Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sylvester017]

Fiancé does not want cameras. I don’t care enough one way or the other to fight him on it. I work from home at least, so I do listen for them all day and try my best to go out there whenever possible. I watch them. At this point, I haven’t seen any abnormal issues with the gals, and none seem to be stressed out. The smaller two are the best fliers and seem to be able to get away quite easily if they don’t want to be bothered. I don’t see any one gal getting more attention than the rest. All the boys were good about leaving Einstein alone while she was molting. There’s enough roosting space that they don’t seem to fight about where to sleep. It’s been awhile since I witnessed any issues there. I’m just going to observe for the next few weeks, and if needed, I will consider possibly adding another coop and separating some or letting them separate themselves. I’d rather not have to manage separate free-ranging though. There is always the possibility of removing a roo altogether, but I’d rather not have to do that unless I can’t find other resolution. Right now, Curiosity is just maintaining distance. Clearly dethroned and pouting about it.

That is so great that you can be home to monitor them . Retirement is why we waited to get birds so we could monitor + enjoy them too .

 

[Sylvester017]

My leghorns are mean. I don't plan on getting the breed again.

I hope their zombie daughters take after Riddick, who is a gentleroo View attachment 4268830
This muppet bites me any chance he gets. Hubby calls him Soup.

Is Soup a Leghorn mix? He looks like a Silkie mix w/ that crest? Cute little bugger

 

[Sylvester017]

The polish pen. They can go out to the run if they want to...
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Spotty is a pretty girl
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Snowball
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Louis
View attachment 4268900Vuitton

BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL POLISH !!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hmmm. Just as I was thinking about getting one of those waterers! Was the water from the bucket? It is under cover no? So not rain?

I would buy these again, this would not stop me. But I do think the plug should be designed higher from the bottom, like maybe make an enclosed "L" down to the heater element. I will check the other newer model to see if there's a change. When the base is on the bucket the plug doesn't clear the rim edge of the bucket bottom very well. But the sticks totally solve that. Or a larger flat piece of wood, or thick plate of some kind, would work. Also, it can be hung.

There was water from above and water from blown-in snow, collected on the bucket bottom. A little water dribbles which the hens don't get all of when I myself go and tap the nubbin and encourage drinking from it, so maybe there was some water from that too. But mostly from exterior sources. Mainly coming from directly above and also from two sides with blown-in snow at two high corners.

Spoiler: Here's the nitty-gritty

To do the great new roof on the second run, I had pulled back some tarps too far, ones that cover under the Main run's roof and go across on to the second run past where the runs butt together. I did not pull them back through, over the join and weigh them down before the cold made them really hard to deal with. That was a mistake, I didn't anticipate the cold effect on these tarps at all. The crumpled tarps also collected snow which melts at times and then drips straight down. Yay!

A wind/snow blocking fabric I had erected across the south-facing Main run shed roof opening to allow ventilation but block snow didn't work as well as I thought it would, mostly because there are big gaps at the very top that really mattered. The whole area is rather complicated, and I need a ladder, and with snow on the ground, and snowy boots on steps, it was just too scary, though I did get a partial fix from outside done. Working in the steady wind at 16F was a complete joy also, tough to keep my hands warm.

I declared defeat and retreated, and am working on the problem from the inside of the run (what a difference to be out of the wind, even at 16F). Wood boards & HVAC filter fabric is helping against the immediate dripping and most of the snow. The waterer issue is solved, but I don't want damp & frozen litter.

Then we got two days of warmth which could have been used on this roof work, but one of which I spent at the vets to check an issue with our elderly cat, and errands, and the second I spent bringing in all the poultry netting and clearing the outside run for winter. The warmed snow followed by expected severe cold was going to make that job much harder.

 

[Sylvester017]

Fluffy Butt Friday

It was ferociously windy today, the morning was mild with rain, but by late afternoon the wind had swung around to the north, the chooks were none too keen to go outside, instead they blamed me for the weather.

Hooman make it warm again, and where’s our treats?
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Mum and son fluffy butts
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Some fluffy butts and fuzzy feet
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Pepper-Larry fluff
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Rose’s tail feathers are sticking out worse than before she moulted! And now she has them on both sides.
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I call them hr stabilizer fins hahaha
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So tempted to haul them out or cut them off - but I guess they give her character

Usually malnourished ducks or water fowl are known for angel wings but chickens get them occasionally. They look so cute

 

[rural mouse]

That second picture is a great picture!

Do you know the weight difference between them?
I think Cookie is a lot smaller (absolutely and relatively).
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I expect Cookie to get more white spots across her back and tail. This make me think she's going to grow some more too.

 

[Ponypoor]

In good news, got the GFI tripping situation resolved a couple days ago - ice and water had crept into the insulated waterers plug, perhaps via ice growing and expanding up, then melting. Brought it all in and dried it off, then placed it back on the upturned bucket but on a couple 2x2 pieces. The base is smaller than the bucket and on this model the plug is pretty close to the very bottom so was touching some water.
View attachment 4268957
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Good job! Sounds like a design flaw, do you let the manufacturer know your findings from use?

 

[Ponypoor]

Usually malnourished ducks or water fowl are known for angel wings but chickens get them occasionally. They look so cute

These are her tail feathers. Started the first time she moulted (she’s 5 now) one tail feather grew in sticking out, then them next time 2 feathers grew in sticking out. Now she has these.

Very odd…!

 

[rural mouse]

Fluffy Butt Friday

It was ferociously windy today, the morning was mild with rain, but by late afternoon the wind had swung around to the north, the chooks were none too keen to go outside, instead they blamed me for the weather.

Hooman make it warm again, and where’s our treats?
View attachment 4268960

Mum and son fluffy butts
View attachment 4268961

Some fluffy butts and fuzzy feet
View attachment 4268962

Pepper-Larry fluff
View attachment 4268963

Rose’s tail feathers are sticking out worse than before she moulted! And now she has them on both sides.
View attachment 4268965

I call them hr stabilizer fins hahaha
View attachment 4268964

So tempted to haul them out or cut them off - but I guess they give her character

Temps here finally dropped to close to normal for time of year, had to clean snow off rig to come home from work (no snow at home, but had it most of the way).

Half dark and the rock keeping the hatch from closing had been nudged....birds everywhere.....got mobbed when went out to get it sorted. Took lantern out and had the Pied Piper effect going as they followed me to the coop, begging to be let in. Ended up with a Reverse Clown Car as they went popping back inside. And couldn't open the big door so they could go in faster as they crowded in too close. The push died and I had to herd Matilda who was hanging back.

I followed her in for a head count....came up short by several. Found a spot in the coop to hang the lantern so they could finish getting themselves settled while I went back out to see if I could figure out where the rest decided to roost. 2 whitish ghosts on the woodpile answered at least part of that. Grabbed one of wood splitting area lanterns and took a closer look: Arabel up high, PITA on the pile restraining wall......and Nellie and Pippa blending in in-between.....oh, boy. NONE are willing to be handled....and Bijou in also climbing around on the pile, wanting her dinner....

Do you have ANY idea how difficult it is to climb about on a woodpile with a lantern in one hand, a reluctantly perching chicken sitting on the other and while attempting to spit cat tail plumes out of your mouth as the cat weaves through all of that????

All 4 perched....if only briefly, and launched from my hand to make their own way to the coop where the other lantern was still lighting the roost options for them.

All settled and accounted for in the coop, no eggs (not surprising under today's circumstances), coop closed, lanterns put away and I had to gargle the fur out.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Is Soup a Leghorn mix? He looks like a Silkie mix w/ that crest? Cute little bugger

He is a silkie. I was just noting down my mean Leghorns. I had a sapphire splash who was also quite mean last year.

BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL POLISH !!

Yes! My luxury birds!