Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

To fully appreciate what traveling accross Bristol to stand in the wind and the rain for a couple of hours every day one has to do it. It's not nip out the back to see if the chickens are okay and scuttle back indoors in the warm and dry. I'm often sitting on the bus with my hands under my thighs trying to get them warm enough to roll a smoke while my overalls gently steam around me.

this is so true. When the weather's foul I get fed up standing out there for just half an hour and am very glad to scuttle back in to the warm and dry. I think your dedication to the cause has been outstanding.

The image of you steaming gently on the bus is quite comic though

 

[ManueB]

It's the best solution all round. C's smallholding with livestock fantasy has to die. I guess my role is in part to put it to death before any more damage is done.
C's life will become easier. Feeding four or five is affordable. With the new coop life for the chickens would be as good as many other coop and run backyard birds. C will let them out when she can I'm almost certain of that. Hopefully she'll make that transition from livestock to pet at least.

My life obviously would become much much easier. To fully appreciate what traveling accross Bristol to stand in the wind and the rain for a couple of hours every day one has to do it. It's not nip out the back to see if the chickens are okay and scuttle back indoors in the warm and dry. I'm often sitting on the bus with my hands under my thighs trying to get them warm enough to roll a smoke while my overalls gently steam around me.

The rest of the allotment holders get a lot of pressure taken off them to do what C sees as their obligations in having a plot there.

The chickens should get a better life. Remember what you read here is a couple of hours of their day; the rest is pretty desperate.

I've enjoyed what I've done by and large but C is not someone I really want in my life. I know some lovely people and at soon to be 68 I feel I've earned the right to have people I care about and who care about me around me. I shall probably still go to the allotments; I've made a couple of sort of friends there and no matter how hard I try the country boy in me is always calling.

I agree that even though we as external readers may not like it, it's likely the best solution.
Henry's a huge, eight years old rooster not always easy around people and with a finishing case of SLM. I was afraid the only other solution would have been at a rescue shelter and though there are probably some nice ones, it would have been a sad ending. He gets to stay with Lima who likes him a lot.

I just wish C. had made their intention clear from the start. Things would have been easier both for you and them if you had this talk two weeks ago.

I also don't think she will keep them as pets but if they are in her backyard it will certainly help with feeding twice a day and taking better care. You always said getting to the allotment and crazy working hours were part of the reason they were so deficient.

You're a good man to have come to this agreement and put aside whatever anger or bitterness you may feel , for the chicken's fate.

 

[Marie2020]

I doubt it. I would really like C right out on the fringes of my life if they have to be there at all to be honest. They're not good for my head.

C can't be good for anyone's head.

 

[Marie2020]

Did I understand correctly that C’s plan is to move coop , extension, Henry and the remaining hens to her backyard?
And how many hens are we talking about. I thought you described 4. But later you say 3?
(Sometimes I hate it my English is not good enough to grasp everything.)

Btw, I had a fall back with Corona today. Feeling more tired again.
Hear from relatives they had this too after about 10 days.

Everyone I've talked too about Christmas has come down with bug's viruses and colds. They are spreading like wildfire.
I hope you're going too recover soon, I'd like to give you my ideas in beating this but you probably know already

 

[Marie2020]

this is so true. When the weather's foul I get fed up standing out there for just half an hour and am very glad to scuttle back in to the warm and dry. I think your dedication to the cause has been outstanding.

The image of you steaming gently on the bus is quite comic though

Really uncomfortable I would imagine, it hurts me just going out to my girls, it's very painful in weather like this.

 

[Chicken Poika]

Welcome to the thread @BY Bob ,@Perris ,@Everose ,@TropicalBabies , @sourland ,@BlindLemonChicken ,@Ursuline Chick
Thank you for showing an interest.

Me too

 

[Chicken Poika]

This looks like an interesting read. Following

 

[Chicken Poika]

The Light Sussex rooster I was told is called Henry 11. Apparently he’s not over fond of people. One of the reasons he has such bad scaly leg mite is he wouldn’t have any of that capturing business and was prone to having a bit of a scrap in the event he got cornered. He’s quite a large chap and he’s got a lovely set of spurs on him.

So, job one was to get acquainted with Henry.

I went equipped with walnuts. Got into the run without getting mowed down by the hens trying to get out and stooped down to offer Henry half a walnut, sweeping the hens away with my other hand.

Henry took the walnut and he ate it. I gave him another and he ate that one as well. The third walnut he dropped for the hens and as some of you will know when a rooster drops food for his hens, his head usually lowers as well, and for a moment he isn’t concentrating on you. I grabbed him. There wasn’t much of a fuss. I held him for a few seconds and fed him another walnut in front of his hens, then gently put him down. Now if I call him he comes to me and every time I give him something just for him and enough after for him to drop for his hens. Unless I have food he is a bit wary of coming close, but that’s improving by the day.
Henry.
View attachment 2907327

He’s a handsome fella. Did you say he was 8 years old?

 

[Chicken Poika]

Let me introduce you to the group. This was taken today and if you count there are only 21 chickens here, four are already dead.View attachment 2908229
View attachment 2908228

 

[Chicken Poika]

Here’s my tax times 4. I love roosters too. I’ve raised many and not a mean one in the bunch.