Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[TropicalChickies]

Ok, now this is NOT a mostly harmless toucan in this palm. This is a magnificent grey eagle, endemic to the Choco Andino Cloudforest. I always feel very privileged to see one so close. And a bit nervous for the chicks, of course. The warning went up and all of the chickens went under cover. Lucio remained visible, but positioned himself under an awning. (Showing a bit more prudence than charging me two feet away from my pack of dogs ... )

Here's a better image one. Not my photo, obviously.

 

[Molpet]

Ok, now this is NOT a mostly harmless toucan in this palm. This is a magnificent grey eagle, endemic to the Choco Andino Cloudforest. I always feel very privileged to see one so close. And a bit nervous for the chicks, of course. The warning went up and all of the chickens went under cover. Lucio remained visible, but positioned himself under an awning. (Showing a bit more prudence than charging me two feet away from my pack of dogs ... )
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Here's a better image one. Not my photo, obviously.

beautiful predator

 

[Ladies-Eight]

We have had a few changes in the flock since I last posted. The other day I heard a strange sound that I had never heard a chicken make before. A distress call that didn't sound like fighting or predator warnings but sounded very serious. I ran to the back garden to see what was going on and found William crying loudly at the edge of a stand of pines where the chickens love to hang out. Coco, his former wife, was lying stone dead in her dust bath. She had no injuries that I could find. I suspect she died of some underlying condition as she was a rescued battery hen and would have been over three years old this year. Her eggs had large calcium deposits on them for months, which didn't seem to improve no matter what solutions we threw at it.

My heart broke for William, though, because she was his number 1 hen when they arrived at the farm and roosted next to him every night until he was kicked out of the flock. She would come to visit him occasionally on the driveway and get some stolen kisses when Johnny wasn't watching.

I have never seen any of my chickens be so visibly upset by the passing of a flockmate. I don't know if it was the "right" thing to do, but my partner (who has an extremely special bond with William), ran out and instinctively scooped William up and cradled him in his arms. That actually seemed to calm him down, he stopped crying and then snuggled in, eventually making contented rooster noises. While that was happening I took Coco away to examine her and prepare to bury her.

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

My sympathies are with you and William for the loss Coco.

Temperature is in the 80s.

Have a great day!

 

[fluffycrow]

Ok, now this is NOT a mostly harmless toucan in this palm. This is a magnificent grey eagle, endemic to the Choco Andino Cloudforest. I always feel very privileged to see one so close. And a bit nervous for the chicks, of course. The warning went up and all of the chickens went under cover. Lucio remained visible, but positioned himself under an awning. (Showing a bit more prudence than charging me two feet away from my pack of dogs ... )
View attachment 3622290
View attachment 3622293
Here's a better image one. Not my photo, obviously.

Now that is a predator! Very pretty

 

[BDutch]

We have had a few changes in the flock since I last posted. The other day I heard a strange sound that I had never heard a chicken make before. A distress call that didn't sound like fighting or predator warnings but sounded very serious. I ran to the back garden to see what was going on and found William crying loudly at the edge of a stand of pines where the chickens love to hang out. Coco, his former wife, was lying stone dead in her dust bath. She had no injuries that I could find. I suspect she died of some underlying condition as she was a rescued battery hen and would have been over three years old this year. Her eggs had large calcium deposits on them for months, which didn't seem to improve no matter what solutions we threw at it.

I wasn't particularly bonded with Coco, she was a good hen and never caused any bother, but we never really formed a connection. My heart broke for William, though, because she was his number 1 hen when they arrived at the farm and roosted next to him every night until he was kicked out of the flock. She would come to visit him occasionally on the driveway and get some stolen kisses when Johnny wasn't watching.

I have never seen any of my chickens be so visibly upset by the passing of a flockmate. I don't know if it was the "right" thing to do, but my partner (who has an extremely special bond with William), ran out and instinctively scooped William up and cradled him in his arms. That actually seemed to calm him down, he stopped crying and then snuggled in, eventually making contented rooster noises. While that was happening I took Coco away to examine her and prepare to bury her.

Heartbreaking story.
Hope you all get over it without too much invisible pain.
Thanks for sharing.

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Great pic.

 

[BDutch]

Tax with Janice and Pearl.

The grapes are colouring.
When I open the coop, the adults behave like little children whenever a ice cream car arrives in the street.

 

[Shadrach]

I trust you quipped something suitable, loud enough for them to hear, in response

No point. I would have to go to great lengths to point out that Fret is the one supposed to be responsible because they are her's and Henry's chicks. I don't know squat about raising chicks.

I know when I've used a double negative though.

 

[Shadrach]

We all have different way of doing things.

If only this was true. What a wonderfully diverse and imaginative world we would live in should it be true.

 

[Shadrach]

Mine are the same. Eating, drinking, and sorting out politics in the morning. Napping, bathing, preening, laying eggs in the middle hours of the day. More eating and squabbling in the evening.

Just like humans, my older chickens eat and then put themselves to bed early, sometimes a couple hours before dark depending on the weather. The young ones stay out way longer snacking and roaming around, rain or shine, putting themselves to bed perilously close to nightfall. I don't mind that because I can let the dogs out to protect them from foxes, but in the summer it's annoying because I want to be in bed.... the sun sets so late up here in Scotland around midsummer!

***

We have had a few changes in the flock since I last posted. The other day I heard a strange sound that I had never heard a chicken make before. A distress call that didn't sound like fighting or predator warnings but sounded very serious. I ran to the back garden to see what was going on and found William crying loudly at the edge of a stand of pines where the chickens love to hang out. Coco, his former wife, was lying stone dead in her dust bath. She had no injuries that I could find. I suspect she died of some underlying condition as she was a rescued battery hen and would have been over three years old this year. Her eggs had large calcium deposits on them for months, which didn't seem to improve no matter what solutions we threw at it.

I wasn't particularly bonded with Coco, she was a good hen and never caused any bother, but we never really formed a connection. My heart broke for William, though, because she was his number 1 hen when they arrived at the farm and roosted next to him every night until he was kicked out of the flock. She would come to visit him occasionally on the driveway and get some stolen kisses when Johnny wasn't watching.

I have never seen any of my chickens be so visibly upset by the passing of a flockmate. I don't know if it was the "right" thing to do, but my partner (who has an extremely special bond with William), ran out and instinctively scooped William up and cradled him in his arms. That actually seemed to calm him down, he stopped crying and then snuggled in, eventually making contented rooster noises. While that was happening I took Coco away to examine her and prepare to bury her.

So that brings us to only one battery hen left out of our original four -- Hazel. Her eggs are still very good quality and she seems healthy for now. Johnny loves her and she is definitely in the ranks of the senior hens. She is feisty and has a strong, red, large, upright comb. I hope she defies the odds and stays around a little bit longer. We are all big fans of Hazel, and we think William is sensitive to the passing of his little original battery flock. He was a bit depressed after the passing of his coopmates, Pecan and Ms. Peanut, earlier this spring/summer, and then he lost his eye. It would be nice if he had a break from constant loss for a while.

Here is some tax after such a long post. This is the first picture I took of William, Johnny, Pecan, Peanut, Coco, and Hazel when they arrived on the farm last November. They were so scared of everything. The hens would absolutely freak out if we even looked in their direction. But William was such a gentle dominant rooster and shared the flock peacefully with Johnny. It's amazing how much the hens learned to trust and relax in the short time they have been with us, and how much the rooster dynamics have shifted.

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I'm sure some form stronger bonds than others, much like people. I was glad in a way when Harold dropped dead before Bluespot who while a lovely hen was as hard as nails. Harold would have been inconsolable if Bluespot had died before him.
When Major's favourite hen died (just before I got to Catalonia) he gave up on forming any noticable bond with any hen and wandered from place to place while his junior, Oswald took over the hen care. It took some months before he formed a loose bond with Fat Bird, but generally he became a loner.

 

[Shadrach]

28th and 29th August.

Everybody is fine apart from Henry who has developed a red featherless patch just past the end of his wing tip on the underside of his body. I had a brief look and couldn't see anything obvious but hell need picking up in daylight to get a proper look which we will attempt with minimum drama I hope tomorrow.

The chicks seem disgustingly healthy to the point that other plot holders have mentioned just how disgustingly healthy they look under Fret's irresponsible care and my obvious incompetance.

Having trouble getting a dry afternoon. It doesn't rain hard, but it rains on and off and we all head for the coop extension.

I saw Henry tell one of the chicks off for the first time today. They were all foraging as I weeded in the allotment run when one of the chicks (the one with least grey) dived under Henry's beak to get a bug Henry had dug up. A quick peck from Henry which hardly disturbed the chicks feathers was enough. Fret was entirely calm about the whole business and didn't even bother comforting the chick when it flew back to her. Don't try to nick dads food was the lesson I think.

But, much to my amusement I got this picture later in the day.

"Mum, dad is eating our food!"

Long necked, foul mouthed, sweary chickens.

The same chick that got told off by Henry and then whinged at mum about dad eating the chick feed is also the one in this picture.

"I'm camping out tonight mum"

A few moments after Carbon had gone in the chick thought better of the whole idea and made the jump from the roost bar to the pop hole look easy as they made their way in to join the others.

Fret has been trying to get the chicks to roost on one of the bars in the coop. She can get one up beside her but not the other. They have settled on this corner for sleeping.

I leave a bowl of food and water with them overnight.

Both chicks forage and dust bathe independently and I hear much fewer I've found food calls from Fret. The chicks are still not sure about fruit, or eating spiders.