Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

Tax for thread trash: Dyffryn at the beginning of the month

 

[Shadrach]

I didn't expect this to be so thorough and respectful of chickens' mental wellbeing, with the awareness around stressors like change and noise--introducing human contact early to reduce their stress around people, strict scheduling construction projects so as to reduce noise and not disturb their sleep. It's very specific about keeper conduct and knowledge, down to having a headlamp (head torch) for night inspections. Definitely not congruent with whatever C has going on. Not even close, yowza.

It's a bit of an eye opener isn't it.

 

[pennyJo1960]

We had fenced a huge part of the property for a garden, that became chicken yard.
More field wire I have a container garden. Dad did feed the birds twice a day crumble.
I feed at controlled feeding as in container. They do put rocks in them.

 

[Shadrach]

I am starting to question my ethics of keeping chickens. The town does not allow roosters. So I have 10 pullets. Their coop is almost double the recommended 4sq ft, same with double the 10sq ft run recommendation. It is a covered run because of snow in my area, and hw cloth to make it predator proof. I have 2 dogs that patrol the property & chase off/hunt any animal who comes near (they’ve gotten bunnies & snakes…bunny I was happy about as it destroyed my garden peas…snake not so happy as they eat rodents….but the trade off is worth it. They are good dogs).

I let them out daily into the big vegetable garden. Since snow has hit the ground, they will not leave the run. They seem happy, they have food & water from sunup to sundown, I have dried leaves in the run to forage through, and a big bin of sand and wood ash to dust bathe in, along with a high and low roost.

I know they are not living like “natural” chickens. They are well taken care of. I spend time with them every day. I can see their run through my back window, so even on days where it is frigid, I can sit at the window and keep an eye on them to make sure no one is acting weird. My birds are loved and cared for. Do you all think that it is ethically ok to keep them this way? I could lose them as the town will only hear complaints if they are on someone else’s property if I let them range free completely.

You have had the misfortune of following a thread with at least two non American radicals posting. It's also in the form of a diary of what are difficult circumstances for all concerned.
Yes of course it's ethical and it would be hard not to adopt this model living in the USA. What can be difficult on BYC because this is the promoted model is advocating an alternative. As Perris has mentioned, this is not the model much of the rest of the world use and it's not necessarily the best model in every circumstance.

Your chickens look healthy. It's apparent that you love them and do your best to ensure they get properly cared for. That's better than what happens with the other 99% of their species.

I'm pleased that you are thinking about it though. Many don't.

 

[no fly zone]

Well, the NJ deal is nixed. The lender wants proof that I have a job lined up in NJ. The plan was for me to stay working in FL until we sell the current house, but they are not accepting that. Job searches take weeks, if not months. And that's just if local. We are talking 1200 miles away.

 

[RoyalChick]

Well, the NJ deal is nixed. The lender wants proof that I have a job lined up in NJ. The plan was for me to stay working in FL until we sell the current house, but they are not accepting that. Job searches take weeks, if not months. And that's just if local. We are talking 1200 miles away.

Wow. That seems a bit rough. Particularly odd in today’s labor market. Sorry it fell through. I know you may be feeling partly relieved, but it is still a major PIA.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Lenders can be so mean in demands took like 6 months to close on this property.
They did not like the high windows in three bedrooms. Had to put bigger windows in
Nothing wrong with the bedroom windows if there is fire you a** can get out it

 

[BDutch]

I didn't expect this to be so thorough and respectful of chickens' mental wellbeing, with the awareness around stressors like change and noise--introducing human contact early to reduce their stress around people, strict scheduling construction projects so as to reduce noise and not disturb their sleep. It's very specific about keeper conduct and knowledge, down to having a headlamp (head torch) for night inspections. Definitely not congruent with whatever C has going on. Not even close, yowza.

I dare to say that commercial chicken farms (except for a few exceptions like special concepts/ organic /demeter) don’t give chickens a descend life as described in the 5 basic rules. So why do allotments and backyard chickens …..?
Better turn it around. All chickens deserve a descent life. All commercial farms should give chickens more space and more natural circumstances.

I started keeping chickens for several reasons. The main one is that they have a better life than the grocery store chicken products.

Yes, one of the reasons sure is the better life. Other reason, the joy they give me when I see them having the time of their live searching and scratching in the garden or just sitting on something , laying in the sun and talking about something I often don’t really understand but sometimes can guess.

Like the other day. When Ini mini discovered that one of the laying nests was not in the coop but outside to dry because of a leak. She really was telling me something. Probably that this was wrong and I should lay the box with bedding back in the coop. Little things like that, really make me smile.

 

[Shadrach]

Waiting to get out.

Not quite so cold today, around 3C.

Henry's legs have greatly improved now he's shed more scales. I'll do his legs again tomorrow if I can.

 

[BDutch]

@Shadrach and all other rooster lovers, check this out:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/top-tips-for-raising-chickens.78225/
Nr21. You should only keep roosters if you want chicks.