Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Iluveggers]

@Shadrach & everyone I have a question. None of my pullets are laying yet, but a few are red & squatting. Tonight when they were on the roost, I went out to lock the coop & grab the feeders. I heard the darkest red combed one sing what is often referred to as “the egg song”. Does that repeated bawk, bawk, bawk signal hormones, a warning, or something else entirely? I have been spending a lot of time with them, and today they were in the garden for a few hours with me, and I have never heard her or any of them sing that. It was dark. I was worried she was getting ready to lay and was going to do so on the roost, so I made sure there were a lot of pine shavings under her just in case. My roosts are only 18 inches off the ground, hopefully to avoid jumping off injuries from some of my bigger girls.

Thoughts? Two of the pullets at the farm have started laying in the past few days, & they were all ordered together.

Sorry for the ramble! I swear, I learn more on this thread than anywhere else.

Tax is a happy foraging fluffy butt!

 

[Perris]

It's been chucking it down on and off most of the day. Despite the downpours the chickens were determined to get out of the run the moment the rain abated.
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Sitting on the roost bar with the chickens waiting for the hail to stop.
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The state of the run.
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The rain has been so heavy that even with grass cover it is puddling on our lawn. It's a pity the rat runs there don't act as drains! Still, it is replenishing the water stores; the hosepipe bans somewhere were lifted yesterday

 

[Shadrach]

I'm missing Ribh who hasn't posted on her thread for a while.
I'm going to be around less for the next couple of weeks.
Most of my family have caught yet another bout of Covid and I need to help them out as best I can. So far 6 are down with the bug.

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach & everyone I have a question. None of my pullets are laying yet, but a few are red & squatting. Tonight when they were on the roost, I went out to lock the coop & grab the feeders. I heard the darkest red combed one sing what is often referred to as “the egg song”. Does that repeated bawk, bawk, bawk signal hormones, a warning, or something else entirely? I have been spending a lot of time with them, and today they were in the garden for a few hours with me, and I have never heard her or any of them sing that. It was dark. I was worried she was getting ready to lay and was going to do so on the roost, so I made sure there were a lot of pine shavings under her just in case. My roosts are only 18 inches off the ground, hopefully to avoid jumping off injuries from some of my bigger girls.

Thoughts? Two of the pullets at the farm have started laying in the past few days, & they were all ordered together.

Sorry for the ramble! I swear, I learn more on this thread than anywhere else.

Tax is a happy foraging fluffy butt!
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Without hearing and seeing for myself obviously I can't be certain.
If she is at point of lay I would say she's calling for a rooster to come and make her egg fertile.

 

[Shadrach]

The rain has been so heavy that even with grass cover it is puddling on our lawn. It's a pity the rat runs there don't act as drains! Still, it is replenishing the water stores; the hosepipe bans somewhere were lifted yesterday

Well that's what's important for many people; they can wash their cars again.

 

[Iluveggers]

Without hearing and seeing for myself obviously I can't be certain.
If she is at point of lay I would say she's calling for a rooster to come and make her egg fertile.

Thank you! It sounded like the hen in this video. She was standing on the roost in the dark. She has been squatting low with wings out to her sides the past few days. I just thought it was weird she was doing it from the roost at bedtime.

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm missing Ribh who hasn't posted on her thread for a while.
I'm going to be around less for the next couple of weeks.
Most of my family have caught yet another bout of Covid and I need to help them out as best I can. So far 6 are down with the bug.

I miss her too. I hope she's doing well.

 

[MaryJanet]

Thank you! It sounded like the hen in this video. She was standing on the roost in the dark. She has been squatting low with wings out to her sides the past few days. I just thought it was weird she was doing it from the roost at bedtime.

That was the noise I thought you were describing. I've read that it's a call for an escort. It's like "come here, rooster, I've laid my egg and now I need to be safe on the long walk to rejoin the flock."

I like to imagine (not a serious thought) it's a song of joy for having got that huge lump out!

Woohoo! I got my egg done, now I can play for a while.

 

[Molpet]

I'm missing Ribh who hasn't posted on her thread for a while.
I'm going to be around less for the next couple of weeks.
Most of my family have caught yet another bout of Covid and I need to help them out as best I can. So far 6 are down with the bug.

Sorry to hear about your family and COVID. Prayers for swift recovery and you don't get it.

 

[Iluveggers]

I'm missing Ribh who hasn't posted on her thread for a while.
I'm going to be around less for the next couple of weeks.
Most of my family have caught yet another bout of Covid and I need to help them out as best I can. So far 6 are down with the bug.

So sorry to hear about your family & Covid. I hope they all recover quickly with minimal side effects!

That was the noise I thought you were describing. I've read that it's a call for an escort. It's like "come here, rooster, I've laid my egg and now I need to be safe on the long walk to rejoin the flock."

I like to imagine (not a serious thought) it's a song of joy for having got that huge lump out!

Woohoo! I got my egg done, now I can play for a while.

Yes, so weird, since she hasn’t laid yet! I am hoping it means she is close!