Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

I've seen it go that way before but this time around, they got all that out of the way much earlier. Not-so-littles are just coming up to 12 weeks old now and while they still regroup a few times a day, and all sleep together both at night and for daytime naps, they're often splitting off as individuals or pairs/trios and hanging out alongside the older birds now. They aren't really included yet but they're allowed to tag along, and even eat next to them some of the time. A few already have clear preferences, like my chonky white Ixworth who likes the Light Sussex girls.

Still got all the cockerel clobbering business yet to come, mind.

I am jealous.
Nothing too terrible so far but I have had to open a second door into the Chicken Palace because Calypso guards the entrance so the Not-So-Littles can’t get in. And the Not-So-Littles make themselves scarce when Calypso or Sylvie are anywhere nearby.
Tassels of course is not mean to them and she even hangs out with them still now and then, but she is clearly no longer enforcing the ‘be nice to my babies’ rule.

Piglet isn’t mean to them and mainly just ignores them. I wonder if everyone else is bad tempered because they are molting. Piglet is done with her molt.
And in big news, Calypso is finally starting her molt just as the temperature is set to plummet.

 

[RoyalChick]

Okay, so I just can’t bring myself to get any more bantams. So many losses. So I have been considering trying to bridge the size gap. Here are the breeds that I am pondering on:

Shetlands, small but not quite Bantam small. Hens are 2-3 lbs and they do lay blue/green eggs.
View attachment 4248498
Or … double silver laced barnavelders from Alchemist Farms. Their line they describe as slightly larger than bantams and slightly smaller than a standard sized hen.
View attachment 4248500

Any other breed recommendations or thoughts on these 2 possibilities?

How about Legbars? I have found them to be delightful and quirky and just tipping the scale at 4lb or less.
Piglet and Pooh are both Legbars.
They lay blue eggs, though not it seems at the moment!

This is Pooh

And this is Piglet napping in the sun

Here they are both enjoying some wild water.

And Piglet ensuring nobody else can enjoy the foot water.

 

[rural mouse]

Okay, so I just can’t bring myself to get any more bantams. So many losses. So I have been considering trying to bridge the size gap. Here are the breeds that I am pondering on:

Shetlands, small but not quite Bantam small. Hens are 2-3 lbs and they do lay blue/green eggs.
View attachment 4248498
Or … double silver laced barnavelders from Alchemist Farms. Their line they describe as slightly larger than bantams and slightly smaller than a standard sized hen.
View attachment 4248500

Any other breed recommendations or thoughts on these 2 possibilities?

Hamburgs
They're about the smallest standard size bird. Cheetah is a gold penciled one. Lark and Indigo are his daughters and kept the size. He's supposed to top out at 5 pounds with the ladies at 4 pounds. Same stats for the silver spangled versions. I haven't weighed them, but with all the ranging they do, I don't think he's more than 4 soaking wet and the girls are smaller. They're very active, alert, agile and quick. They're also very much "dont touch". Cheetah has accepted assistance without complaint when he's moulting particularly miserably, but otherwise it's hands off...but willing to hang out near by. They're also much more of the type to avoid, dodge and put space between birds rather than thump

 

[kattabelly]

Shetland pony hen Sunday?

Wanted to get some better photos of them all but my phone is on its last legs, so this'll have to do for now.

 

[kattabelly]

Piglet isn’t mean to them and mainly just ignores them. I wonder if everyone else is bad tempered because they are molting. Piglet is done with her molt.

I bet that's part of it.

 

[Ponypoor]

Okay, so I just can’t bring myself to get any more bantams. So many losses. So I have been considering trying to bridge the size gap. Here are the breeds that I am pondering on:

Shetlands, small but not quite Bantam small. Hens are 2-3 lbs and they do lay blue/green eggs.
View attachment 4248498
Or … double silver laced barnavelders from Alchemist Farms. Their line they describe as slightly larger than bantams and slightly smaller than a standard sized hen.
View attachment 4248500

Any other breed recommendations or thoughts on these 2 possibilities?

How about these Appenzeller Spitzhauben

https://livestockconservancy.org/spitzhauben-chicken/

I would have loved to get a couple of them.

 

[Ponypoor]

Shetland pony hen Sunday?
View attachment 4248614

Wanted to get some better photos of them all but my phone is on its last legs, so this'll have to do for now.

She's a beauty I love the specks in her feathers. Is that a name for that?

 

[Ponypoor]

I am jealous.
Nothing too terrible so far but I have had to open a second door into the Chicken Palace because Calypso guards the entrance so the Not-So-Littles can’t get in. And the Not-So-Littles make themselves scarce when Calypso or Sylvie are anywhere nearby.
Tassels of course is not mean to them and she even hangs out with them still now and then, but she is clearly no longer enforcing the ‘be nice to my babies’ rule.

Piglet isn’t mean to them and mainly just ignores them. I wonder if everyone else is bad tempered because they are molting. Piglet is done with her molt.
And in big news, Calypso is finally starting her molt just as the temperature is set to plummet.

Raining feathers, I am living that also at the moment. I went and hung my Sweeter Heaters for my crew, and already have a few hanging out under them in the Summer House and out in the main gang. Temps here are supposed to be below freezing (0C) until the end of the week, then a warm up (for this time of year +5C is warm) for the rest of the month - outlook for December.... winter.

BFTP
Dec 2023
Rose will tolerate the snow as long as she can walk on top of it when it's hardened.

 

[RoyalChick]

Shetland pony hen Sunday?
View attachment 4248614

Wanted to get some better photos of them all but my phone is on its last legs, so this'll have to do for now.

What a beautiful hen.

 

[Sylvester017]

Okay, so I just can’t bring myself to get any more bantams. So many losses. So I have been considering trying to bridge the size gap. Here are the breeds that I am pondering on:

Shetlands, small but not quite Bantam small. Hens are 2-3 lbs and they do lay blue/green eggs.
View attachment 4248498
Or … double silver laced barnavelders from Alchemist Farms. Their line they describe as slightly larger than bantams and slightly smaller than a standard sized hen.
View attachment 4248500

Any other breed recommendations or thoughts on these 2 possibilities?

I like your Shetland idea since @kattabelly has experience & endorses them. I never had Barnies so can't speak of their temperament.

Me, we had great experience w/ 3 Dominique mid-size pullets introduced young to a flock w/ an older Silkie in the flock & our 3 Dom juveniles adopted her to protect her always from a large bully Breda hen in the flock.

Later, after two of the adult Doms died, the old Silkie toodled around w/ the remaining Dom. The old Silkie Violet passed at over 11 yrs old.

We still have the one Dom now w/ our newest Silkie flock. She is good w/ them ~ if just one Dom had good temperament w/ Silkies I would say it was a fluke... however all 3 Doms were good w/ Silkies. But, Doms lay beige eggs while you may prefer that Shetlands give blue/grn eggs?

Note: Cackle Hatchery carries Dominique bantams from the Mark A. Fields line since 1982.