Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

We can’t lay off the treats! That’s how you spoil a chicken, right?

I have not given treats in 2 weeks now, so I am hoping for poor Petunia to start laying proper eggs again.

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh we’re not near desperation yet- she just started (trying) to lay earlier this month. And if the cause of the soft eggs is stress, I can’t imagine isolated black out box time would help.

I didn’t get a chance to put Petunia in a crate tonight I was too busy chasing down escapee Eli-too (who is aptly named), and then the egg, and I didn’t do stalls this morning….

 

[Ponypoor]

Oh no! Someone stole half of Calypso’s beard. Only her left side has been plucked.
I can’t figure how that happened.
I haven’t seen anyone do that to her. She roosts between Tassels and Pooh usually. Tassels’ beard is intact.
I did see a lot of tiny black feathers in the nest where she lays her egg. Could someone have thrown her out of the nest box by pulling on her beard?
Poor Calypso. She looks a bit naked.


I don’t see any wounds. Should I do anything? And if so, what?!

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I am so sorry for laughing - but I think it gives her character

 

[ChicoryBlue]

It is tough to watch. I think the squat is to show submission. Piglet was squatting while Calypso beat the crap out if her. Now Calypso seems satisfied that Piglet knows her place and has let up, at least for now.

Yes, it is a submissive move to hens higher in the pecking order and usually prevents any pecks or thumpings. Glynda is very good at quickly submitting to Sydney.

Popcorn is very often keeping Diane in line, but most of the time Diane runs away, she doesn't "submit". She's in an incorrigible phase, at least I hope it's a phase. Not that it doesn't happen - I've seen it once, she might have been taken by surprise, but I looked over to see her squatted and very still, and Popcorn just standing over her, not pecking. Today they were both near me and Diane pecked my hand and Popcorn pecked her right away. Diane moved off.

 

[featherhead007]

An odd egg indeed

Came home and checked the egg situation, that’s when I found the odd egg.

An egg within an egg.

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The nodule on the egg seems to be calcium as it was hard.

And let’s crack this oddity open!

I wouldn’t have cracked it open, but I would have performed an exorcism on it!

 

[Ponypoor]

I wouldn’t have cracked it open, but I would have performed an exorcism on it!

It was cold and slimy hahaha and that shell was darn hard! Such a dichotomy.

 

[Ponypoor]

Popcorn is very often keeping Diane in line, but most of the time Diane runs away, she doesn't "submit". She's in an incorrigible phase, at least I hope it's a phase. Not that it doesn't happen - I've seen it once, she might have been taken by surprise, but I looked over to see her squatted and very still, and Popcorn just standing over her, not pecking. Today they were both near me and Diane pecked my hand and Popcorn pecked her right away. Diane moved off.

Good Popcorn ! What a good girl! She sure knows right from wrong gosh what a good hen!

 

[featherhead007]

There are others out there with those eggs?

About a month or so ago was when I first noted Petunia having issues, and at the time I thought she had just laid a soft egg on top of another egg. But it looked funny and I thought ‘did that egg come is that membrane?’ But I discounted it as I have never heard of such a thing!

Then tonight there it was.

They warned us, didn’t they warn us that those con-trails from airplanes were causing strange weather patterns and mutations to animal life?

 

[featherhead007]

I was outside in the yard, counting my chickens. But no rooster! I searched for him everywhere at least three times. I was panicked but I finally found him in the stack of ladders outside of the house. Just laying there quietly as can be. Here I’m out of breath, panicking. Gagging for breath, worried sick. I took him inside to give him his lunch.

But:

I lectured Sir Jaffar for close to an hour or more about his hiding from me. I don’t think he heard a word I said!

 

[rural mouse]

This is brilliant. I’ve read it twice haha

Based upon subsequent pics of Onyx and Omen(?), both are single combed....wait...one was mentioned as Dominique x light Brahma, so SHOULD end up as walnut comb unless both parents are NOT pure bred....now i have to go back and check the pics....how far back ....