Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

One pop door per 600 birds. 9 hens per square meter. That's a pretty twisted use of the word "free."

Exactly. As Shad said, it's marketing bullshit.

Then there's the issue of what they find if they do find one of the pop holes and do venture through it: Bare exposed ground in most cases, not the green and shady light woodland that might appear in the image on the carton or in the customer's mind. That's the reason why backyard birds dash out as soon as the door is opened and industrial 'free range' birds don't.

 

[Perris]

I disturbed this little slow worm (badly named; it's actually a legless lizard) by the chicken spa yesterday - looks like it might have got away from one of the chickens - got away from something at any rate. After bringing it in to check the damage and photograph it, I put it back in a bit of the paddock that'll suit it (and where Phoenix found one of its presumed ancestors last year)

 

[TropicalChickies]

I like that term range chickens, makes sense. At home we have a little over 1/2 acre for my chooks to roam, sometimes they do hop a fence and wonder as the neighbor has lots of weeds and seeds, mostly they like to stay on their turf. So yep, range chickens View attachment 3560794
Up the mountain it is a different story. Feral flock, as free range as it gets.View attachment 3560793
But they appreciate the handouts.

Here is Shad wondering if this shack overhaul is for him special View attachment 3560640View attachment 3560791View attachment 3560795
Anyways, getting close to some free ranging for my flock for the rest of summer. Really excited about their new coop.

Nice green roof. I'd like to do one of those here but I'd get trees growing in it within a year and keeping the weight of it manageable with 4000ml of rain a year would be tough. Would need a very steep grade, more like a "green steeple."

Hmm. Edited to add, just saw you are in Hawaii and probably get a ton of rain too. Did you do anything special for quick drainage? I know a fella who did a green roof around here over a shed and it collapsed the structure at the end of the rainy season.

 

[TropicalChickies]

More French Revolutionist - More TAX
View attachment 3560419

Danton and Robespierre?

 

[lightm]

As promised, I wrote the article on my home made feed. Here it is for those interested

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...eat-tears-a-calculator-or-deep-pockets.78655/

Wow. Impressive article that I will give a proper read when I have real internet on my laptop again, which is in a month.

 

[ManueB]

I've been cleaning a few butts today and it seems I waited a bit too long to do it on my rooster Gaston, because although he wasn't really that dirty, his skin around the vent is really red and irritated. I have aloe vera gel at home that I use for sunburn. Do you think it could help ? Any other recommendations for a sufficiently generic type of cream that I could get it here ?
I had to take the chickens inside to clean them as it's raining today. Gaston was so relaxed I think he fell asleep on my lap while I was cleaning his butt . Let's just say it didn't go so well with one of the hen.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Nice green roof. I'd like to do one of those here but I'd get trees growing in it within a year and keeping the weight of it manageable with 4000ml of rain a year would be tough. Would need a very steep grade, more like a "green steeple."

Hmm. Edited to add, just saw you are in Hawaii and probably get a ton of rain too. Did you do anything special for quick drainage? I know a fella who did a green roof around here over a shed and it collapsed the structure at the end of the rainy season.

This roof... well, think the lauae fern is holding it together lol. A shake roof that the fern got ahold of many, many years ago. That roof is at least 40 years old... I'd guess older, like 50 +. I am not sure how it has not grown a tree, the forest is thick with many a willing growers. Or why it has not caved in, other than the framing is nice and still appears fairly solid. I'll know more when i install the solar lights.

Koke'e gets a average of 70" of rain per year. Kauai is home to Waialeale coming in with 450" average rainfall per year one of the wettest spots in the world, and this last winter was a soggy one all around. Also, the first time I noticed this roof showing some failure. Think the floral and fauna soak most all moisture. The tar paper underlayment is shot, I would not stand on this roof for nothing but we are gunna let it ride for now- though, have tin roofing waiting. Secrete? I have no idea, don't think I could replicate this if I tried. This cabin was largely ignored by humans for decades, so no human interference is probably the answer

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Temperature is in the 90s.

Have a great day!

 

[TropicalChickies]

This roof... well, think the lauae fern is holding it together lol. A shake roof that the fern got ahold of many, many years ago. That roof is at least 40 years old... I'd guess older, like 50 +. I am not sure how it has not grown a tree, the forest is thick with many a willing growers. Or why it has not caved in, other than the framing is nice and still appears fairly solid. I'll know more when i install the solar lights.View attachment 3561028Koke'e gets a average of 70" of rain per year. Kauai is home to Waialeale coming in with 450" average rainfall per year one of the wettest spots in the world, and this last winter was a soggy one all around. Also, the first time I noticed this roof showing some failure. Think the floral and fauna soak most all moisture. The tar paper underlayment is shot, I would not stand on this roof for nothing but we are gunna let it ride for now- though, have tin roofing waiting. Secrete? I have no idea, don't think I could replicate this if I tried. This cabin was largely ignored by humans for decades, so no human interference is probably the answer

Good luck with it! I know that feeling -- weellll, it hasn't fallen yet sooooo... Yep, all

 

[TropicalChickies]

It's why I like keeping condition pictures on this thread. It's rather more honest than the posed shots for a competition/whatever.

Good to know. And here I was trying to take pretty portraits.

Here's a few honest shots, mainly showing one of the downsides of totally free ranging chickens: They don't wander off, they are literally in my sight, earshot, and and living space most of the day!

Lucio making a ruckus because Tina went back to laying. (Her three amigos are on their own)

I went over to see what the hoo-haw was about and found this. Not in or around or anywhere near the coop. This is where we store scrap wood and bamboo..

The three amigos chilling right outside the kitchen, waiting for their breakfast mash. I don't feed them even close to the kitchen, but 50 meters away over by their coop. I guess "the food lady" is too slow...

Breakfast. Everyone likes the homemade mashes -- both cooked or fermented. I'm dishing out about 1000g per day now for 7 adults and 4 chicks and they devour it all in minutes.

Tina is so done with "come and get it." The chicks were confused for a couple days. Now they are foraging like pros.

Patucha is still mothering Solo, but the days are numbered. He? She? (Hard to tell still) will be at bottom of the order when Patucha's mommy button switches off. Hope little Solo is a scrapper.

Frida is pretty smart. As the youngest pullet, the other adults chase her away from the food. She scurries off and waits behind a tree during meal times. I sneak away from the gobbling barbarian horde to give her a good helping of mash.

Lucio is pretty good with the little ones. Not exactly fatherly, but doesn't drive them off and sometimes even lets them share his food -- until they get too greedy.