Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MaryJanet]

yes, I'll definitely try to stay close when I open it up (which I'll obviously have to do sometime), but chickens can get places I can't in this garden, so I'm not the ideal bodyguard for him I once had to fish Sven, in his sunset year, out of a 4' deep bramble-tangled nettle-strewn ditch, which wasn't fun.

On the upside, all the roos here are easily stopped by my simply adopting a goalie pose (for our friends from the USA, that's a goalkeeper in a game of football, like so
View attachment 3637548)
and they then turn around and go back (or, if they're Fforest, try to find a sneaky way round), so, as long as I am present and can interpose myself, we should be OK. The trouble is, Chirk's likely to duck and dive into the nearest shrub, where I can't follow.

Ah I see! I was thinking Chirk's disability would keep him from moving too far too fast.

 

[Perris]

Ah I see! I was thinking Chirk's disability would keep him from moving too far too fast.

he's come a long way in his recovery. That's why I think it might be time to free him from the temporary pen; sorry, I should have made that clearer at the start.

 

[MaryJanet]

he's come a long way in his recovery. That's why I think it might be time to free him from the temporary pen; sorry, I should have made that clearer at the start.

That's great news!

 

[BDutch]

it's difficult to assess while he's confined; he still staggers or has tremors occasionally, and I think he's thin; his foraging opportunities are obviously very limited. His comb and wattle are a great colour, and his new feathers are grand where he can reach to get the keratin sheath off, but they have retained sheaths at the back end, which I think must be uncomfortable. He looks a bit like a porcupine back there. He also hasn't resumed dustbathing as yet, but that may be partly because he's not strong enough yet to create one or the bits of lawn the trampoline's been over are unsuitable.

The only male giving him grief is Fforest, who's bottom of the 3 outside the enclosure, and whose position is therefore most at risk from a resurgent Chirk. Chirk will stand quite happily within a foot of the netting when Killay is standing just the other side, but when Fforest comes over, he prowls around the circumference and sends Chirk into a tizzy. Amadeo has essentially ignored him, and does not join in the flock bonding session on and around the trampoline every morning after breakfast - otoh that's when he can get his breakfast, so he's busy at the feeding station then along with the lowest ranking females.

Sorry, I must have mist or forgot what happened with Chirk. Is he wounded? What’s the problem? Do you have a photo?
Not that I can give any recommendation. Just curious and hope some else can give a proper advice.

Lots of rain here last night and this morning.

 

[fluffycrow]

I think this is the bird Perris was talking

Sorry, I must have mist or forgot what happened with Chirk. Is he wounded? What’s the problem? Do you have a photo?
Not that I can give any recommendation. Just curious and hope some else can give a proper advice.

Lots of rain here last night and this morning.

about

Post in thread 'Official BYC Poll: Special Needs Poultry' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...l-special-needs-poultry.1594846/post-27106524

 

[Perris]

I think this is the bird Perris was talking


about

Post in thread 'Official BYC Poll: Special Needs Poultry' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...l-special-needs-poultry.1594846/post-27106524

yes that's the one; thanks for linking while I was afk.

 

[fluffycrow]

yes that's the one; thanks for linking while I was afk.

No problem. It's an amazing story, thank you for doing what many wouldn't have

 

[ManueB]

he's come a long way in his recovery. That's why I think it might be time to free him from the temporary pen; sorry, I should have made that clearer at the start.

I have made the mistake of releasing a hen too soon because I felt she was terribly depressed.
In the case of Chirk, would there be any benefit in keeping him confined longer ? Do you think he would improve a little more, or do you think he will stay like he is, or even regress ?

While there is no certainty the confrontation will go well, it is not something that time will help.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

@Perris Glad to hear Chirk's condition is getting better.

Temperature is in the 70s.

Have a great day!

 

[RoyalChick]

he's come a long way in his recovery. That's why I think it might be time to free him from the temporary pen; sorry, I should have made that clearer at the start.

That he has come this far is great.
How confined is he?
Exercise and dust bathing will almost certainly be helpful to his recovery. So I lean towards letting him out.
But maybe you can do a halfway house of some sort.
It seems to me you might want to at least mitigate the following risks:
- all out attack by the others - feels like maybe your presence could help with that
- predator attack - again your presence would help
- him falling and getting stuck somewhere you can’t reach him - maybe you could divert him away from such areas?
So it feels like supervision during his early forays would be good. Of course you could also put up a temporary fence to confine him but in a much larger area than he has now. Again, as a halfway house.