggs, but I left the part that the Littles sleep in.

I am emotionally drained by all the drama, but in the middle of it all I was told a name.
Meet Nutmeg. I have no idea why she is called Nutmeg, but she assures me that is her name. Like Mr. Chips she is accomplished with the rat proof feeder.
View attachment 4233346View attachment 4233347View attachment 4233348

The right name makes itself known. She's darling.

Roosting: when babies start roosting semi on their own, it's brutal. Tonight, Matilda (2nd night in a row) is up on the high roost near the adults. Clever minx slips in near where the roosts cross and stays quiet and unobtrusive. Somehow the adults either don't notice her or she's accepted.....she's QUIET.

Meanwhile, the others are having a noisy complaint (my light, I think) and a couple of adults decided to hop over and thump them into quiet. Of course the reverse happened and the skittered along the nest boxes even more loudly.

I left and shut the door. Now it's really dark in there. Should end it.

Roosting is definitely coming. It may end up with the littles over on another roost. That's OK. Eventually, roosting with Mr Chips will be desirable and they'll settle intermixed. Don't expect that to FULLY happen until Geronimo, Cookie, and Nurmeg start laying. Meanwhile, as long as Cookie gets herself sorted going into the coop, let the rest alone. Sometimes I have babies sleeping in nest boxes until laying starts. They'll sort themselves.

 

[rural mouse]

My Dakota has gone missing! She was in the coop last night when I closed up. Haven’t seen her all day. I know she wasn’t feeling great, but to just disappear like this is strange. Hopefully she’s just hiding somewhere that I haven’t looked. Maybe she’s got a clutch of eggs she’s setting. Maybe a neighbor stole her. Maybe I should go see a therapist
I fear for her safety.

Lord, may she turn up safe and sound.

 

[Ponypoor]

My Dakota has gone missing! She was in the coop last night when I closed up. Haven’t seen her all day. I know she wasn’t feeling great, but to just disappear like this is strange. Hopefully she’s just hiding somewhere that I haven’t looked. Maybe she’s got a clutch of eggs she’s setting. Maybe a neighbor stole her. Maybe I should go see a therapist
I fear for her safety.

Sure hope she shows up

 

[rural mouse]

Bedtime Adventures

I got to watch roosting tonight in person.

Joy has it down. She went into the coop first, got up on the roost, walked back and forth on the entire length of it 4 times, then settled in so she can poop into the food.

Then Niamh started.

She is forever looking for an outside roost.

In Out Up Down

In the coop

On the roost

Off the roost

Out of the coop

On the porch

In the coop

In the nestbox

On the roost

Off the roost

Out of the coop

Onto the ground

Over and over again. She was desperate for a different roost somewhere.

There was a moment that all three were on the roost.
View attachment 4233424

Tilly waited for a while and then just roosted while Niamh roamed about. Niamh finally settled in the nestbox again tonight.

View attachment 4233425

Long as Niamh is sleeping in the coop and the other 2 are going in, it's a win. Is it just me or is Tilly sort of calm and matter of fact?