Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Thanks!

 

[ValerieJ]

Sweet Leghorns are a great personality bird ~ but prolific egg layers have the most health issues & shorter lifespans. Out here White Leghorns were used like caged guinea pigs to determine if West Nile virus mosquitos are in the agricultural areas ~ apparently White Leghorns are immune to West Nile mosquito bite virus so when blood is drawn the researchers can determine if there is a possible danger in the area. White Leghorns are over-used as egg layers but if cross bred w/ other breeds the offspring seem to have less health or reproductive issues.

In research its estimated 45% pure White Leghorns develop ovarian cancer & the birds are used for human ovarian cancer research. I got this info from an agricultural website over 13 yrs ago ago so don't ask me where.

Our sweet White Leghorn ~ I'd say our smartest breed in 14 yrs ~ independent, active forager, smart not to jump/fly up anywhere once she was removed from an area we didn't want her, she was not stubborn & learned voice commands & hand signals fast, kind flockmate yet stood up against a bully Marans 2-1/2 lbs bigger! This is a super breed & it hurts me that these beauties were abused in commercial egg factories for so many decades!
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That is so sad!!! Your leghorn in this picture looks so pretty and way healthier than ours ever did. Mine are very skittish and have been since they were chicks. I've just always allowed them their space and made sure they got all the same treats and treatment that everyone else did. They may be the smallest in the flock, but they are fast and they get their fair share, but they wouldn't need to get it that way. My flock is very docile. There is a pecking order, but never any real fights. No one is ever completely left out. I do have a couple that will eat side by side with anyone, as long as they don't try to take something right out from under them. That's when they will peck and say, "get outta there!".

 

[Sylvester017]

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Bob said no more discussion.
Naughty, now I need FLUFFY SILKIE PICTURES as tax

Hahaha yes you'll get plenty Silkie pics but I won't stop worrying about why AI vax is being ignored ~ or soon we won't have wild birds or domestic pets/livestock left! AI was a growing concern as far back as 1985 when I 1st moved here close to the Santa Fe Dam park.

Tx ~ 2019 Violet ran to me when she saw me....

....but ran away when she saw the click & shoot pocket camera in my hand....why?!

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks. It helps to know it’s not just my bad luck. This has been the roughest journey I’ve had with chickens. I think worse than the eagle attack because it’s such a long slow way to go. DH is not quite ready to cull her. He says sometimes she is downright energetic. Not when I have been watching her. IDK …

It is a very hard decision to make. I like to think i know when it's time but I'm not sure I'm as wise as I think I am sometimes. It helps to have others weigh in. I'm glad your DH is there to help.

 

[BY Bob]

Here’s Nacho and the babies for you: Have a look View attachment 4048111

Adorable.

 

[BY Bob]

Funny little side story
I de-scaled my Keurig today...it's been way too long. While it was brewing it was making those little motorcycle "wheeewhee" noises. It was hilarious

Tax
I don't think I've shared this knitting pattern here. "Hen" by Claire Garland
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Those are really good!

 

[featherhead007]

Ask Aurora
I finally found time to write another one. I hope everyone enjoys this one.

Today’s Ask Aurora comes from @Themellowyellows hen Peaches,

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Who writes…..

Dear Aurora,

I have been taking deep thought about this, but I could not figure out what is better, meal worms that my servant feeds me, or Cicadas that I have to work for, what do you think?


Dear Peaches,

What conundrum indeed. First let me say that you are a blessed chicken. I think in all my time here I have seen maybe 2 cicadas. They are wonderfully crunchy and juicy at the same time. Quite the treat. I believe that the population was wiped out by the legendary leghorns that resided here way before my time. There are stories of how there were so many cicadas that they got tired of eating them. Of course, over time those greedy leghorns wiped them out so that only a random lost cicada that has wandered onto Fluffy Butt Acres is available for my eating pleasure.

I am glad to hear that your servant feeds you meal worms as they should. I hope that you get them every day as all good human servants should be providing us with the meal worms that are our right. If not, I suggest you remind them of their duties and if they do not approve, you should contact the IFLC or International Federation of Labouring Chickens. With the price of eggs these days, a strike can be a most effective way of correcting your human servants and getting the meal worms you rightfully deserve.

There is an old chicken saying that kind of applies to this situation…..

Give a chick a bug and they are fed that day. Teach a chick to scratch up a bug and they are fed for life.

It seems you had good elders who taught you well The Way of The Chicken. We are not docile, fluffy, plant eating, cow-like creatures. We are fierce, dangerous, predators. We are descendants of the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor. We kill and eat what we want when we want. Woe to the cicada that enters my realm for its time is up the moment it sets foot in FBA. You should picture yourself in this way when you are hunting.

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Show no mercy. Anything smaller than you is prey and you should enjoy the hunt.


When you are feeling your inner T-Rex, hunt alone and keep the spoils for yourself.

When you are feeling your inner Raptor, hunt in a pack and keep the spoils for yourself.


There is no need to share. You are the apex predator of your group. Make the others take their own share. No need to freely give it up.


But what of your question. Which is better, Meal Worms that are given to you or Cicadas that you hunt and kill for yourself?

I think you already know the answer but let’s talk through it a little.

When you get meal worms you get hundreds of them . They are tasty little worms with a satisfying crunch. The joy of eating them lasts quite a while as there are usually plenty of them to eat. You must have accurate targeting for your beak to gather them up and it is a real pleasure when you hit one perfectly and it flips into your beak whole.

I don’t know how plentiful cicadas are where you live but you are not getting hundreds of them. You are hunting them individually. However, while also crunchy, they have that bonus part, the gooey yummy center.

Hold on while I wipe the drool from my beak.

Cicadas also have the joy of the hunt and the satisfaction of the kill. Meal worms just have the rush of eating faster than others so you can get the most (as you rightfully deserve).

A study published in Social, Cognitive, and affective Neuroscience in 2012 proved that a reward hard earned, provides the most excitement and enjoyment while things that are given for little or no effort provide little satisfaction. Cicadas are big game. They are fast and clever. They can fly. They are no easy pickings. You must be at your best to catch them.

I can tell that in your heart, you already know that the satisfaction of the successful hunt makes the cicada taste so much better than the meal worm. (not to mention the gooey yummy center)

So, get out there and go hunting. Be the best dinosaur you can be and enjoy the hunt. Even more, enjoy the kill and your well-earned reward.

Aurora

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Your Royal Worshipful and wise Queen Aurora, I don’t want to offend you in any way whatsoever, but I didn’t know just how aggressive chooks can get. My heart felt apologies if I’m being out of line. I never noticed any aggression in my tribe as you have mentioned. I have seen my hens hunt down and kill a mouse or two. Mostly my leghorns would kill snakes and mice, but then they would give their prize to the lead Barred Rock.
I’m just an ignorant hooman who learns so much from you about “The Way of the Chicken”
Thank you your Majesty!

 

[ValerieJ]

Here’s Nacho and the babies for you: Have a look View attachment 4048111

Cutest picture I've seen all day!!!

 

[BY Bob]

That is so sad!!! Your leghorn in this picture looks so pretty and way healthier than ours ever did. Mine are very skittish and have been since they were chicks. I've just always allowed them their space and made sure they got all the same treats and treatment that everyone else did. They may be the smallest in the flock, but they are fast and they get their fair share, but they wouldn't need to get it that way. My flock is very docile. There is a pecking order, but never any real fights. No one is ever completely left out. I do have a couple that will eat side by side with anyone, as long as they don't try to take something right out from under them. That's when they will peck and say, "get outta there!".

Our leghorns

 

[ValerieJ]

Our leghorns

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Just beautiful!!!