Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

I am concerned you may be metamorphosing into a chicken!

Given the thousands of hours I've spent in their company I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Shadrach]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Just got back from an appointment in Jax.

Temperature is in the 60s.

Have a great day!

All well I hope.

 

[Shadrach]

Sunny with a bitter South Westerly gusting to 45mph.
The chicken were not impressed. They did venture out but mostly spent the two hours I was there in the coop extension of sheltering behind the nettles and weeds by the gate.

I got the strip on the door. I think this will work okay. The gap at the bottom should allow for cleaning the muck out easily.

Ella grooms Henry more than any of the other hens do.

 

[Sally PB]

I saw something I've never seen before. And, it explained why my Chantecler rooster, Snowbird, always has a clean, fluffy rear.

One of the hens was grooming his posterior. I got a picture, but it seems... kind of personal... so I won't post it.

 

[RoyalChick]

Madam, your hen is a mannerless savage!

Those are sunflower seeds in the pictures I posted. I think you've probably got the right idea. I have never had any chicken grab that web of skin. I have been the recipient of the missjudged peck on occasions.

Oh yes, I want to eat at source, is a common problem and strangely the closed fist feeding is supposed to address this issue.
Henry likes to eat from the cup. This is in part because I show him and let him sample what I have before the hens get a look in.

I have good news to report. Bernadette has learned to eat sunflower seeds from my closed fist without ripping the web of skin between my thumb and forefinger.
I think she learned from Babs who took to the method immediately and was getting more yummy seeds than Bernie was getting.
Thanks Shad for the suggestion - I think I will manage to hold on to all my digits this way.

 

[Shadrach]

I saw something I've never seen before. And, it explained why my Chantecler rooster, Snowbird, always has a clean, fluffy rear.

One of the hens was grooming his posterior. I got a picture, but it seems... kind of personal... so I won't post it.

Do post it please.

 

[Shadrach]

I have good news to report. Bernadette has learned to eat sunflower seeds from my closed fist without ripping the web of skin between my thumb and forefinger.
I think she learned from Babs who took to the method immediately and was getting more yummy seeds than Bernie was getting.
Thanks Shad for the suggestion - I think I will manage to hold on to all my digits this way.

Will you use the method to teach them to take turns?

 

[RoyalChick]

Will you use the method to teach them to take turns?

That may prove to be overly ambitious, but I am going to try.
The finger eating savage as my tax payment.

 

[Shadrach]

That may prove to be overly ambitious, but I am going to try.
The finger eating savage as my tax payment.

View attachment 3462918

It shouldn't prove to be that difficult. Most chickens seem to pick it up pretty quickly.

 

[Sally PB]

Here is Widget (Jubilee Orpington) preening Snowbird's backside. She did it for at least a minute, that I saw. I got a couple pictures, and then she stopped. This is the better of the two. Not great, through the fence.