Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Ladies-Eight]

That, and some of us have developed a soft spot for Henry, Fret, Lima and gang.

That can be said.

I look forward to hearing what is happening with Henry's gang.

 

[Shadrach]

This is why I come. ... It is good to consider other perspectives and to recheck assumptions.

Tax is the closest to chickens I have in the last few weeks (I'm off doing a round of visiting friends and family). I realize I will probably need to file an amended tax return later.

You're doing okay if you can mix friends and family in the same sentence.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

I believe that it is your charming, magnetic personality.

Uh Huh.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

I'm behind on my taxes: will this do? X-rated veg in the box this week
View attachment 3427447

That is a good replica YES!!!!

 

[Shadrach]

It was downright predatory


No offense taken to the question. I first came upon this thread because I was poking around in the stories forum, and this thread happened to be at the top of the list. I’d seen the terms “battery hen” or “ex-battery hen” used in other places on BYC, and being in the US, it isn’t a term I hear used. I had figured it referred to “rescued” chickens from commercial poultry operations. I wanted to an answer to my suspicion, and I remembered that I had really enjoyed your article about the egg song, so I clicked on the thread.

I kept reading because you have a lot of valuable experience and knowledge, and being able to read through your trouble-shooting the problems with such troubled hens, is practically a manual for animal husbandry. Plus I just want to see what happens with these hens. The dramatic improvement they have made is wonderful.

The last reason is that, once upon a time, I was a wildlife biologist. I studied the impact of land management practices on songbirds. Before I had kids, I worked for a short while for a conservancy group that did a lot of work with local farmers helping them get grant money to learn and implement best management practices. These practices were solely concerned with the agricultural impact on the local ecosystems, but I did get to make a lot of observations on the differences in different farming attitudes and approaches. So your behavioral observations of semi-feral chickens, and introducing that knowledge into a microcosm of agriculture on the allotment is right up my alley.

Plus, you must admit that the whole situation between you and the allotment holders is a chicken-y soap opera.

Thank you for such a detailed answer. I was mainly curious because you've got a 12 year badge and I assume you had chickens when you joined.

Plus, you must admit that the whole situation between you and the allotment holders is a chicken-y soap opera.

Isn't it just.

 

[becstalls]

I was mainly curious because you've got a 12 year badge and I assume you had chickens when you joined.

Yep. We took a 10 year break while the flightless mammals we're raising were too young to help out with chickens.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

We're supposed to get rain today.

Have a great day!

 

[Shadrach]

It didn't rain or snow and it didn't start to feel cold until I was waiting for the bus.
I left the allotment run gate open and they came and went, eating some pellets then going out for another forage. They got Mackerel for supper. Henry, he's so gentle. He picked off all the small pieces stuck to my fingers and I could hardly feel his beak. Fret is pretty good now but Carbon gets carried away and will try to take a finger or two.
I scraped out the extension. this afternoon and had a look at how digging the ground over had effected the drainage. Between the snow and the rain we've had quite a lot of water.

This is just in front of the extension. It's high a traffic area and hasn't been dug yet. That on the surface is chicken poop mostly.

It's better than it was.

This is a bit of ground that has been dug over and used to puddle.

Ella with her "Oh no, I think he's going to try to touch me" look.

Eating a bit.

Foraging a bit.

I hope you can see the areaon her left side close to her shoulder. There is no sign of any feather growth and there hasn't been since I've known her. She has feathered a bit more around her breast bone but the finer feathers one would expect to see underneath are not there.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey X Batts and Shad. I happened to enjoy your take on Chickens, Tribes and Roosters.
Also your very talented making things of wood.
Our coop is very darn near done the new one.
Hardware cloth covers the three windows that can move. Thanks heavens for a tank and stapler co 2 power is awesome.
So here is my tax even a chicken in the new coop. The coop is 10 x 20 4 windows three work.

 

[MaryJanet]

Hey X Batts and Shad. I happened to enjoy your take on Chickens, Tribes and Roosters.
Also your very talented making things of wood.
Our coop is very darn near done the new one.
Hardware cloth covers the three windows that can move. Thanks heavens for a tank and stapler co 2 power is awesome.

So pleased your coop is nearly done!