Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

Have you explained to C and Wendy what the grit and OS are for, so they don't chuck it out? And yes your girls' munching of the greenery is very apparent, as are the potholes But you're not dealing with birds depending entirely on foraging, which is of course the extreme case, and I was thinking of the distinction made in many of the old poultry manuals I've read between production rations and maintenance rations, and at this time of year, with little to no laying, they'd be on maintenance rations. Also, your comment about production breeds needing a production diet seems to go against the grain of much of the earlier discussion about whether and to what extent the rescues are a breed apart from 'normal' chickens, so to speak.

Also, those old books (i.e. written before the invention of commercial chicken feed) usually supplied the calcium (and a good dose of protein) via dairy products, which were produced on the farm of course. So perhaps you could just take more milk than you need for your thermos of tea and share it with them...

Yes, I accept the maintenance view and in better circumstances it would be reasonable. The problem is at least seven are laying and four are still trying to repair feather damage.
It's just layers pellets is the easiest way to try to replenish the earlier shortfalls in their diet. In another couple of months the majority will be close enough to a healthy weight and diet will be less critical.

 

[Shadrach]

We used to give our flock of 10 hens raw milk. They loved it.

I'll try out the milk.

 

[Shadrach]

I have kefir grains - they are easy to source either free or purchased, and I have a jar on the kitchen counter.
It takes a couple of days to turn about a pint of milk into kefir and then I start over.
The grains multiply (which is why they are easy to source - most kefir makers would be happy just to give you some of theirs).
When the grains get too extensive they work too fast and it is time to divide the colony. I usually freeze some, eat some, and give the rest to the chickens.

Do you mix the kefir with anything?

 

[Shadrach]

I'm sure more than myself would like to see the pictures.

I almost got a couple of shots this afternoon.

 

[RoyalChick]

Do you mix the kefir with anything?

They like it just as it comes and the fermentation removes the lactose more-or-less entirely so it should be easier on their digestion (I don't believe chickens have the lactase necessary to digest lactose but I may be wrong).
So often I give it as it is, but I also tend to collect kitchen scraps in a pot and then top up with Kefir and freeze it (those are the 'ice-cream' treats you may have seen video of my Princesses devouring). That allows me to pace them a bit on the scraps and makes things like carrot peelings more palatable (apparently).
One benefit of frozen is they don't get their faces quite so covered in it - but there is no real harm in that as they can always wipe their faces off on my boots. So I don't do frozen in winter but it is a great cool treat in summer.

 

[fuentemoon]

I give mine yogurt every few days usually, they get excited.

 

[Solanacae]

but there is no real harm in that as they can always wipe their faces off on my boots.

In my chickens’ eyes, I always show up wearing handy napkins on my legs so they can wipe their beaks off.

 

[no fly zone]

Here's a little clip of my bantams from some months back

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

The temperature is 62 and sunny.

Have a great day!

 

[LaFleche]

How is Mathilda doing today?