Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Glad to see she is with the main gang Hopefully it’s warmer there also.

Are you getting this wintry blast of cold air down there also?

Wind has been howling all day and all night last night. I expect it's going to get cold. I may need to turn on the panel in the main coop.

 

[BY Bob]

Aurora must really be mellowing

It is a stunning development. I'm happy for Hattie. It may be because the entire tribe has been basically living in the main coop for 3 days now. The weather has been truly awful and they are just staying indoors by choice. Why force anyone to leave when it's nasty out.

 

[notabitail]

Honestly, it looks more like taking a dust SNUGGLE!! So sweet

They're best friends. Always stealing my food together. I wasn't surprised upon seeing them do that. They're both sweet too.

 

[notabitail]

It is a stunning development. I'm happy for Hattie. It may be because the entire tribe has been basically living in the main coop for 3 days now. The weather has been truly awful and they are just staying indoors by choice. Why force anyone to leave when it's nasty out.

I hope your weather gets better. We had nasty wind two days ago but I assume yours is worse.

 

[BY Bob]

I hope your weather gets better. We had nasty wind two days ago but I assume yours is worse.

I hope you didn't have much damage.

 

[notabitail]

I hope you didn't have much damage.

Thankfully it wasn't any damage. Not as bad as other times we've had wind, and the chooks now have metal roofs that stay down as opposed to the plastic/tarp roofs. This time the wind was hitting the back of the house (AKA my office) and right into the Bigs' coop. Thankfully they had protection keeping them from getting blasted with it, and as far as I'm concerned they were fairly happy with it. The Littles' coop is in the back, but the wind essentially bounced off of their roof since it's right against a shed.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

He was practicing in secret so as not to offend his lady (you)

I have been blessed to have always had as far as people go stellar roos.

None of them, not even my dear Drumstick and Branch have been this easy as George. He was born a gentleman. At some point in their lives before they hit 6 months of age which George now is they have done something stupid which resulted in my go to of packing them around like a baby. They have either bit or given chase in a half-hearted sneak attack to flog from behind. When they found their voices they used them. All day and even in the middle of the night.

To date George is just special. He is respectful. He has been crowing a month. I have only heard him twice in that months time. He never, ever has crowed after 9 am. He has never bit me yet. He escorts me and keeps watch over me, not once has he deployed the sneak attack come from behind charge. I'm not saying he is perfect. I'm also not saying in a month when the girls pick back up laying and those hormones really hit that he will not have a stupid moment. I'm sure he will, they all do. He just makes raising up a cockerel easy and a very very enjoyable experience.

If everyone could have a cockerel like George, more people would have roosters.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

That is great crow! Way to go George!

It is a very lovely crow. I like it's pitch. It will not travel very far. Drumstick and Bubba had much deeper crows. When they did use their voice it carried a good distance. I miss hearing those boys sound off.

 

[micstrachan]

I have been thinking since I read about Bernies passing yesterday. What is it with chickens and their 3 year old year?

Be it natural or accidental many of my own flock members have been lost going into or nearing the end of that dreaded year.

Branch, Bubba, Butter, Bunny, and Blueberry were all 3.

If they make it to 4, all is well it seems.
Holly is going strong and will be 5 in February. The 2 cochin girls, they turned 5 last month. Momma Hen was ancient when she passed and still as mean as ever right up until the end.

I have a couple girls in that 3 year bubble right now.

Raven will be 4 in April. Corona will be 3 in August and Squirrel will be 3 i think in March. They all are thankfully doing well. Coincidentally the hardest and toughest molt to witness this season was Squirrels. She went bald and was very painful and off to herself for some time. Holly also had a hard molt and was naked. She never went off her feed, never seemed like she was in pain when her whole body was a mass of pins. Start to finish she went from bald to fully feathered out except her head in a week and a half. Squirrels went on for about 3 to 4 weeks before she was finished.

Interesting that you say that about 3. I have been tracking the lifespan of every chicken i have had. Check out the average age of the deceased.

 

[micstrachan]

Late Mugs Monday.
BFTP: Dominica.
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I love this photo!