Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[fuzzi]

Overdue tax and the story of Dusty's injury recovery, hatch, and new little frizzle baby...

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Mum Dusty and her chick, Slash.

Dusty has been through a rough time, but now she's in a happier state. About 8 weeks ago, she got badly injured in a cockerel gang mating pile-on. All of the other hens escaped pretty unscathed, but because Dusty was still mothering a pair of chicks that were six weeks old at the time, she hesitated to run away and got caught up in the frenzy. Her back had a deep puncture and gash under one wing that needed successive cleanings, disinfection, and most of all time to heal without getting reopened.

In this thread, you can see pictures of the injury and how I was able to successfully get the infection under control. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...is-an-antibiotic-needed-graphic-pics.1602282/

I was most concerned with the effects of keeping her away from mating that would re-open the healing wound --meaning she would have to be by herself most of the time as all the other hens naturally want to be with the males. So when Dusty exhibited broody behavior soon after resuming to lay (when the two chicks she reared were only 7 weeks) I figured that letting her sit and brood would be a good way for her to get the healing time she needed without getting bored and depressed. And when I gave her eggs to set, she indeed took to them right away and was content to sit.

But it's a bad time of year for hatching here right now -- hot and humid days, chilly and rainy nights, lots of thunder and lightening, and there were two minor earthquakes during her sit. I wasn't really invested in getting chicks -- I just wanted Dusty to be occupied. If some hatched, even better, she could get even more time to heal while mothering.

The hatch -- as I could have predicted based on the pretty extreme climate variability -- was messy and staggered. One chick hatched early on day 20 and died the next day (I'm guessing umbilical infection or organs not developed properly). Two eggs showed no movement and appeared to going bad. And then late on Day 22, a little mini Dusty emerged from the only egg in the clutch that was hers. I had actually given her this egg as a long shot because I was trying to keep her from getting mounted while injured. But Lucio did manage to grab her once when I let her forage, and I guess once was enough!

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The survivor chick at one week old, just after eating a big cache of small beetles mama dug out from under a fallen tree branch.

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Here's the chick this morning at 14 days old. The chirapa/frizzle feathering is much more obvious.

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Mama photo bombing.

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Warming up.

 

[fuzzi]

A ribeye steak is a possibility, a low country boil, or some food that is off the menu.

I have made mashed potato pizza for Christmas before.

I made a meatloaf one year. It was just my mom and me, and we weren't interested in turkey.

I sculpted the meatloaf to look like a turkey...

 

[TropicalChickies]

Go Dusty! Slash is so cute. (The chick, that is) I hope it's a girl, so you don't have more cockerel drama. A frizzle or two, on my long wish list. Maybe someday.

I think the human Slash is pretty fetching too.

 

[no fly zone]

Some more Skeksis & Mr. Bumble grandchildren:

 

[Shadrach]

Nothing damaged by the trees coming down, I hope?

No, just a nuisance; and work to cut them up. They were dead trees, partially rotting.

 

[Sally PB]

Hubby wants the traditional Thanksgiving Day meal, so I oblige, even though it's just the two of us. He misses the family get togethers with his mom (back when she was speaking to us, before she passed), brother, and aunt. Bro and aunt have not wanted to get together, even though we've said we'd drive out (7 hours each way), stay in a motel, and go to a restaurant so nobody had to cook. The excuses range from "Too soon after mother died, so it's too sad," to "I don't want to people to see how messy my house is."

Really...? I asked hubby if they didn't like me, and so came up with excuses, but he said no. Now I figure the ball is in their court, and if they want to get together, they can initiate. I'll stop asking.

Tax:

Pippy thinks my pant leg is interesting.

 

[Shadrach]

A dry day around 9C. Three hours this afternoon.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

Temperature is in the 70s with strong gusty winds expected.

Have a great day!

 

[Shadrach]

Three hours today some of it spent cutting up fallen trees with a bowsaw.
I had to pick up Dig for the first time today. The only time of come close to holding him was when he was learning how to get up the coop ramp.
He got a bit of fine plastic mesh caught around his middle toe and looped over his back toe. No way he was going to get it off in a hurry. There is this one plot that is just full of scrap pieces of this netting, string, odd bits of tie wire and other types of netting. Dig was digging in it. He looked a bit shocked when I picked him up but was generally well behaved. Of course while I had him in my hand I gave him a good look over. He's closer to a feral or free range chicken weight. Good muscle tone, very little fat but by keel bone test standards underweight for a British or American chicken. In other words he's fine.

Henry and Dig like the split peas. That's a start. According to the packet these split peas are 22.8% protein so a good addition to the mix. I've seen Mow eat a few as has Fret. I've Carlin Black Badger peas in the next mix and hopefully they'll eat those as well.

 

[MrsNorthie]

According to the packet these split peas are 22.8% protein so a good addition to the mix.

I was wondering about split peas and adding that to their mash. The older girls have been going through a moult and have been really finicky and a little off their food, plus the weather is changing, getting cooler, (rained all day today) so I wanted to add some enticement to get them excited about their bucket meals, since they haven't been foraging as much.

One article made no mention of protein, but did say:

"They’re high in fiber, containing a good range of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin K, iron, magnesium, and potassium."

I found this article that does make mention of the high protein. I was going to get some at the grocery store tomorrow, along with some more fish (funny how they do not seem to go off the fish. LOL) The egg thief says they are spoiled, but it is a bit like the kettle to the pot. ;-)