Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Nomadicus]

Light Sussex are an attractive breed. Henry is I'm told a good example of the breed if that sort of thing is important to people. The problem with Henry is he doesn't stay white for long. His daughter Matilda who was the lead hen here seemed much better at looking clean.
The black and white Dorkings are another lovely looking breed imo for large chickens, by British standards at least. Both were popular for meat and eggs not that long ago. Fewer people in the UK keep chickens for meat it seems than in America.

I've got a breeder who imports and has the real thing and the long term actual color is not that important to me. Character means more. I do intend on breeding two of the coveted English breeds that were developed to supply the London elites with poultry meat together to see what may hatch out. Never know until it happens and it doesn't happen if someone doesn't make it happen. The two parent breeds are available because some one cared enough to dabble. Not a big university or corporation. Just mostly likely a common breeder with an insight.

 

[Shadrach]

thank you! for pushing me to write it and enter it, especially

Need two or three more reviews to push the article onto the front page of Feeding & Housing Your Flock if you want the article to have maximum impact.
Hopefully BYC will feature it on the main page. They used to do this with all the winning articles but it seems to have fallen by the wayside recently.

 

[Shadrach]

It rained all day on and off. I'm not complaining. Warmer with rain would be nice; still not complaining.
I went with a three hour slot but they were not the slightest bit interested in going out on to the allotments. Carbon and Fret rushed out for a few minutes to grab some grass shoots which are wet and tender, then got on the extension roost bar having eaten supper and treats.
I sat on the roost bar with them for half an hour and it was obvious that the rain wasn't going to let up before dusk so I put Henry on the coop ramp and he happily went to roost, Fret and Carbon following. I went round to my eldest for tea and a chat and headed off home by train damp and steaming.
My new rucksack had it's first wet test and it did what it is supposed to do and stayed dry inside.


That reminds me @Perris, would you be kind enough to give me the contact details for your supplier of whole grains and especially the peas. You're not that far from me so if they don't deliver I should be able to arrange to collect.

 

[fuzzi]

Well done. My Uncle used to farm them. They would chew through the cage wire to get at the one in the next cage. My Uncles son lost a finger tip from a mink bite.
We got the black American mink as an invasive species. Not a fan.

There's a guy who has trained mink he takes to farms, to kill rats. They do a great job, but the dogs have more fun. He's on YT, worth watching if it interests you, and you don't mind seeing rats get killed (videos are generally not graphic):

 

[fuzzi]

Well done. My Uncle used to farm them. They would chew through the cage wire to get at the one in the next cage. My Uncles son lost a finger tip from a mink bite.
We got the black American mink as an invasive species. Not a fan.

At first I thought it was going to be about a chicken killing a mink...

 

[Iluveggers]

Light Sussex are an attractive breed. Henry is I'm told a good example of the breed if that sort of thing is important to people. The problem with Henry is he doesn't stay white for long. His daughter Matilda who was the lead hen here seemed much better at looking clean.
The black and white Dorkings are another lovely looking breed imo for large chickens, by British standards at least. Both were popular for meat and eggs not that long ago. Fewer people in the UK keep chickens for meat it seems than in America.

Are Speckled or Coronation Sussex readily available as well? I love my Speckled Sussex, perfect blend of nosy and adventurous but not agressive.

 

[MaryJanet]

thank you! for pushing me to write it and enter it, especially

Congratulations Perris!

 

[Molpet]

There's a guy who has trained mink he takes to farms, to kill rats. They do a great job, but the dogs have more fun. He's on YT, worth watching if it interests you, and you don't mind seeing rats get killed (videos are generally not graphic):

That's a lot of rats

 

[GregnLety]

Weird occurrence at bed time . I was putting the pups in the kennel and heard a commotion in the bantam coop next to the garage. This is Chinito's tribe. He is the frizzle bantam rooster. A different rooster and hen were putting a beat down on a third rooster. He was on the ground in the corner. They were pecking his head and neck strongly. I broke it up and brought him in our house. Not a bunch of blood but he was definitely punch drunk. Let him calm down tonight and do a thorough check tomorrow. He must have crossed the wrong bird but usually this group is very relaxed with no fighting.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Weird occurrence at bed time . I was putting the pups in the kennel and heard a commotion in the bantam coop next to the garage. This is Chinito's tribe. He is the frizzle bantam rooster. A different rooster and hen were putting a beat down on a third rooster. He was on the ground in the corner. They were pecking his head and neck strongly. I broke it up and brought him in our house. Not a bunch of blood but he was definitely punch drunk. Let him calm down tonight and do a thorough check tomorrow. He must have crossed the wrong bird but usually this group is very relaxed with no fighting.

Could it have been the fireworks impacting their behaviour? I had to go down and sit with my chickens, because the neighbor (up the road) was putting on quite the display. My dogs weren't bothered but my cockerels were on full alert and they were all expressing their displeasure at the lights and the noise disturbing their slumber. Hope he is ok and they all make it up tomorrow.