Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[HiEverybirdy]

True of both man and bird.

This reply caught me right in the funny bone.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good luck!
I ordered six fake small eggs (2 rubber and 4 chalk) for the near future, wanting to do about the same for one of my bantams.
They sell the chalk bantam size eggs for Easter decoration (to paint) now. I read a comment that these are great to use as fake eggs too. The bouncing rubber eggs always disappear in the hands of children who love to help getting eggs or feed the chickens.
I used pingpong balls too. But the chickens throw these out too often. They are probably not heavy enough to use as good fake eggs.

View attachment 3435190
Sorry Black. I’m going to stop this. I want to wait a few more weeks - another month to give fertilised eggs to a broody.

I have used ceramic eggs and golf balls.
I think they have helped as a signpost of a possibly good place to lay but I don’t think the hens are fooled into believing they are real eggs.
One of my current lot (Babs - in tax picture below) goes to great pains to move the fake egg into a different box before she lays in the box I had put the fake egg in.
I think she has disposed of the golf ball entirely somehow. I assume (hope) it is buried deep in the floor litter because any other fate for the missing golf ball is a bit concerning!

 

[Perris]

I treid the fake egg deception. I guess the hens weren't fooled because without fail they either bombed them out of the nest or pushed them to the nest edges.

yes mine do too, but if it gets them to lay in the nests rather than under a shrub or hedge or anywhere else, I'm happy!

 

[Iluveggers]

I have a question for all those who do hatching at this time of year. Do you just let the broody warm the chicks, or do you keep them in a brooder with some form of additional heat ? Is it reasonable to leave the chicks in an outdoor setting with a broody when temps can still be freezing at night ?

It’s actually around 40F (4C) now, our negative temperatures should be over. She tried in February when it was absolutely frigid and I broke her. From what I have read, she should be able to keep the chicks warm in the 40s with no issue. We are getting close to spring here, thank goodness!


The fake eggs I use are wooden eggs I painted green, blue, cream, tan & brown. I collect eggs and have to give a second look sometimes as they feel and look real and are about the same weight. I usually leave one in each nest box, but I took them out as to not to entice my broody to collect them and move to her favorite box that is not on the ground. At least if/when the chicks hatch they won’t fall.

 

[Perris]

I'm def behind in my taxes, so here's some of the Swedish Flowers demonstrating their camouflage

 

[Perris]

I have used ceramic eggs and golf balls.
I think they have helped as a signpost of a possibly good place to lay but I don’t think the hens are fooled into believing they are real eggs.
One of my current lot (Babs - in tax picture below) goes to great pains to move the fake egg into a different box before she lays in the box I had put the fake egg in.
I think she has disposed of the golf ball entirely somehow. I assume (hope) it is buried deep in the floor litter because any other fate for the missing golf ball is a bit concerning!

View attachment 3435242

Her plumage is gorgeous

 

[RoyalChick]

Her plumage is gorgeous

Thank you. I will tell her you said so.

 

[RoyalChick]

I promise I did not stage this.
Babs is in the box at the top of the picture (where the ceramic egg was last night). Bernie’s egg is in the middle where she laid it a few minutes ago.
And out on the ledge is the ceramic egg where Babs moved it before settling down to lay.
I think maybe it is time to retire the ceramic egg before it goes the way of the golf ball.

 

[bruceha2000]

Stilton on the crowbar.

And I always thought crowbars looked like this

I guess yours is a crow bar

All sources of water should be kept under cover to prevent wild birds from drinking from water the poultry might drink from.

Um, if the wild birds can't drink, neither can the chickens, right?

The fake eggs I use are wooden eggs I painted green, blue, cream, tan & brown.

I have a wooden egg I made from a piece of cherry wood, a couple of golf balls and a couple of plastic eggs with stones sealed inside for proper weight.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Whoa nice pic!

I agree.