Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

What was for lunch? Well I made tuna salad sandwiches. One for me, and a little one for Coco.
(she loves tuna as much as I do)
I wonder if she would like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

 

[featherhead007]

Hi all! I’d love advice from those who’ve raised these breeds. As you know I am going to start a flock of Swedish Flower Hens (SFHs) My research shows they rarely go broody, which seems legit across sources.

Here’s my dilemma: when I want more chicks, I could get an incubator or add Silkies (my daughter loves them) or Bantam Cochins (those fluffy butts get me). Both go broody often, which is perfect. But my dirt-floor coop isn’t insulated, and rats have taken chicks before—I can control them somewhat, not fully.

Which breed might handle this better—Silkies or Bantam Cochins or should I forgo these bantam sized breeds altogether to be safe?

I’d try to raise them together as chicks to prevent bullying, but what else should I consider? Thoughts?

You need to get the rat population under control. I hate seeing toes bitten off, or chicks taken out by vermin. What’s that sound? oh no here they come…

 

[featherhead007]

Coco has some pretty bad beakbreath at the moment. Tuna has a tendency to stay around for a while.

 

[knoturavggrl]

You need to get the rat population under control. I hate seeing toes bitten off, or chicks taken out by vermin. What’s that sound? oh no here they come…

I have never ever had any injuries on my adult chickens at all.

I do try, we live in the forest though, I don’t know how we could possibly get rid of them all of them. I can and do control the population fairly well and I will never again have chicks under 8 weeks old out there even with a broody to protect them.

 

[notabitail]

Hi all! I’d love advice from those who’ve raised these breeds. As you know I am going to start a flock of Swedish Flower Hens (SFHs) My research shows they rarely go broody, which seems legit across sources.

Here’s my dilemma: when I want more chicks, I could get an incubator or add Silkies (my daughter loves them) or Bantam Cochins (those fluffy butts get me). Both go broody often, which is perfect. But my dirt-floor coop isn’t insulated, and rats have taken chicks before—I can control them somewhat, not fully.

Which breed might handle this better—Silkies or Bantam Cochins or should I forgo these bantam sized breeds altogether to be safe?

I’d try to raise them together as chicks to prevent bullying, but what else should I consider? Thoughts?

Maybe ask Shadrach.

I would prefer to do them under a broody, maybe see if you can get it to go into a nest that is off the ground away from rats.

 

[Ponypoor]

Poor Mr P locked away from his wives

Not to worry he had his 6 favourite girls in with him

 

[knoturavggrl]

Maybe ask Shadrach.

I would prefer to do them under a broody, maybe see if you can get it to go into a nest that is off the ground away from rats.

I have dealt with this before. I just move the broody as soon as the chicks hatch into my garage in a large tent. Then move them back at about the 8 week mark. So, I have a way to work around the pesky wee devils and keep any tiny chicks safe and sound.

 

[Ponypoor]

View attachment 4075560
Free him

Tonight he got into it again with Shirley, I had him out for some sunshine, turned my back for 2 min and they were fighting again; and this time he completely broke his beak off.



On the bright side it likely would have fallen off anyways, it didn’t bleed when the tip fell off. Gosh he is gonna give me grey hair!

 

[rural mouse]

Hi all! I’d love advice from those who’ve raised these breeds. As you know I am going to start a flock of Swedish Flower Hens (SFHs) My research shows they rarely go broody, which seems legit across sources.

Here’s my dilemma: when I want more chicks, I could get an incubator or add Silkies (my daughter loves them) or Bantam Cochins (those fluffy butts get me). Both go broody often, which is perfect. But my dirt-floor coop isn’t insulated, and rats have taken chicks before—I can control them somewhat, not fully.

Which breed might handle this better—Silkies or Bantam Cochins or should I forgo these bantam sized breeds altogether to be safe?

I’d try to raise them together as chicks to prevent bullying, but what else should I consider? Thoughts?

1. According to Shadrach, any breed can go broody. Whether they choose to or not is a whole other issue.

2. In nature, hens brood chicks on the ground.

3. Would it be possible to excavate the floor of the coop, line it with hardware cloth, then return the dirt to the floor of the coop keeping the rats out?

4. Let the SFH reach adulthood and get through a year as adult, getting to know them. Make a decision about broody hens that fall (maybe pick up POL then) for the following spring.

 

[Ponypoor]

Holly has round head/tail. Jolly....not the Einstein wild, especially compared to Barbosa and Davy. Mr LC could very easily know something you don't. He could also be a Hormonal Idiot. Personally, I'm leaning pullet for both of them.

Tonight Mr LC went for them again, they both ran to me for help.

Both are honking like pullets, but I dare not get my hopes up, been there before.