Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[TropicalChickies]

She has her mama's feathers

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A naked neck frizzle! Neat. In Ecuador we would call her a "carioca chirapa" (little buzzard in tatters)

 

[TropicalChickies]

Not the most helpfull reply but close to the truth, anything a chicken makes rather than a human. That bantam hen Cheepy in the picture I posted earlier with ten chicks features in this article.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...e-make-a-sitting-hens-job-so-difficult.74389/

The article also shows what is not a good hatching nest; fine for just laying an egg in though.
The hen needs to be able to form a hollow in which she lays the eggs. The hollow has a number of functions.
a) the eggs can't roll out of it.
b) a deep hollow helps maintain the temperature and humidity in the nest because the hollow sides shelter the eggs and the hen sitting on top can create a dome in effect over the eggs by her sitting position and the pancake shape they create on the nest.
c) the eggs should touch each other
d) the hollow means when the hen turns the eggs the eggs don't roll away from the other eggs and/or out to the edges of the nest.
e) the best hollows I've seen are dug into moist earth, surround by grass/vegitation.

The deepest hollow I've measured has been 70cm.
Hens do manage to hatch in all kinds of nests but in order to have the best chance of a maximum hatch rate the hen needs to be able to control the position of the eggs. This is almost impossible on a hard flat surface.

Edit,
This article goes into some depth about hatching.
https://www.scielo.br/j/rbca/a/ZFYLhJkZ8VSVpXZSJmCcKvr/?lang=en

Thanks for the links and thorough reply. It did strike me previously that a more rounded shape for a nest would be nicer than a box. Last year when I added new pullets (the now- Mama hens), they made themselves a nice little hollow under the roof of the plant nursery and were laying there. After a week wondering where all of the eggs were, I finally found this

My partner is handy at building with wood and bamboo so he likes to build boxes... But he's been really busy lately and I substituted in a big harvesting basket on its side for Patucha to brood in and the rounded shape definitely is more conducive to hatching eggs.

Knowing this, I'd like to make a nice cob bench and sculpt some hollows into it to put some leaves and organic material for the hens to lay in.

Another project... Great...

 

[TropicalChickies]

It was veritably crowded at the allotments this afternoon. The sun shone. The temerature was around 17C and the wind light. I counted eight people at the height of the spring planting frenzy. Yup, I know I'm taking the piss a little but having been at the allotments day in day out in weather conditions most people only dash to their cars in and then dash back into the comfort of their centrally heated homes, I feel I have a right to be somewhat caustic when the "we're so country" brigade show up.

Much to the surprise of some, I let the chickens onto the allotment. They were very well behaved and mostly stuck close to me and on my plot and the compost heap. There was a moment when one of the people came to get some compost while Henry was standing guard by the hens who were busy turning the edges of the heap over, where the person stopped a few metres away with their wheelbarrow looking very uncertain about how to go about circumnavigating Henry. I was kind. I went and ushered Henry out of the way.
Lots of curious glances at the nutter and the chickens digging side by side on my plot. I got asked if they ever pecked me as I pulled the weeds from the ground right in front of the their beaks.

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Caught her! Fret helping herself to the raspberry buds.View attachment 3489477
Fret when I shouted at her to desist.
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A good day was had by all, except for the bugs I suppose.
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Ha.. yes, I can't count the number of people who come to our farm from the "developed world" wanting to "connect with nature" or whatever New Age hoohaw they call it. When they find out nature has thorns and snakes and poisonous toads and lots and lots of mosquitos, it's fascinating to see the moment it dawn's on them that nature IS beautiful -- in a dangerous way. And you don't need to bungee jump over a waterfall to experience that.

I try to be kind. Or at least not openly derisive. Sometimes I succeed. Sometimes they learn something about themselves. It's all very interesting. (of course it's easier to be detached and calm when I don't have a bunch of people here wanting to "pose" holding a machete for Instagram...) Nevermind they are more likely to cut off their foot than know how to use it.

 

[Perris]

I recently got a trail camera and I haven't got the hang of it yet, but I have got a couple of shots of Killay strutting his stuff, and showing a clean pair of heels (that boy can run!) As will be apparent, there was no lasting damage from the foot wound btw.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

Temperature is in the 60s.

Have a great day!

I recently got a trail camera and I haven't got the hang of it yet, but I have got a couple of shots of Killay strutting his stuff, and showing a clean pair of heels (that boy can run!) As will be apparent, there was no lasting damage from the foot wound btw.
View attachment 3490073View attachment 3490074

He struts then dances, very good pictures.

 

[bruceha2000]

I would add; hen still laying while sitting. This is quite common and leads to a staggered hatch.

Curious. My girls trying to hatch their shavings/fake/non fertile eggs lay up to the time they go broody then don't lay again. When I break them (which usually takes 3-5 days if it isn't too warm) they don't lay for 3-5 days after they get out of jail.

Chippy is broody at the moment, diligently sitting on pine shavings and nothing else.

My broodies are quite happy to do that. Too bad they can't hatch pine shavings, it would cut my costs down as the shavings multiply.

 

[Shadrach]

Curious. My girls trying to hatch their shavings/fake/non fertile eggs lay up to the time they go broody then don't lay again. When I break them (which usually takes 3-5 days if it isn't too warm) they don't lay for 3-5 days after they get out of jail.

Most hens do stop laying eggs when they sit. Like everything I write to do with behviour, the behviour resides under a bell curve and under that curve is the median. The hens that stop laying within a few hours of sitting is the median.
The median doesn't catch many people out and often the median behaviour is assumed because that is what we've come to expect and often don't even notice if the behaviour strays from the median value.
Problems arise when the median becomes the rule. All hens lay eggs is a good example. Most hens do, but some don't.
When it comes to broody hens many factors come into play. Some hens will sit on eggs for say half a day while they contemplate the wisdom of the sit and get off the eggs for the rest of the day. Half a day could be most of the day with some. Certainly enough time to get the eggs started.
Some hens might do this for a couple of days.
Some hens don't switch off their egg laying cycle as quickly as others. Two days of laying while sitting is the maximum I've seen. That could mean anything from 48 hours ahead for the first hatch to sometimes 72 hours. It's the behaviour on the edges of the median value that catch people out.

 

[Shadrach]

I had lunch guests today so that ate into the afternoon chicken time a bit. Two and a half hours out today. It stayed dry and reasonably warm at 17C.
A few sunflower seeds as a treat.

Out and about.

A bit of time in the allotment run as I dealt with some tidying up at the back of the run where I couldn't see the chickens.

Going to roost. I had to adjust the timer on the auto door this evening. Now set to close a bit later. I usually shut the pop door manually because I stay until they gone into the coop. Ella is wedged in the far corner.

 

[Perris]

Problems arise when the median becomes the rule.

so true.

When it comes to broody hens many factors come into play. Some hens will sit on eggs for say half a day while they contemplate the wisdom of the sit and get off the eggs for the rest of the day. Half a day could be most of the day with some. Certainly enough time to get the eggs started.

I read something on this recently but can't re-find it now, but this covers the topic anyway
https://bou.org.uk/blog-diez-mendez-many-onsets-of-incubation/
how some birds can actively advance or delay the hatch to reflect the expected availability of their food source for their chicks, as it varies through the incubation period.

I'm pleased to say that I think my young broody has changed her mind and resumed life with the rest of the flock. However, I'm pretty sure the matron Maria is gate-crashing the backdoor looking for mealworms not because she's feeling under the weather (she looks and weighs fine) but because she's building up reserves to start brooding...

 

[TropicalChickies]

It is so lovely to watch and listen to Tina taking care of the three little ones. Primo (the early hatchling) is doing great and completely accepted by mama and siblings.

I've only had the opportunity to see one other hen -- Cheri -- hatch and mother chicks, and while she was a good mother, she was more efficient and businesslike about it. She directed, she instructed, she protected, she moved on. But Tina is different. She covers them and coos like a dove. She strokes them with the underside of her neck. She lets them pick food from her beak. She even looks like she's smiling. I was a bit worried because her temperament before was so flighty -- kind of bonkers actually -- but as a momma hen she is so sweet and nurturing. I could sit with them all day.