Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[BDutch]

Maybe Henry's vision is failing? Lucy, my oldest hen (she's a out 8 now) started roosting earlier, and earlier. After a while, I realized she wasn't seeing so well any longer. I think now, about 2 years later, that she is almost completely blind. She lately does this head bobbing thing before she jumps onto the roost. The others lead her to the waterer and feeders. Her rooster, who is her grandson, rounds her up and keeps her close to him. It's sad because she was the top hen for most of her life. No one is mean to her, but she has lost her status.

Sad, but good to hear the other chickens care for Lucy.

I have an oldie too who is not the bossy hen anymore but still first when diner is served. Not because she’s bullying but because others let her. Putting others in place has become the task of Black, her 1 year younger niece.

I wonder. What is a next generation in a chicken tribe?
Every year you hatch chickens? Or when a daughter has chicks of her own. Do chicks from another tribe (from bought hatching eggs) count as next generation?

1st Ini mini (2014)
2nd Black and Pearl (2015) from a hen and a rooster that came in the flock as a chick together with ini mini.
3th? (2018) This generation from hatching eggs didn’t survive
2nd or 4th? Janice (2019) daughter from ini mini and a rooster from 2018 who was hatched within the flock.
5th? Katrientje, from hatching eggs (2021). The broodies were Black and Pearl.
- Kraai, bought last year as adult (2018?)

For me it feels like 5 generations. But technically its only 2.

 

[janiedoe]

Sad, but good to hear the other chickens care for Lucy.

I have an oldie too who is not the bossy hen anymore but still first when diner is served. Not because she’s bullying but because others let her. Putting others in place has become the task of Black, her 1 year younger niece.

I wonder. What is a next generation in a chicken tribe?
Every year you hatch chickens? Or when a daughter has chicks of her own. Do chicks from another tribe (from bought hatching eggs) count as next generation?

1st Ini mini (2014)
2nd Black and Pearl (2015) from a hen and a rooster that came in the flock as a chick together with ini mini.
3th? (2018) This generation from hatching eggs didn’t survive
2nd or 4th? Janice (2019) daughter from ini mini and a rooster from 2018 who was hatched within the flock.
5th? Katrientje, from hatching eggs (2021). The broodies were Black and Pearl.
- Kraai, bought last year as adult (2018?)

For me it feels like 5 generations. But technically its only 2.

I'm not sure how others count their generations. I count as father or mother to son or daughter to grandchildren and so on. So I have some 4th generation. I don't count any chickens that I bring into flock until they have chicks.
For instance, last year I bought some bantams. This is their first year to hatch and raise chicks, so I consider the chicks second generation.

 

[Molpet]

I'm not sure how others count their generations. I count as father or mother to son or daughter to grandchildren and so on. So I have some 4th generation. I don't count any chickens that I bring into flock until they have chicks.
For instance, last year I bought some bantams. This is their first year to hatch and raise chicks, so I consider the chicks second generation.

This is how I count also.
I have 7 generations

 

[BDutch]

Clever idea Shadrach to add a second auto pop door.

I hope the coop will get over to the new spot without too much trouble or damage.

Black and Ini mini going through the pop door after each other.

Checking on the broodies I found Black sitting on Janices eggs. For a moment I was afraid Black wanted to be a broody too. But no. No need to close the small coop/run yet. If necessary I can lower the opened fence you see on the left in the pics.

Black probably pushed Janice away to lay an egg in her nest. I got Black off the nest just after she laid her egg. And put Janice on her nest again. Maybe this will teach Black to go elsewhere to lay her egg next time. But I doubt if a chicken ever does wat the landlady prefers unless she speaks chicken.

 

[no fly zone]

Somehow Chippy has usurped Skeksis as head hen. Damnest thing I have ever seen in my 4 yrs of chicken experience.

 

[ManueB]

It must be really hard being so far away from them, when you know there are predators around.

Several times I thought reading this thread how much easier it makes things to have the chickens at home. Worrying for predators, taking care of illness and wounds, fixing things in the coop, even little things like bringing feed are all more complicated in Shadrach's situation.

This is how I count also.
I have 7 generations

That's quite a lot! In how much time, did you have a hatch every year ?

Somehow Chippy has usurped Skeksis as head hen. Damnest thing I have ever seen in my 4 yrs of chicken experience.

I'm not certain I understand what damnest means here. Hard to believe, horrible, incredible ?
Are they not both your favorite?

 

[Molpet]

That's quite a lot! In how much time, did you have a hatch every year ?

Every year I try to hatch enough poultry to eat a cockerel or half a jake a week.
The original have passed and I only have 2 hens left from 2016. They haven't started laying this year. But they have a retirement home here if they don't. One went broody 2x last year.
This years haven't hatched yet, I have a broody turkey with some chicken eggs under her.
I was keeping a few pullets every year and selling the rest... but with COVID I wasn't selling extra or feeling well enough to have breeding pens.... Last year, 2 pullets that would have been sold, showed up with 6 and 10 chicks. Only 5 were cockerels lol
So after a few losses to coyotes and found dead in coop.... I still have about 70 chicken hens or pullets in 4 coops...11 roosters or cockerels...21 turkey hens, 2 toms and 7 jakes..
I need to start eating pullets

 

[DustyDivas]

Have you tried it out to see if it works?

Yes, the door works well, but bit stuck on how to build it in a way that the feed doesn't stick/block the door. Hence still at planning stage

 

[BDutch]

Every year I try to hatch enough poultry to eat a cockerel or half a jake a week.
The original have passed and I only have 2 hens left from 2016.

Kannibalisme!

I didn’t grasp the jake and looked for an explanation.

PS Sort of turkey I guess.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Temperature is in the 80s.

Have a great day!