Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Hey, I think I have met him before!
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Yes????

He just parts his hair feathers on the other side now!

If you say so!

 

[featherhead007]

Some sad news

I took some time off before I was ready to post but I lost 4 of the 5 bantams I got from Myers. I only have Elma left and the two Silkies from Red Barn. All of SFH’s are just fine.

I believe it was a dog or maybe a fox. I left them free ranging for maybe a half hr. because the kids needed me and when I came back out they were not alive and all the others had hidden.

Fly high Gemma, Gia, Maple, and Oakley.

I do not think I will be getting anymore Bantams. Pebble, Nyx, and Elma will be it I think. Maybe next spring I will look at some smaller breeds like the Shetland’s to cross the divide without risking more bantams.

Very sorry for your loss. I can’t comment on predation, my chooks free range all day even when I’m away.

 

[rural mouse]

Perches are good, but Mr. Chips will be able to jump even better than they, farther & faster with each leap, right up there too. Here, Hazel & the BO's wouldn't stay on the perch feeling safe, like "Go ahead and try and mate me here, you can't do it!" No, they are just all panicked in escape mode and jump or flap off down to the ground again.

At least Shehnai's legs are that way now, versus the plump large-framed Orpingtons efforts, and Hazel is five, I'm not sure how painlessly she jumps. They aren't fast, and Shehnai followed them up the perches no problem, like a kung-fu movie. It's like having a giraffe in amongst zebras, his legs are massively long and strong in comparison. But faster and more agile than a giraffe. He trots along in this graceful bouncing motion and jumps with ease like a gazelle, hardly breaking a sweat. Maybe more like a leopard? It's the wild kingdom over here!

Hazel and the B.O's prefer running low and mostly evading, hopefully out of sight. They can't outrun him. A few strides and he's covered the ground they're scrambling across.

Maybe also the pullets are a little smarter about getting away and using under-hidey-spots because not only are they lighter and more agile but they are still in the "we are tiny chicks and can fit under and in everything, we go everywhere!" mentality. I saw one use the low pallet to get away from him for instance, but never saw Hazel or the BO's use it except to stand on. Also just a few days ago saw a pullet use the low table too. They both can get under it but she's faster than he is fitting through it. This whole situation is all new to the Bigs and they have been adults for a few years.

Not sure I've even seen him run at full speed. He hasn't had to run away from anything yet and his instinct seems to tell him not to. He makes warning calls and stands tall and looks at the problem (hawks, crows, woodchuck, etc). I've only seen him retreat once right after a warning, to under a shelter, but it was very close, only a few feet away (and none of the idiot pullets followed him).

@rural mouse @bgmathteach

His standing his ground is good. He's alert and watching the "threat". The ladies (pullet and hen alike) haven't learned to respect his "wisdom" as he hasn't demonstrated he has any yet. Sadly, him alerting and subsequently retreating into shelter about 1 attack while one of those who DOESN'T listen gets hurt at best is frequently what changes that dynamic. Near misses will change it also, but aren't as quick. I hope it's the latter. If he's NOT sounding false alarms (happens with the young ones, especially when they don't have older birds teaching them) (you've got pretty good odds of no/few false alarms), a few times of spotting hawks and the pullets will be listening to him. The older ladies may alert first. If so, them learning to trust him will take longer. His ability to spot potential danger is a form of courtship, occurring more subtly than the tidbitting.

As far as the older ladies fleeing rather than standing their ground on perches, it's going to take time and building trust (hormones mess with that). Them being on some of those and him being able to see them but not get to them will probably help long term (suggest placing a few randomly along the curtain, where it's not possible to go through). The pullets starting to lay will help. His sentinel abilities will help. It all takes time.

 

[rural mouse]

Here's Annie not happy about Shehani right there at their run. He was out of their run with the pullets. She's making this persistent whine at him. This is right after fighting through the fence, they pecked at each other and Shehnai brought his feet up briefly before going back to tidbitting.

That's a tone I only hear from hens. I think it's "I'm thinking hard about something" with semi-disgruntled connotations. Wanting to get over there for whatever he's so interested in or wanting to thump the presumptuous young idiot. I think (?) I've also heard it when one of the guys asks and she says no and he pushes a bit rather than backing off.

 

[bgmathteach]

Some sad news

I took some time off before I was ready to post but I lost 4 of the 5 bantams I got from Myers. I only have Elma left and the two Silkies from Red Barn. All of SFH’s are just fine.

I believe it was a dog or maybe a fox. I left them free ranging for maybe a half hr. because the kids needed me and when I came back out they were not alive and all the others had hidden.

Fly high Gemma, Gia, Maple, and Oakley.

I do not think I will be getting anymore Bantams. Pebble, Nyx, and Elma will be it I think. Maybe next spring I will look at some smaller breeds like the Shetland’s to cross the divide without risking more bantams.

I'm so sorry for you loss. So many things will go after chickens, it can be quite disheartening sometimes. I wish I could give you a real hug!.

 

[Ponypoor]

Here's almost all of my flock
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You have a lovely flock, How many chooks do you have?

 

[featherhead007]

“awww, corn again?!”

 

[Ponypoor]

Wednesday photo dumpView attachment 4241363
All boys, they do this little dude flock during the day. Owl usually joins them too.
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Vuitton looking like a model.
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She's almost grown back what was pecked. She'll definitely need another trim and blue dye job before we reintroduce them.
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CowSpots is filling out
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And BlackJack is really filled out. He's a CHUNK

Beauties all, Blackjack is awesome

 

[Ponypoor]

Very helpful. Thank you.
I have some ideas percolating. I think specifically for Cookie I want some more 'up' spaces as her instincts seem always to levitate upwards. That may modify as she grows - I think partly she is so tiny that when she energetically flaps, her feet just leave the ground and she just goes with it!

I read that as ‘Flaps her feet’ hahahahaha it was quite the visual in my mind!

 

[bgmathteach]

Perches are good, but Mr. Chips will be able to jump even better than they, farther & faster with each leap, right up there too. Here, Hazel & the BO's wouldn't stay on the perch feeling safe, like "Go ahead and try and mate me here, you can't do it!" No, they are just all panicked in escape mode and jump or flap off down to the ground again.

At least Shehnai's legs are that way now, versus the plump large-framed Orpingtons efforts, and Hazel is five, I'm not sure how painlessly she jumps. They aren't fast, and Shehnai followed them up the perches no problem, like a kung-fu movie. It's like having a giraffe in amongst zebras, his legs are massively long and strong in comparison. But faster and more agile than a giraffe. He trots along in this graceful bouncing motion and jumps with ease like a gazelle, hardly breaking a sweat. Maybe more like a leopard? It's the wild kingdom over here!

Hazel and the B.O's prefer running low and mostly evading, hopefully out of sight. They can't outrun him. A few strides and he's covered the ground they're scrambling across.

Maybe also the pullets are a little smarter about getting away and using under-hidey-spots because not only are they lighter and more agile but they are still in the "we are tiny chicks and can fit under and in everything, we go everywhere!" mentality. I saw one use the low pallet to get away from him for instance, but never saw Hazel or the BO's use it except to stand on. Also just a few days ago saw a pullet use the low table too. They both can get under it but she's faster than he is fitting through it. This whole situation is all new to the Bigs and they have been adults for a few years.

Not sure I've even seen him run at full speed. He hasn't had to run away from anything yet and his instinct seems to tell him not to. He makes warning calls and stands tall and looks at the problem (hawks, crows, woodchuck, etc). I've only seen him retreat once right after a warning, to under a shelter, but it was very close, only a few feet away (and none of the idiot pullets followed him).

@rural mouse @bgmathteach

Yes, hiding spots - especially for the older girls, is good. But, as he ages, both up and hides (low, semi-obstructed view type spots) will be used, Particularly in an enclosed run where they have somewhat limited spaces to go (even though you have a very ample run, it still will seem restrictive at times when they happen to be near a fence or heading into one.)