Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Mama has returned to her littles. The integration of chooks here is crazy at perch time in the evening.
Looks like they want to kill each other, but that’s just the way of the chicken.
Nacho’s littles names are:
Queso (cheese)
Pueno ( jalapeño )
Frijole (bean)

I love those names

 

[Ponypoor]

More mugs

Georgie figured hopping up onto my back when I was checking out her chicks was a good thing. I didn’t know who it was at first! Silly chook!

I have no idea what possesses her to jump up there, and she did it in one hop! Don’t let them fool you - these silkies are devious little cassowary!

And check out the look on Topsy’s face!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Trying coconut coir for a ventilating snow baffle on the brutal west side. I may even change the location of the door for next winter if I can't better it.

Inside shot. Putting it lower than the door gap so maybe snow won't sneak in there.

Outside. The fabric does something, but is not enough against fine wind-driven snow

The run west /northwest side end finished, see how it holds up against the gale-force blows.

I took a couple of chicken pics using the BYC "attach files" right from the camera, but then I accidentally deleted them, and they're apparently gone forever, not stored in the media files, and now it's night. Sorry! Did not know. Tomorrow I'll get some.
Here's Annie a few weeks ago

Oh! I can screenshot the roost tonight. I'll do a Pony thing! (@Ponypoor )

I put the panel warmer on low and for tonight was going to turn it off, but there's Hazel sleeping next to it (in the back in the lower picture, front in the upper one), like she has been doing for the last several weeks. It's only 5F warmer in there than outside, 41F vs 35F, which body heat does anyway, plus the thermometer is right next to somebody, there on the nest box divider, so I don't think the warming panel is adding much, and Hazel is liking it. She might move later to a nest box but she likes starting there.

Diane update - we might be making incremental progress in easing the fear-driven biting attempts. She actually was taking pellets from my hand to eat today along with the others without pecking or looking to fight, for about 80% of the time today. She seemed calmer overall.

 

[bgmathteach]

I managed to do so today. Bit of a luge run but doable.

Did you get a gold medal? Or just Bronze?

 

[Ponypoor]

Trying coconut coir for a ventilating snow baffle on the brutal west side. I may even change the location of the door for next winter if I can't better it.

Inside shot. Putting it lower than the door gap so maybe snow won't sneak in there.
View attachment 4058313

Outside. The fabric does something, but is not enough against fine wind-driven snow
View attachment 4058312
View attachment 4058311

The run west /northwest side end finished, see how it holds up against the gale-force blows.
View attachment 4058357

I took a couple of chicken pics using the BYC "attach files" right from the camera, but then I accidentally deleted them, and they're apparently gone forever, not stored in the media files, and now it's night. Sorry! Did not know. Tomorrow I'll get some.
Here's Annie a few weeks ago
View attachment 4058412
Oh! I can screenshot the roost tonight. I'll do a Pony thing! (@Ponypoor )
View attachment 4058427
View attachment 4058429
I put the panel warmer on low and for tonight was going to turn it off, but there's Hazel sleeping next to it (in the back in the lower picture, front in the upper one), like she has been doing for the last several weeks. It's only 5F warmer in there than outside, 41F vs 35F, which body heat does anyway, plus the thermometer is right next to somebody, there on the nest box divider, so I don't think the warming panel is adding much, and Hazel is liking it. She might move later to a nest box but she likes starting there.

Diane update - we might be making incremental progress in easing the fear-driven biting attempts. She actually was taking pellets from my hand to eat today along with the others without pecking or looking to fight, for about 80% of the time today. She seemed calmer overall.

She is getting older and more settled. I found this with my nutty horses, as youngsters they would be a real terror but with age they settled down.

Animals are like us, each an individual with their own quirks

 

[Ponypoor]

Trying coconut coir for a ventilating snow baffle on the brutal west side. I may even change the location of the door for next winter if I can't better it.

Inside shot. Putting it lower than the door gap so maybe snow won't sneak in there.
View attachment 4058313

Outside. The fabric does something, but is not enough against fine wind-driven snow
View attachment 4058312
View attachment 4058311

The run west /northwest side end finished, see how it holds up against the gale-force blows.
View attachment 4058357

I took a couple of chicken pics using the BYC "attach files" right from the camera, but then I accidentally deleted them, and they're apparently gone forever, not stored in the media files, and now it's night. Sorry! Did not know. Tomorrow I'll get some.
Here's Annie a few weeks ago
View attachment 4058412
Oh! I can screenshot the roost tonight. I'll do a Pony thing! (@Ponypoor )
View attachment 4058427
View attachment 4058429
I put the panel warmer on low and for tonight was going to turn it off, but there's Hazel sleeping next to it (in the back in the lower picture, front in the upper one), like she has been doing for the last several weeks. It's only 5F warmer in there than outside, 41F vs 35F, which body heat does anyway, plus the thermometer is right next to somebody, there on the nest box divider, so I don't think the warming panel is adding much, and Hazel is liking it. She might move later to a nest box but she likes starting there.

Diane update - we might be making incremental progress in easing the fear-driven biting attempts. She actually was taking pellets from my hand to eat today along with the others without pecking or looking to fight, for about 80% of the time today. She seemed calmer overall.

Wind driven snow is like sand - it gets into everything. But it looks like you have pretty much got it mostly solved.

Sometimes it’s just next to impossible to stop drifting, and you have to just accept the fact it’s as good as it can get.

From what I can see it looks like you did a darn good job

 

[Ponypoor]

Did you get a gold medal? Or just Bronze?

It was gorgeous today, +6C (42F) and mix sun and cloud, I can only imagine what my walk to the barn will be like tomorrow morning, the snow will stiffen up and become icy tonight, and my cleats are in the barn.

I didn’t think that through real well. Oh well it’s only 400’ it’ll be fine

 

[BY Bob]

Trying coconut coir for a ventilating snow baffle on the brutal west side. I may even change the location of the door for next winter if I can't better it.

Inside shot. Putting it lower than the door gap so maybe snow won't sneak in there.
View attachment 4058313

Outside. The fabric does something, but is not enough against fine wind-driven snow
View attachment 4058312
View attachment 4058311

The run west /northwest side end finished, see how it holds up against the gale-force blows.
View attachment 4058357

I took a couple of chicken pics using the BYC "attach files" right from the camera, but then I accidentally deleted them, and they're apparently gone forever, not stored in the media files, and now it's night. Sorry! Did not know. Tomorrow I'll get some.
Here's Annie a few weeks ago
View attachment 4058412
Oh! I can screenshot the roost tonight. I'll do a Pony thing! (@Ponypoor )
View attachment 4058427
View attachment 4058429
I put the panel warmer on low and for tonight was going to turn it off, but there's Hazel sleeping next to it (in the back in the lower picture, front in the upper one), like she has been doing for the last several weeks. It's only 5F warmer in there than outside, 41F vs 35F, which body heat does anyway, plus the thermometer is right next to somebody, there on the nest box divider, so I don't think the warming panel is adding much, and Hazel is liking it. She might move later to a nest box but she likes starting there.

Diane update - we might be making incremental progress in easing the fear-driven biting attempts. She actually was taking pellets from my hand to eat today along with the others without pecking or looking to fight, for about 80% of the time today. She seemed calmer overall.

Your conditions are quite extreme there. I love your solutions to keep them safe in the winter.

Glad to hear you are making progress with Diane.

 

[rural mouse]

They are scared to death of me, (unless I have treats.)

A good rooster calls the abandoned babies over with good treats and teaches them from there...

 

[Grandma The Chicken]

More mugs

Georgie figured hopping up onto my back when I was checking out her chicks was a good thing. I didn’t know who it was at first! Silly chook!
View attachment 4058441View attachment 4058443
I have no idea what possesses her to jump up there, and she did it in one hop! Don’t let them fool you - these silkies are devious little cassowary!

And check out the look on Topsy’s face!
View attachment 4058442

Oh, gosh. What crazy chickens you have! Mine are nowhere close to that behavior.
On second thought, maybe yes.