Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Yes that it is indeed

What a smart wee lad! And wow he is looking handsome.

I think that once Spring arrives and everyone can get out and about Piglet will likely feel more comfortable around him.

She is already doing a bit better but he really jumps her the minute he sees her so she still hides for much of the day and waits until he is settled to go to roost.
Every morning I lock everyone but Piglet out of the hen house for an hour or two so she can have breakfast in peace.

 

[RoyalChick]

What a smart wee lad! And wow he is looking handsome.

Oh. And he is no longer a wee lad. The black hen in the video is Tassels. He towers over her.
He can already reach into my pocket if he thinks I am hiding a treat. And he is broad and bulky. Big lad already!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Time to renew looking at the Do's and Don't's on the Rooster Allies pages, and asking advice here. Shehnai seemed more forceful with his pecks today, and he actually grabbed my neoprene gloved finger and yanked on it. Don't know what it means. I think he flapped a wing on to my knee from the side, I didn't see it fully, I couldn't see if he was herding me or challenging me or what. He was staying much closer to me than usual. Then, he stuck around long after the ladies had gone to roost, so I know my presence was something that he feels he needs to pay attention to. When I realized I seemed to be keeping him from roosting I went over to the coop platform to encourage him to go roost and he ran next to me all ready to jump up "too". Does he think I'm a hen? I decided I should leave.

I had been fixing some tarps attachments and then looking from the inside planning for ventilating snow-stopping measures.

On a positive note I've been noticing how chill Tedi has become when at the fence with Shehnai, so today I opened the gate and Tedi went around when he was there, and Shehnai got closer and sort of tidbitted but didn't jump her or fight her, and she slowly circled back and came back in. Same with Diane a bit later. Annie, still molting hard, was not interested in doing that.

 

[RoyalChick]

I didn't see Cookie? Mr Chips is a looker!

Yeah. Only Tassels, Geronimo and Pooh showed up. Piglet was hiding in a nest box. Cookie follows nobody’s lead and Nutmeg is always off on her own digging up stuff. She is a born forager and shows very little interest in food I provide.
I was surprised Pooh ran in because she still chases Mr. Chips away from any food she finds.

 

[kattabelly]

I suspect it'll be around 80+F

Definitely not jealous of that! 65 is about my limit

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh. And he is no longer a wee lad. The black hen in the video is Tassels. He towers over her.
He can already reach into my pocket if he thinks I am hiding a treat. And he is broad and bulky. Big lad already!

He is spectacular. Everyone seems to have some lovely handsome boys this year.

 

[Ponypoor]

At least this time of year. Green and soggy now, brown and crispy when its warm.

Gets brown and crispy here too in the heat of summer

 

[Ponypoor]

He does have the blue. Ok. That makes more sense. Hmmmm...the black in the crest....maybe that dark dark blue like Koonj has?View attachment 4262221View attachment 4262222


And somehow he got the black tailed red tones....washed in blue with the ink dipped head

I was thinking it was something with the silkie genes, but who knows what’s in Mr. P or Marty…..

 

[Ponypoor]

Want to swap for brown and soggy now?

I'm jealous of both your weather, and all the people with snow!

Snow? Why?

Sure it’s pretty, but is work dealing with it. It’s cold, my feet and hands are frosted from Nov to April, I have had frost bite on n my cheeks a few times, they ache in the cold now, same with the fingers and toes I have had frost bite with. The cost to heat the house with propane from Nov to April; and truth be told we have the heat on from Sept until June. It’s a tough climate here.

Have to brush snow of the truck twice a day when it won’t stop snowing; I have to shovel the deck, the walk ways, a path to the manure pile so I can push the wheelbarrow through it. Haul hay for the horses, put their blankets on (and off when they come in). And then there is water. I have to make sure the de-icer is working so their water doesn’t freeze, same with the chooks.

Snow and cold adds hrs to my day doing chores. Sure it’s pretty, pretty useless!

 

[rural mouse]

In your region/climate an extra fluffy/downy breed (like Hedemora) w/ small or no comb in snow weather would work? Do your summers get very hot? Greenfire Farms moved their Scandinavian Hedemora imports from Florida to a cooler Montana location cuz of their heavy feathering.

Hedemora

Interesting birds, but not where my interests lie. Chantecler, orloffs, spitzhauben and Swedish flowers are more interesting. However, I'm not going to start over with those. I get an opportunity to add some, and I will try to. Otherwise I'm going to enjoy my crew and subsequent generations and see how they blend.