Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sally PB]

I did it, because I would most certainly want someone to do that for me if it was my circumstance.

And because it's the right and honorable thing to do, and you are a right honorable man.

 

[RoyalChick]

Happy New Year’s Eve everyone! My 2023 is almost over and I’m looking forward to a lot of new beginnings for 2024. The end of 2022 saw the roof of my house almost fully completed, and my goal for 2023 was to get moved in. Duck eggs, from my 7 adopted Muscovy, turned out to be more profitable than I expected so I let them go broody and ended up with 31 Ducks. The year was going very well. I adopted another baby goat, Tommy, who was dropped by an eagle right in front of me. Another baby landed at the nearby vineyard a few months later, so Ruth (male) joined the herd as well.

I was Under 25 sheets of plywood away from fully closed in, had borrowed some scaffolding, and had just convinced DH to help me put up one sheet every day until it was done. Immediately after our first successful sheet went up, working together before work, one of the in-laws came up and apparently the story had changed from “there’s no way you can finish the house, just give up” to “you have to stop building and leave because you’re not wanted here”. I continued to try to work things out, but stopped working on the house and started helping some friends build a Cabin out of my second story walls on another property instead. DH started looking for rentals on a different Island he works on. I still didn’t want to leave.

In September another incident happened with some goat hunters, I had a car accident and finally got fully on board with leaving. We secured a Goat/Chicken/Duck friendly rental for December 1st, and I began building a coop on our utility trailer for the Ducks and Chickens. We moved in in early December, and moved my mother in a week or so later. It’s a “800” square foot two story 3 “bedroom” home. The actual usable/non closet square footage is 550 yes I measured it last night. Either way it has heat, running water, and electricity, so I’m happy with that. Most importantly I was ably to bring the 13 ducks, 3 drakes, and 31 of my chickens along with the goats.

I’m not 100% sure what 2024 will bring, but I will be applying at the local grocery store full time. This island has 2 real grocery stores!!!, a small hospital, actual restaurants, and 2 gas stations that don’t charge $3/L CAD for diesel…I will also be running the property’s blueberry farm as a condition of the rental, and Andrew must continue to work at the Abattoir here as well. View attachment 3716147View attachment 3716149View attachment 3716151

Oh Kris. What a lot of drama!
I guess I am glad you are now out of that toxic environment and very happy you have a roof over your head and were able to bring many of the animals.
Here’s to 2024 being kinder on you. Well on everyone really!

 

[Ponypoor]

The very last photo features little Ruth near the stanchion and Tommy’s horns and forehead… lol. Unfortunately we are pretty much at or beyond housing capacity in the Poultry Apartment… I’m actually considering trying to add another roost somewhere because I’ve got four floor/nest box roosting chickens. So I’m hoping to really, really limit my Broodies this spring. I still have about five consistent want to be mamas… including these two hooligans mama marans and my red mama who both hatched out all boys this year View attachment 3716189

I thought it might be Tommy what with Jimmy’s teeny ears and lovely horns!

Henny Penny’s 2 chicks are now 5 weeks old - I am now at capacity here. Even though I really want a couple dark Brahma, oh and French cuckoo Marans…. darn chicken math!

But yep I am at capacity here.

Henny and her chicks

 

[featherhead007]

You’re a wonderful Roo

 

[featherhead007]

And because it's the right and honorable thing to do, and you are a right honorable man.

Oh come on, now you’re just being nasty!
I’m kidding

 

[BeastBaby]

Kris lives in British Columbia, winters are generally mild but rainy. Though last year she got quite a good dumping of snow and cold weather! I bet she will be sitting out when she can watching her flicks and her goats

I gathered she couldn’t be too far from me (Western Washington) based off of the scenery and mention of the blueberry farm. It sure is following the almanac’s prediction of a very mild winter around here, so far.

 

[Kris5902]

Oh Kris. What a lot of drama!
I guess I am glad you are now out of that toxic environment and very happy you have a roof over your head and were able to bring many of the animals.
Here’s to 2024 being kinder on you. Well on everyone really!

Thanks! I wish it had turned out better, but when it gets to the point of having to involve the police, and now lawyers… we are moving on, tying up our loose ends, resolving Andrews fathers estate. Best thing is either my morning mold cough being almost gone or being able to shower regularly with hot water, and inside… and if anyone lacks context on my posts, we have been camping in an RV since 2017, building a house, and farming on my husband’s family’s property. It started to go sideways in 2019, but I’m a little stubborn and loved the property, farming, and my animals too much to quit.

 

[Kris5902]

I thought it might be Tommy what with Jimmy’s teeny ears and lovely horns!

Henny Penny’s 2 chicks are now 5 weeks old - I am now at capacity here. Even though I really want a couple dark Brahma, oh and French cuckoo Marans…. darn chicken math!

But yep I am at capacity here.

Henny and her chicks
View attachment 3716222

Too cute!!! Is Mr. P the daddy??? You know “at capacity” is usually my incentive to build another coop…

 

[Kris5902]

I gathered she couldn’t be too far from me (Western Washington) based off of the scenery and mention of the blueberry farm. It sure is following the almanac’s prediction of a very mild winter around here, so far.

Oooh, more west coast friends! do you also have that moment of dismay when you log in in the mornings and everyone with a three hour head start is already getting to their lunch chats? I’m in the Southern Gulf Islands, formerly on Saturna which had a population boom during the pandemic and finally surpassed 400 permanent residents. We have moved to Saltspring with a population of around 11k. I’m slowly adjusting to seeing people again, but having neighbors in sight is quite strange to me still. Happy the rooster for the chicken tax… he was my new genetics addition (as well as Lavender a Houdan I re-homed as part of the 20)

And Jimmy’s horns photo bombing here… that’s Arlene the Eagle survivor from a neighbor’s farm mounting in the background too

 

[BeastBaby]

Oooh, more west coast friends! do you also have that moment of dismay when you log in in the mornings and everyone with a three hour head start is already getting to their lunch chats? I’m in the Southern Gulf Islands, formerly on Saturna which had a population boom during the pandemic and finally surpassed 400 permanent residents. We have moved to Saltspring with a population of around 11k. I’m slowly adjusting to seeing people again, but having neighbors in sight is quite strange to me still. Happy the rooster for the chicken tax… he was my new genetics addition (as well as Lavender a Houdan I re-homed as part of the 20)View attachment 3716251
And Jimmy’s horns photo bombing here… that’s Arlene the Eagle survivor from a neighbor’s farm mounting in the background too

Yesss, I’m always logging on an hour before the crack of dawn due to having an infant… and the chat is all “I let the chooks out, went to the store for feed, came home for lunch, reconstructed a roofing project, phew glad it’s almost cocktail hour” .