Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

That is a very good question and depending on who you ask you will get varied answers. Also every families needs and set ups are different so there is no 1 right or wrong answer to this question.

My personal take on this.

My flock free ranges. I do not want high production breeds, I prefer they have as long of a life as possible. Broodies are welcome even if they are a pain in my rear to break. Every girl this year has taken a few weeks to break, it is ok, that is time their bodies needed to take a break from laying even if they did not get to raise chicks. I do not keep them under lights in the winter to encourage laying either. Their bodies are designed for these breaks, they need them. If I have to hang my head in shame and buy store eggs in the winter I will. Actually i do not and go eggless if I have to but that is me.

If you free range I'm going to warn you now. Everything and I mean everything loves to eat chickens. There will be losses at some point. There is a unspoken rule that the ones taken are the ones you love the most and there is going to be heartbreak. Those older hens who no longer lay but free range. I keep them. They are the survivors and they are smart. They may not lay anymore but they have value. They teach the younger generations. They are predator savy and know how to escape.

My dearly departed Momma Hen is my best example. A stray game hen who would become the bane of my existence. Chronic broody who would disappear if not allowed to hatch and come home with chick in tow. Terrible egg layer. Terrible due to the broodiness. She would start laying. Lay for a week, then hide and start building her clutch. Once she hit about 7 to 10 eggs she would start setting. When broody and or raising chicks she would turn into a chicken keepers worst nightmare. She did not growl, she bit. She would get a beak full of tender skin and then twist drawing blood. If that did not get the message across then she came at you like a bat out of you know where, with your head and face the target. She lost the toes on one foot to a hawk and was left with a stump for a foot. That became her club and let me tell you she wielded it like one. Once her chicks hatched she was worse. You did not look, touch or get within a few feet of those babies. It was not fun making sure they had fresh water and chick feed available. You needed a suit of armor to protect yourself. She struck fear into every cat and dog in this neighborhood. My big girl CeeCee, she simply walked by her with a few day old chicks and Momma had her cornered in a dog crate beating the crap out of her. I had to save poor CeeCee as she was cowering. She raised smart chicks though. The majority of my flock fish for minnows in the creek. Momma hen taught them all this. A couple roost in the trees, again, thank you Momma Hen you bat.

Momma Hen passed from old age this spring. She was at least 11. I have cursed that hen. Called her every name under the sun and made up a few for her. I lost count the times I threatened to wring her neck. I miss her. She was useless as a layer but there will never be another like her. I do not have any of her biological chicks. But through the lessons she taught the flock she will live on for a long time after she is gone.

I miss Momma Hen’s antics and stories. She was a wonderful character.

 

[Sally PB]

but since they're going to be free range I don't think that will be much of an issue.

There won't be much for them to eat when they free range in the winter here in Michigan, so you'll have to buy feed. But in the summer there's plenty, so it might balance out.

 

[TOMTE]

That is a very good question and depending on who you ask you will get varied answers. Also every families needs and set ups are different so there is no 1 right or wrong answer to this question.

My personal take on this.

My flock free ranges. I do not want high production breeds, I prefer they have as long of a life as possible. Broodies are welcome even if they are a pain in my rear to break. Every girl this year has taken a few weeks to break, it is ok, that is time their bodies needed to take a break from laying even if they did not get to raise chicks. I do not keep them under lights in the winter to encourage laying either. Their bodies are designed for these breaks, they need them. If I have to hang my head in shame and buy store eggs in the winter I will. Actually i do not and go eggless if I have to but that is me.

If you free range I'm going to warn you now. Everything and I mean everything loves to eat chickens. There will be losses at some point. There is a unspoken rule that the ones taken are the ones you love the most and there is going to be heartbreak. Those older hens who no longer lay but free range. I keep them. They are the survivors and they are smart. They may not lay anymore but they have value. They teach the younger generations. They are predator savy and know how to escape.

My dearly departed Momma Hen is my best example. A stray game hen who would become the bane of my existence. Chronic broody who would disappear if not allowed to hatch and come home with chick in tow. Terrible egg layer. Terrible due to the broodiness. She would start laying. Lay for a week, then hide and start building her clutch. Once she hit about 7 to 10 eggs she would start setting. When broody and or raising chicks she would turn into a chicken keepers worst nightmare. She did not growl, she bit. She would get a beak full of tender skin and then twist drawing blood. If that did not get the message across then she came at you like a bat out of you know where, with your head and face the target. She lost the toes on one foot to a hawk and was left with a stump for a foot. That became her club and let me tell you she wielded it like one. Once her chicks hatched she was worse. You did not look, touch or get within a few feet of those babies. It was not fun making sure they had fresh water and chick feed available. You needed a suit of armor to protect yourself. She struck fear into every cat and dog in this neighborhood. My big girl CeeCee, she simply walked by her with a few day old chicks and Momma had her cornered in a dog crate beating the crap out of her. I had to save poor CeeCee as she was cowering. She raised smart chicks though. The majority of my flock fish for minnows in the creek. Momma hen taught them all this. A couple roost in the trees, again, thank you Momma Hen you bat.

Momma Hen passed from old age this spring. She was at least 11. I have cursed that hen. Called her every name under the sun and made up a few for her. I lost count the times I threatened to wring her neck. I miss her. She was useless as a layer but there will never be another like her. I do not have any of her biological chicks. But through the lessons she taught the flock she will live on for a long time after she is gone.

Thank for for the input and for the story, that was really touching

I'll save this for sure

 

[RoyalChick]

Oops. Looks like Bernie has mislaid her tail somewhere.
She seems to be maintaining her dignity even without the tail.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Dear Raven,

We tried but it was not meant to be. I candled her remaining egg last night after dark. It was clear. This morning I tore up and removed her nest. She is still clucky but she has been on the go all morning. I'm confident in a day or two she will have snapped out of it by herself. No more attempts at hatching this year and I will not be buying her chicks either this time around. I will use this fall and winter to observe the silkies. I still hope I have one male in the group. Come late January into early February I will need to make a decision. As far as hatching goes am I going to focus on solely silkies or do I want to get some more Marans eggs and continue on with those as well. There is a market in my area for both. I will say it is easier to place silkies. People who want silkies know it takes forever to determine sex. They have no issue buying day old straight run chicks. People who are after the Marans, well, if you cannot promise pullets at day olds it is like pulling teeth to place them.

 

[Lilion]

Greetings all!

I did mean to respond to you. I made the extra roost because of the cockerels - but it would work for your Red group to have a place to hop up onto to get away from the older girls if needed - and it will just give them something else to hop onto - more fun/distration/space to roost.

Oh! I understand now! They seem more than fine actually. The 3 older girls tend to eat first and such, but they haven't bullied at all. I think we're going to be good really.

I've had problems with little dogs all the times on bike rides. I almost hit one once. I really wanted to give that owner a earful.

We live in the country now with no laws at all about pets. Most folks let them roam and it makes me crazy! I guess I still have my townie attitude. This little monster does not!

We have a chainlink back yard fence and we take her for walks on leash. The fact is, she is much too "attentive" to the chickens. So we keep her away and we don’t free range anyway due to hawks and other predators. A couple houses over have little dogs. They make me crazy on walks, because they ruin onto the road to meet Ellie. I'm always worried they'll get hit. I stopped for a fellow in a truck the other day, and he had to stop for their dogs. He gave me a dirty look and said something about them getting hit...I said, "Don't look at me! Those aren't my dogs. Mines on this leash!" They always have mutt puppies too... but that's another story.

The girls enjoyed a novelty today...a little chicken for the chickens.

Such funny little creatures.

Hope all are well!

 

[LhickenChicken]

I miss Momma Hen’s antics and stories. She was a wonderful character.

Hmmm? Someone said Momma Hen?

Pi is my new Momma Hen.
She has always been an escape artist it doesn't matter what I do, she still escapes. So a few days ago she vanished mysteriously and I simply guessed she got eaten. Yesterday she turned up at the barn and as there's someone that replied to my ad who wanted birds, I wanted to get rid of her (I'm sick of catching her). I jumped on the chance and locked her up in a cage. Not five minutes later she says "Buk Buk Buk buk" and I know my initial guess was right: she's made a nest in the woods and will come back in a month with chicks. I'm not letting her out of the cage.

 

[featherhead007]

Hmmm? Someone said Momma Hen?

Pi is my new Momma Hen.
She has always been an escape artist it doesn't matter what I do, she still escapes. So a few days ago she vanished mysteriously and I simply guessed she got eaten. Yesterday she turned up at the barn and as there's someone that replied to my ad who wanted birds, I wanted to get rid of her (I'm sick of catching her). I jumped on the chance and locked her up in a cage. Not five minutes later she says "Buk Buk Buk buk" and I know my initial guess was right: she's made a nest in the woods and will come back in a month with chicks. I'm not letting her out of the cage.

Boy, does that sound familiar!
My Ameraucana disappeared from my yard, only to come back home with seven little ones in tow.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I warned hubby about the chances of that happening, he said "but how will you lose a whole chicken in the run? You could catch her and put her back in the coop"

 

[Ponypoor]

I did have another small dog, a miniature pinscher we got from a puppy mill (on accident)
She really wanted to be a good dog but she had too much wrong. We gave her so many chances but she started obsessing (predatory terrier behavior) when my baby was in a high chair and bit me when I went to get the baby out, so she had to go. She was adopted by an older couple and I hope she's still around and having a good time with them. I really miss her, she was beautiful and very cuddly.View attachment 3941436
She always obsessed over anything to do with birds. She...ate quite a few that weren't fast enough to clear the fence at our city house.
View attachment 3941437
She was a blue/cream and had "dilute alopecia" and her belly was furry in her summer coat and naked in her winter coat.
View attachment 3941438
Her feet were really deformed, like flippers. We could hardly keep her nails trimmed. Her original owners docked her way too short so she had trouble with incontinence.


Mira tax
Liara laid a long egg today
View attachment 3941440View attachment 3941441

Poor pups, all because people was these designer animals - though same can be said of chickens too. The silkies and polish are prime examples.

Re egg: Henny Penny has been laying long skinny eggs this year.