Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[bruceha2000]

the hens just dived on anything remotely edible without even considering that we might like a snack from time to time.

Do you have an urge to eat worms and insects?

Now I gladly share the fruit with my chickens and flying visitors.

It would be nice if the flying visitors would share with ME!

 

[Shadrach]

I have had bad luck with rejected chicks. Usually they die shortly, I did have one last over a month.
I think they know something is wrong with the chicks. Same with rejected eggs

If the mother doesn't care for them then I don't either. I did try a couple of times in the past and it didn't go well.

 

[Shadrach]

I have my first broody of the year - and it's one of the two youngest, of course She laid her first confirmed egg on 8th March, and in the 6 weeks or thereabouts she's been laying, they're barely up to medium size (which is 53-62g here). In such circumstances before I've heeded the general advice to break them, but this time I'm inclined to just let it play out; she tolerates my poo-picking intrusion in the coop without making a fuss, and I removed her one egg leaving two fakes. Fortunately she prefers a nest box that no-one else uses, so I don't think any more will be added and it won't come to anything. But if anyone has any opinions one way or the other re: very young broodies, I'm open to suggestions...

I prefer to have the senior hens sit and hatch. It's not that the juniors can't make a good job of it but when it comes time for the chicks to join the tribe there are less problems if the hen is senior.

 

[Shadrach]

I prefer the spice of the Legbar spiky hairdo to the Polish “foot in the electrical socket” haairdo.

There are perhaps half a dozen breeds I would keep. Four of those would need to be free range and the other two I might consider if I could build a large enough run and get them out for half a day every day.
Given a choice now and the land to do it I would take in Ex Battery hens, ideally with a Red Sex Link rooster should there be any left.

 

[Shadrach]

Sex with humans would drastically impair the survival ability of the species, I'd say. Especially if it resulted in offspring.

Well, when you pick a hen up, that's what she thinks is happening. That's why some crouch when you reach for them and why they do the after mating shake when you put them down. Apparently the shake is to move the sperm into the oviduct.
This also why people who pick up their hens and are new to chicken keeping get problems with their roosters. The rooster knows exactly what that shake means.
Interestingly, if you can get a hen to stand on your hand without you putting your hands on her she doesn't do the shake.

 

[Shadrach]

Do you have an urge to eat worms and insects?

Not yet but there is still time.

 

[Molpet]

I prefer to have the senior hens sit and hatch. It's not that the juniors can't make a good job of it but when it comes time for the chicks to join the tribe there are less problems if the hen is senior.

I have turkey hatch chicks from eggs snuck in. They don't fit in .

 

[Shadrach]

Warm and mostly sunny. Three hours out today.
The bees are busy getting the sugar from the nettle flowers.
Anybody else pick these and suck the ends?

Looks like the gooseberry bush I transplanted is going to make it. A couple more fruit bushes to move and that should give what I'm after.

Having a rest.

There is something very not quite right with Fret. I don't know why Henry puts up with it.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Yes, I read this is your Understanding your Rooster article. Now I'm careful not to scoop up Lucio's girlfriend when he's looking.

Well, when you pick a hen up, that's what she thinks is happening. That's why some crouch when you reach for them and why they do the after mating shake when you put them down. Apparently the shake is to move the sperm into the oviduct.
This also why people who pick up there hens and are new to chicken keeping get problems with their roosters. The rooster knows exactly what that shake means.
Interestingly, if you can get a hen to stand on your hand without you putting your hands on her she doesn't do the shake.

 

[MaryJanet]

I saw a documentary on our national tv about the founders of the hatchery with no-cockerel-death. And I truly believe they started it for the value/well being. Not to kill so many new born cockerels.

Btw, the newborn cockerels are feed for snakes, big birds, predators in the zoo and used otherwise. They are not shredded to trow away.

Btw, i don’t want to defend the factory farming industry. But i hate what has become ‘our’ way to feed the richer part of the planet. I would rather have welfare of livestock a must and in general: make meat twice as expensive so people would eat half the amount of what they eat today.

Thanks for sharing that info about the hatchery. And I think you're right, if meat were more expensive, many people would decide to eat less of it.