Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValerieJ]

I was out, but I have a large flock, kind of broken up into 3 groups, and I can't be everywhere at once.....they cover about 2 1/2 acres. The fox came at the back/side most group while I was locking up the front most group (the very littles) (They sort of form a triangle - the coops of the 3 groups.) The littles are in a mobile tractor & run in the front yard, the main group in the back/side yard (to the side of but behind the house), then this group in the way side yard...again, they cover anywhere between 2 & 3 acres when they are out. The Geese and their 4 duck mates are in a mobile tractor & run between the back/side yard main coop& run, and the Way side yard mobile coop that has kind of become a permanent one with a temporary become permanent attached run. Honestly, I hadn't planned on me being so weak in late August and getting 30 littles (I have 28 as 2 were doa)...I personally think the mobile tractor & run is getting a bit small for them at this point....so I feel like I should let them free range a bit. And the others are used to free ranging and get upset when I don't let them. I didn't let anyone out today, and they yelled at me whenever they saw me. I feel like such a bad chicken mommy right now.

I have another permanent coop in process, but it isn't done yet. It is 10X4, and will be a double decker, ducks & geese on the bottom & chickens up top. This will be enough room, I think, for everyone for the winter, since the boys of the 'littles' won't be kept, but they are still way too small to go to freezer camp yet. I had planned on my main run being expanded by now, but I physically can't attach the auger to the tractor by myself, and my husband's parents have had numerous health issues, so he has spent a lot of weekends down there...so...no drilled post holes, so no expanded run. And this coop was going to be built in part of the expanded run, that will have a roof over it so there will be a little more run space that I won't have to shovel in the winter....so I didn't start building this coop until recently when I just got so frustrated at no movement on the run. It will be a pain to later build the roofed part of the run over the coop but I am just at my witts end at the moment....but I also can't be upset with hubby, either, as we really do need to take care of his parents...but them being 3.5 hours away means there is no splitting time on weekends between them and us....he is usually gone the whole weekend lately.

Sorry, I didn't mean to dump all this on you guys. I almost deleted everything...but sometimes I just want to cry. Then I think of people like @RoyalChick and @ValerieJ and @Kris5902 and I feel selfish thinking/feeling this way.

Selfish, feeling sorry for myself tax:

Some of my 'littles' enjoying the sun:View attachment 3299745View attachment 3299747

I don't have words. We are all just doing our best for our chickens. I hope it all works out for you.

 

[BY Bob]

Today was bittersweet. Pecan and Oreo have been fighting no one was getting hurt YET and Macaron was getting picked on more and more. The answer was obvious but I expected I would have more time. 3 Roosters is 2 to many for 10 hens. I was going to try and make it work but it became clear that was not to be.

I knew what my options were and liked none of them. Then an opportunity presented itself. An employee at Rural King who takes care of all the animals was looking for a Rooster as he had lost his. So today I took my Pecan and Biscotti down at the end of his shift and gave them a chance they couldn’t have with me. I know there is no guarantees when you re-home but I reason some chance at being able to be Roos is better then no chance at all.

My heart is heavy none the less. When I got home I sat with the remaining flock for quite a while and watched them and they seemed subdued but yet also more balanced calmer. I think I did the right thing but it may take some time to find peace with it.

You gave them a chance at a good life. You certainly did right by them. It never feels good but you did good.

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you very much for your kind words. I’d wager almost all chicken keepers face the Roo dilemma at some point. Its just hard.

 

[BY Bob]

LF's butt should be a POW. WOW Can I say that I am mouthwatering?

It is impressive!

 

[BY Bob]

Rehoming boys is hard, trust me I know. You did the best you could for Pecan and Biscotti. You found them a home with someone who wanted a rooster for their flock. Now it is up to them, as hard as it is for me to say. This is my mindset when I have to rehome the extra boys. I did my job, tried to find the best home possible for them, now they either behave and make it work or they do not. We both give our boys a chance, that is all we can do. Now, as far as your remaining boy, it is good to hear that he is calm and mellow, that is in his favor. Remember though, very, very, very soon, hormones are going to hit. They are going to hit hard and fast. The idiot phase is coming, and it is coming without a older established rooster to keep him in line. He is going to loose his mind at times, he may get rough with the hens at times. My advice, as long as he does not turn on people, give him time to out grow it. He will start calming down at about a year, and be golden by 1 1/2 years. Once he is established, if you want to add another boy it will be easier. You will have him for the new boy to watch and learn from. You will have older hens who will think nothing of putting a new boy in their place, and have back up if needed from your boy. You will find that if they can learn from a older boy adding other roos is soo much easier.

This is a great post. Thanks for sharing this information.

 

[RoyalChick]

I was out, but I have a large flock, kind of broken up into 3 groups, and I can't be everywhere at once.....they cover about 2 1/2 acres. The fox came at the back/side most group while I was locking up the front most group (the very littles) (They sort of form a triangle - the coops of the 3 groups.) The littles are in a mobile tractor & run in the front yard, the main group in the back/side yard (to the side of but behind the house), then this group in the way side yard...again, they cover anywhere between 2 & 3 acres when they are out. The Geese and their 4 duck mates are in a mobile tractor & run between the back/side yard main coop& run, and the Way side yard mobile coop that has kind of become a permanent one with a temporary become permanent attached run. Honestly, I hadn't planned on me being so weak in late August and getting 30 littles (I have 28 as 2 were doa)...I personally think the mobile tractor & run is getting a bit small for them at this point....so I feel like I should let them free range a bit. And the others are used to free ranging and get upset when I don't let them. I didn't let anyone out today, and they yelled at me whenever they saw me. I feel like such a bad chicken mommy right now.

I have another permanent coop in process, but it isn't done yet. It is 10X4, and will be a double decker, ducks & geese on the bottom & chickens up top. This will be enough room, I think, for everyone for the winter, since the boys of the 'littles' won't be kept, but they are still way too small to go to freezer camp yet. I had planned on my main run being expanded by now, but I physically can't attach the auger to the tractor by myself, and my husband's parents have had numerous health issues, so he has spent a lot of weekends down there...so...no drilled post holes, so no expanded run. And this coop was going to be built in part of the expanded run, that will have a roof over it so there will be a little more run space that I won't have to shovel in the winter....so I didn't start building this coop until recently when I just got so frustrated at no movement on the run. It will be a pain to later build the roofed part of the run over the coop but I am just at my witts end at the moment....but I also can't be upset with hubby, either, as we really do need to take care of his parents...but them being 3.5 hours away means there is no splitting time on weekends between them and us....he is usually gone the whole weekend lately.

Sorry, I didn't mean to dump all this on you guys. I almost deleted everything...but sometimes I just want to cry. Then I think of people like @RoyalChick and @ValerieJ and @Kris5902 and I feel selfish thinking/feeling this way.

Selfish, feeling sorry for myself tax:

Some of my 'littles' enjoying the sun:View attachment 3299745View attachment 3299747

 

[rural mouse]

Here’s my only Halloween decoration this year. My little Boo! Scary isn’t it?View attachment 3299925

Glow in the dark paint?

 

[ManueB]

I was out, but I have a large flock, kind of broken up into 3 groups, and I can't be everywhere at once.....they cover about 2 1/2 acres. The fox came at the back/side most group while I was locking up the front most group (the very littles) (They sort of form a triangle - the coops of the 3 groups.) The littles are in a mobile tractor & run in the front yard, the main group in the back/side yard (to the side of but behind the house), then this group in the way side yard...again, they cover anywhere between 2 & 3 acres when they are out. The Geese and their 4 duck mates are in a mobile tractor & run between the back/side yard main coop& run, and the Way side yard mobile coop that has kind of become a permanent one with a temporary become permanent attached run. Honestly, I hadn't planned on me being so weak in late August and getting 30 littles (I have 28 as 2 were doa)...I personally think the mobile tractor & run is getting a bit small for them at this point....so I feel like I should let them free range a bit. And the others are used to free ranging and get upset when I don't let them. I didn't let anyone out today, and they yelled at me whenever they saw me. I feel like such a bad chicken mommy right now.

I have another permanent coop in process, but it isn't done yet. It is 10X4, and will be a double decker, ducks & geese on the bottom & chickens up top. This will be enough room, I think, for everyone for the winter, since the boys of the 'littles' won't be kept, but they are still way too small to go to freezer camp yet. I had planned on my main run being expanded by now, but I physically can't attach the auger to the tractor by myself, and my husband's parents have had numerous health issues, so he has spent a lot of weekends down there...so...no drilled post holes, so no expanded run. And this coop was going to be built in part of the expanded run, that will have a roof over it so there will be a little more run space that I won't have to shovel in the winter....so I didn't start building this coop until recently when I just got so frustrated at no movement on the run. It will be a pain to later build the roofed part of the run over the coop but I am just at my witts end at the moment....but I also can't be upset with hubby, either, as we really do need to take care of his parents...but them being 3.5 hours away means there is no splitting time on weekends between them and us....he is usually gone the whole weekend lately.

Sorry, I didn't mean to dump all this on you guys. I almost deleted everything...but sometimes I just want to cry. Then I think of people like @RoyalChick and @ValerieJ and @Kris5902 and I feel selfish thinking/feeling this way.

Selfish, feeling sorry for myself tax:

Some of my 'littles' enjoying the sun:View attachment 3299745View attachment 3299747

First, I'm so sorry for your loss. It must have been dreadful running and not getting there on time. Foxes are fast and cunning, I'm sure you're aware of it but be careful he may be back.

Also, like @knoturavggrl I was in very much the same situation and totally understand your rant. We bought the material to cover our run at the end of may and then my stepmother was hospitalized, our elderly neighbour needed help with his vineyard, then my stepfather needed help at his place, so we are doing it four months late. I feel overwhelmed and I have ten times less on my hands than you do. Also, I'm angry at myself for being so useless as there is so little I can handle on my own. When it comes to manual work, I have two left hands and no physical strength in my arms and back ! So, I think if you look at the bigger scheme you are doing really good in regard to all you have taken upon yourself. You didn't joke with chicken / poultry maths ! And in the end things will get done, not in the timing you wished for, but you'll get there.

Operation Hawk Stop

So my plan is to use up all that old baling twine that is of no real use, I started by stringing it across the Rooster Run every couple of feet.

Tomorrow I will run it lengthwise down the run every foot or so making a grid work lattice which will deter any hawks from getting in.

What do you all think?

Before
View attachment 3299592
View attachment 3299593
View attachment 3299594

After with the twine across to run
View attachment 3299596
View attachment 3299597
View attachment 3299601
View attachment 3299602

Ya I know, my hope is to get them through the next little bit, once the snow arrives they don’t go outside in the evil white stuff.

Seems snow is a monster to them!

My plan is to roof the run with some PVC panels and hopefully some wire mesh. But that costs big money so unless I get on a project soon it’s not happening.

Lovely colours and photos. We have done something a little like this when we had so many hawk attacks last spring. What I can say is that it deterred the bigger birds from landing ( eagles and gallicus hawks in our case) but not the smaller one, the sparrowhawk that landed next to Chipie about a week after we put the strings on.

We also got some used agricultural nettings for free, the stuff they use to protect from the hail and collect olives. It had some holes in it and was ugly as sin but it worked.
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It's pony Sunday today, I'm also thinking of Chaco.
This is a photo from two days ago of See you on his new pasture, he's not fenced during the day now but he stays

willingly next to the goats stables with his donkey friend.

 

[featherhead007]

Glow in the dark paint?

Nope. Just acrylics. And my hand isn’t too steady lately.

 

[rural mouse]

Nope. Just acrylics. And my hand isn’t too steady lately.

For a ghostly pumpkin, an unsteady hand is a good thing. And fwi, there are cglow in the dark acrylics. Your paint job makes for a creepy friendly. I like!