Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Yes, it is hard to see. Hopefully it is temporary. At one point Shehnai was standing out in the rain because he was getting so harassed in the run. I did think though his feathers were keeping most of him dry (just his head was wet, and it was summer). Is she getting ambushed? Can she see it coming, or is her head poof grown back too much? When will she come into lay, as that might help?

She is not getting ambushed anymore as her head is on a swivel. It is good training for predators. She can see fine although I do want to trim her up some more. Her and Niamh spend most of the day together which is good.

One benefit to the rain, Niamh slept in the coop on her own last night.

As the rain is supposed to continue today, I have closed them all into the complex together. No free range time. This will keep Tilly dry today.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Sometimes I am so disappointed in my chickens. They have been so mean to Tilly that she was too afraid to come in out of the rain today.

View attachment 4257097

The big girls were in the big run.

Niamh was in the porch talking to Tilly. Tilly came over to the porch but would not go in. She is too afraid of Aster and Lady Featherington to be in the same small space with them.

Why do they have to be so darn mean?

Mine hate my Polishes too. We are going to set them up with their own space (the chicken trailer park is growing) when I get my cousin's coop. Then I'll move the marshmallows out with them too. Right now they're in the brooder coop seperated.

 

[Ponypoor]

Look how cute she is. What a wonderful lady.

She’s very sweet and very chatty. Or should I say likes to honk hahaha. This is why I have put her at the same age as the Noirans.

I doubt any of them will start laying before Spring. But….. one of the Noirans was throwing straw on he back like the hens do after they get off the nest!!!!

And have never seen a youngster doing this before hoping it just a case of seeing mama Georgie doing it and copying.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Mood music piped into the Palace - good idea!

I tell Shehnai he’s gotta learn his Barry White!

OMG! She doesn't have any way to say "NO" !!! Why are chickens so exploited?! It's amazing she hasn't dropped dead from a heart attack. Some other military(?) guy parachuted w/ his chicken too. Forgive me... I must be soft-hearted/headed to see chickens/animals put in stunts?

I think the action shots are not real. They are green-screened (the boat) and AI and they use a dummy chicken. It is possible the parachute jump is real but I hope they did it either by AI or with a dummy chicken. Only the setup parts look real to me. Notice there’s no video when the motorcycle is moving, only the soundtrack. And there’s no way a chicken would survive the dunking and impact of a kayak going into a pool below a waterfall.
However on the principle I totally agree with you. Thats also why the video is funny, the way the man is so dead-pan about it, acknowledging a fear of heights early on….

Don't worry. He'll gain the confidence to try... she'll wallop him... he'll retreat with his tail firmly tucked between his legs, and you'll see him polish his halo and twiddle his wing primaries, whistling innocently every time she looks at him. Then one day everything will click and he'll woo her successfully.

Once he learns some Barry White lyrics…

Wow. I think my tolerance for loss is close to zero (I only have 8 large fowl), so arial netting it is.

Heavy nylon knotted aviary netting lasts longer (supposed to be ten years), is stronger against impact and abrasion and has another advantage over the thin nylon “bird netting” fruit tree stuff: birds can see it and don’t try to fly through it, getting caught in it. So if you do go that less-expensive route, thread ribbon or something through it so it is visible.

Another type is the fatter plastic “snow fence” type of netting that is much easier to see, but also doesn’t have great UV protection, so keep an eye on how brittle it is and repair where it’s breaking.

 

[Ponypoor]

Mine hate my Polishes too. We are going to set them up with their own space (the chicken trailer park is growing) when I get my cousin's coop. Then I'll move the marshmallows out with them too. Right now they're in the brooder coop seperated.

I guess because I have all those 1/2 Polish and Mr P being one, I don’t have any issues with them all getting along.

My big issue is with all the baldies here! What a time of year to moult! Thank goodness it’s been relatively mild.

Oh, wait, was that a record I hear scratching to a halt?

Seems my warm weather is coming to an end and winter arrives with a vengeance tonight. Nice while it lasted……

Still mild (48F)

Today will likely be the last nice day for the chooks to get outside.

Weather whining tax
That’s a special two headed species of gallus

Mr smartie pants

 

[Ponypoor]

OMG! She doesn't have any way to say "NO" !!! Why are chickens so exploited?! It's amazing she hasn't dropped dead from a heart attack. Some other military(?) guy parachuted w/ his chicken too. Forgive me... I must be soft-hearted/headed to see chickens/animals put in stunts?

I would say it’s fake….

But I still have chicken envy!

Here’s a famous military hen - Myrtle

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-41145195

 

[ChicoryBlue]

She’s very sweet and very chatty. Or should I say likes to honk hahaha. This is why I have put her at the same age as the Noirans.

I doubt any of them will start laying before Spring. But….. one of the Noirans was throwing straw on he back like the hens do after they get off the nest!!!!

And have never seen a youngster doing this before hoping it just a case of seeing mama Georgie doing it and copying.

Nah, she’s going to lay! I expect the newbies here to start at least right after the solstice. The last Buckeyes, born in early July, lay Jan 4th. This gang are from early June, so if it weren’t for the declining light they would be laying now.

 

[Ponypoor]

Woohoo! It’s Palindrome time!

Almost missed it

23832

Good luck number!

 

[Ponypoor]

Nah, she’s going to lay! I expect the newbies here to start at least right after the solstice. The last Buckeyes, born in early July, lay Jan 4th. This gang are from early June, so if it weren’t for the declining light they would be laying now.

Impossible! She’s only 15 weeks old - hatch date 11 Aug 2025.



She can’t start until she’s about 22 weeks!

 

[RoyalChick]

Impossible! She’s only 15 weeks old - hatch date 11 Aug 2025.



She can’t start until she’s about 22 weeks!

I was wondering about this too.
Geronimo went and inspected the nest boxes yesterday.
She is 16 weeks old.
She is also a very nosy young lady so she may just have been exploring new things.