Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Not to mention the livestock hauler full of pigs. Need the bacon and sausage!

I was making French toast but bacon and sausage for sure!

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you, you’re very kind to say this.

Penelope and her two ’sisters’ Blanche and Sophia, came to me from my cousin, they were her feathered friends whom she raised from chicks.

When my cousin moved up north she asked me to ‘please take my chickens for the winter’. Which we all know is code for ‘please take my chickens forever’.

Penelope was an old girl then and Blanche and Sophia are a couple of yrs younger. My cousin had 2 other hens with Penelope but they were killed by a fox, so she got 2 more chicks for Penelope to have friends.

I have hatched out daughters from these three (Dorothy is Penelope’s daughter, Tippy is Sophia’s, and Rose is Blanch’s daughter).

I have no idea what breed they are. Penelope laid a very light blue egg, and both Sophia and blanche lay olive coloured ones.

Penelope and her egg daughter that Henny Penny hatched out. They were having a grooming session.
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Sophia - she went broody at age 5! Had never been broody before or since, she was such an awesome mama.
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Blanche and her lovely beard and whiskers.
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And a portrait of the three old ladies. They always got the best roosting spots.
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They were lucky to have you.

 

[BY Bob]

Eggies are here!!!
One set is clearly labeled, but a mystery. I see a white "L" egg, I believe that is brown leghorn. The rest are unknown.View attachment 4043925
Here is the breed list in case anyone wants to guess
View attachment 4043927

And...the other seller has labeled them AND provided a packing list!
View attachment 4043923
View attachment 4043924
Safely resting in the lizard cage for now.

That is great news! Good luck!

 

[ILoveDaffy]

Outdoor moggies - yep that’s a tough one.

But keeping all feed inside the actual coop (not the run) will help keep birds away. And in the process protect the moggies so they don’t have so many birds to hunt.

I don’t think song birds are as high a risk as water fowl though, so if you can control the number of birds around then you can control the exposure to both chooks and moggies.

Thank you. You put things into a different perspective for me. I really can't control very much of the risk to the cats. Either way, they are better off with me than where they came from. ( A neighborhood cat colony where cats were often run-over and not cared for at all) And they are happy. They have a job as farm cats, and love it. They roam and hunt, and are safer, fed, have a cozy cat house and hay barn, and are getting vetted. On the chicken front, if I use biosecurity methods and make an secure coop, they will most likely be safe and the people who care for them too.

 

[Ponypoor]

Fly high and free, beautiful Penelope.

Thanks Sally

 

[Ponypoor]

Eggies are here!!!
One set is clearly labeled, but a mystery. I see a white "L" egg, I believe that is brown leghorn. The rest are unknown.View attachment 4043925
Here is the breed list in case anyone wants to guess
View attachment 4043927

And...the other seller has labeled them AND provided a packing list!
View attachment 4043923
View attachment 4043924
Safely resting in the lizard cage for now.

Good luck! Can’t wait to see babies running around

 

[Ponypoor]

Am I supposed to let these run empty overnight then add the eggs and reset the countdown in the morning? View attachment 4043954
I know the eggs need to sit pointy side down for 12 hours before incubating, to make sure the air sacs are in the right place. I was going to let them sit overnight and set them when I get up in the morning.

@RebeccaBoyd will know the answer to this I bet.

Good luck!

 

[ILoveDaffy]

So: The decision has been reversed. Chickens are happening this year. I had waaayy too many people enabling me. I would like to do something like The Burrow (over in articles) in terms of coop. I think it is a very practical design for my needs. In terms of chickens, I want Chocolate Orpingtons, Easter Eggers, a Blue Australorp, a Buff Orpington, Bielefelder, and  maybe a Chocolate Orpington Rooster. About 8 chickens. Maybe 10. It had been 4-6,  but then the list grew, and when I think I could slim the list a bit, it grows. Chicken math! Now, to plan and begin the build and order the babies.

 

[Ponypoor]

So: The decision has been reversed. Chickens are happening this year. I had waaayy too many people enabling me. I would like to do something like The Burrow (over in articles) in terms of coop. I think it is a very practical design for my needs. In terms of chickens, I want Chocolate Orpingtons, Easter Eggers, a Blue Australorp, a Buff Orpington, Bielefelder, and  maybe a Chocolate Orpington Rooster. About 8 chickens. Maybe 10. It had been 4-6,  but then the list grew, and when I think I could slim the list a bit, it grows. Chicken math! Now, to plan and begin the build and order the babies.

Ooooo those sound gorgeous!

 

[ILoveDaffy]

Ooooo those sound gorgeous!

I am quite excited! I had wanted Jubilee Orpingtons as my special chicken breed, but a coop and $40 chicks weren't quite in the budget. Chocolate Orpingtons were beautiful too, and half the cost.