Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[fluffycrow]

It stayed dry for the two and a half hours I was at the field. Around 8C with a light wind.
Dig only has one new peck mark. I had to lift him off Fret this evening. She got cornered behind the coop.
I take cockerels and some roosters off the backs of hens by grabbing a large handfull off hackle feathers, much like picking up a cat by the scruff of it's neck. It's what mum does with kittens, foxes do with kits, bears do with cubs, etc.
What happens with chickens is as one pulls upwards their mouth relaxes the grip they may have on something, a bit like pulling downward gripping the wattles. Picking males off females backs should one have to do it in this manner means he cant peck you and because his beak relaxes he doesn't pull out a bunch of the hens neck feathers or scrabble around on her back with his feet. Once off just throw the male (in this case anyway) (gently) onto the ground a few feet away. Do it right and they land on their feet with little impact.

Mow is giving me heart burn! I know she looks very different from Carbon and Fret and I know she's trying to avoid the attentions of Dig, especially in the evening before roosting. I keep having to look for her. She's not as safe on her own as she is with the others. Dig does check on her from time to time but I would much rather she stayed closer to the rest. She's a flat out forager. I reckon 50% of her diet is forage. She's at from being let out of the coop run until I go and usher her to the coop.

There they go. Two white bums in the distance.
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I've heard of this technique for picking up angry broodies. I will never try it on a broody, but Kolovos's son just might convince me to try it on him.



Just like your Mow, Cruella's adoptive daughter is a big forager, and a big tree hugger. She doesn't seem to hang as close with the group; she is the only bird that has taken after her dad in colour, and I'm assuming that, among other things, plays a role. Her brother has taken a liking to her, and chases her around quite a bit. She doesn't seem receptive. That might be another reason she's distant from the group

 

[Molpet]

I had a cockerel relentless with one of around 60 hens last week. I had 8 roosters and 3 cockerels. I don't need 11 males, especially if one is causing problems. None of the hens liked him. Anyway after 3 days of him chasing this one hen until she was just hiding all the time, I sent him to freezer camp. I probably should put another in, but so far they are getting along. This boy had 2 large testicles with a small one attached. So I guess he had extra testosterone. I had another problem cockerel that had a bigger 3 rd testicle before.

 

[Shadrach]

I've heard of this technique for picking up angry broodies. I will never try it on a broody, but Kolovos's son just might convince me to try it on him.



Just like your Mow, Cruella's adoptive daughter is a big forager, and a big tree hugger. She doesn't seem to hang as close with the group; she is the only bird that has taken after her dad in colour, and I'm assuming that, among other things, plays a role. Her brother has taken a liking to her, and chases her around quite a bit. She doesn't seem receptive. That might be another reason she's distant from the group

Quite a few of the keepers I came accross in Catalonia picked males and females up in this manner when necessary. Hens usually got caught by grabbing a fist full of tail feathers. Yep, done that and it works.
Fortunately not all chickens will trot to you and wilt in your arms at the mention of treats. Sometimes one just has to grab them. Grabbing feet is very bad practice, full body grab is not always an option. Obviously one doesn't walk around with chickens hanging from their hackles or their tails.

 

[Molpet]

Grabbing feet is very bad practice,

Yes I used to grab the chicken boys for harvest by the legs until one dislocated a leg. I felt really bad and use a net on the chickens since. He wasn't in pain for very long , just long enough for me to walk 50 ft, but it was unnecessary. The main point for me is that they have a better life than the commercial birds.

 

[ManueB]

Yes you're right. Trying to include countries outside the UK would make things too complicated.
I'll let EU members write their own article.

If you agree to it , I would be glad once your article is out point out the french equivalents either in the comments or in a separate post. Though I'm not sure the number of french visitors justify it.

There is also a cultural difference between countries. In France, even in poultry commercial settings, the use of veterinary medication is so restricted that a lot more alternative solutions are used.

The UK has become very strict about pet and livestock medication.
If you're after vet prescribed antibiotics you're looking at £50.00 consultation feed plus the cost of the drugs in many instances.
What is interesting is recently the government has permitted pharmacists to prescribe a limited number of what were prescription only drugs, antibiotics being one of them.

I don't think any other country in Europe is as restrictive as France. I understand this policy, so I am not complaining. A vet consultation is slightly less here, 45 euros, but it's still costly for many people.
The pharmacist option is maybe interesting for humans but I don't see how they would be qualified for veterinary prescriptions.

Mow is giving me heart burn! I know she looks very different from Carbon and Fret and I know she's trying to avoid the attentions of Dig, especially in the evening before roosting. I keep having to look for her. She's not as safe on her own as she is with the others. Dig does check on her from time to time but I would much rather she stayed closer to the rest. She's a flat out forager. I reckon 50% of her diet is forage. She's at from being let out of the coop run until I go and usher her to the coop.

There they go. Two white bums in the distance.
View attachment 3752463
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I had one like Mow in each of the hatch. Isn't that not always more or less the case ? And are you not secretly happy that she loves her freedom ?

Piou-piou at four months, in October 2022. It made it worse that she was a runt chick with a mobility issue that couldn't fly, and she kept exploring the big wide world on her own. She didn't eat any commercial food at all for months.

On the other hand on both hatches there was a more cautious chick, one who often preferred safety to free ranging, who stayed always close to the rooster. Léa became a cautious adult hen, which is why we let her sit with eggs, and now we have Laure, who sticks to Gaston like glue and is loudly unhappy when he wanders too far from the coop.
Different personalities ? It's not all about the environment.

 

[fluffycrow]

Grabbing feet is very bad practic

This is very common practice here. I don't like it one bit. My grandfather told me stories, where moving chickens from the winter pasture to the spring/summer land entailed tying a chicken by its legs, and attaching it to the saddle of the mule/donkey/horse. I can't even imagine how many birds got injured during that whole process.

I can count on one hand the number of my birds that would let me hold them for even a short period of time. If I have to catch any bird, I try to go for a full dody grab. If it's not possible, I try again when it is. If the bird is in dire need of help but still refusing to let me get close, I try to get it contained inside the coop where catching is much easier

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 40s and sunny.

Have a great day!

 

[Shadrach]

Henry upped his game as they say, this afternoon. Carbon and Fret adore Henry but as a providor of food through hard work and commitment even they would admit he's a shower of shite. He has of course excuses. He hasn't needed to, or even be able to attempt to provide for his hens while being in the coop and run.

He's does know he should try though and he has shown brief spurts of willingness in the past, but today as I dug the herb garden bit of my plot he was all over it like rash. He was breaking the clods up on the fork as I dug. Henry digs with me. He's scratching and pecking within a quarter of an inch away from my hand when a reach to pull the weed from the ground. Today Henry not only wanted to show he was doing his bit but also wouldn't let Dig on the plot. Of course, the hens are delighted because there was a lot of edible stuff in the soil as well as a slim worm they liked doubtless many bugs.
I had composted this patch a couple of months ago with compost from the pile and the chickens dropping with I have composting in a bin.
Henry didn't leave the patch until Carbon and Fret had had enough. Of course, Dig would loved to be in there nodding and calling every time he found something, so Henry is reducing Digs opportunities for finding food to offer the hens.
In general Henry has become more assertive (one doesn't hear that word used for males much these days especially not for roosters!)

This competing for control of resources is in fact good for Henry. He's what one might call a steady chap not prone to rushing about. I'm always making comparisons to the fitness level of the tribes in Catalonia who covered a lot of ground in the day.
Henry when out of the coop run has to run quite often when Dig tries it on with the hens and Dig tries it on a lot. Henry certainly burnt a few calories digging this afternoon.

It stayed dry at around 8C. Two and a half hours. Geese out, watered and fed. Same for the chickens.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I can count on one hand the number of my birds that would let me hold them for even a short period of time.

All mine will let me hold them and some demand it, if I sit in the run with them. I try to avoid it, more now, in respect to Blue, mostly, but I had to put some saddles on the girls, so they are not totally bare skinned and getting sun burned in the summer, and a couple of my girls, after I got the saddles secured climbed up and cuddled into my shoulder and under my neck making their little cooing/purring sounds.

He's does know he should try though and he has shown brief spurts of willingness in the past, but today as I dug the herb garden bit of my plot he was all over it like rash.

Awe! I am sure if they were out more, he would be spending most of his day in the role of the charming food finder. Looks like the 'Bucket Boy" is going to have to spend more time gardening, as the weather allows, of course. (this is also probably good for "Bucket Boy" to be out in the fresh air and sunshine more too. )

In general Henry has become more assertive (one doesn't hear that word used for males much these days especially not for roosters!)

Good for Henry! This is also a good lesson for Dig, to mellow out a little, because the King is still on the throne.

 

[BDutch]

I don't think any other country in Europe is as restrictive as France.

There is one I know of.