Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

A propos the discussion about reversion to wild type in domestic chickens, I found this, which some may find interesting (though the graphics and their annotations are below the standard I'd expect of this journal): https://www.nature.com/articles/529270a

 

[Perris]

I have several hens that don’t allow juveniles in their roost spot either. Another roost spot where they can’t see each other works perfect in my flock, and is a great solution to avoid such stress.

same here; with 4 juveniles, plus 2 broodies still looking out for 4 more, at roost time it's a real game of musical coops at the moment

 

[BDutch]

same here; with 4 juveniles, plus 2 broodies still looking out for 4 more, at roost time it's a real game of musical coops at the moment

At the moment I have 9 chickens in 3 coops.

• In the coop extension where all chickens roosted one day: 4 hens. Black, Pearl, Kraai and Katrientje.
• In the small coop near the nest-boxes: 1 hen. Janice. She was harassed by the other hens when she wanted to roost in the extension. If the nest-box area is not occupied by a a broody or a family this is her favourite spot to sleep.
• In the playhouse at the other side of the runs: 4. Ini mini, the foster mother and her 3 juveniles, Whisky, Gin and Tonic. I bought and altered this playhouse to prevent the nasty harassing stage and another group of juveniles roosting in the run. It worked with a little guidance. Now they are all happily living together in a sort of ‘compound’.

 

[fluffycrow]

Had to euthanize a sickly cockerel today, he had given up fighting so it was the only option left. When they are being killed for meat it doesn't hurt as much to do. Just an observation. If he had pulled through and made it to December he still would have been killed for his meat. On the other side, more space and resources for the remaining birds.
I think if I do meatbirds again next year I will invest in seperated housing.

I'm sorry for your loss

 

[Molpet]

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my tomatoes got frosted a couple weeks ago. those are looking good

 

[no fly zone]

my tomatoes got frosted a couple weeks ago. those are looking good

I'm wondering if they will ever turn red. It's late October, and we'll be down in the high 30s/low 40s soon.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I'm wondering if they will ever turn red. It's late October, and we'll be down in the high 30s/low 40s soon.

We had to cut down the tomatoes in the garden, but my little greenhouse ones are still going strong. We didn't do too bad on our gardening this year, we ended up starting late so had small harvests of most things but still not bad. We need to do something with the squash beetles though, they were awful this year.
Tax

Hoping to keep both my polish roosters and they'll have 7 hens each, wish me luck haha.

 

[L-plate chicken mum]

I'm wondering if they will ever turn red. It's late October, and we'll be down in the high 30s/low 40s soon.

If they start to change colour then they will ripen if you bring them indoors. If they are still resolutely green then they most likely won’t ripen but on the other hand, if frost is expected then there’s no harm in trying. Good light & cool to warm temperatures are good. In the UK that means a S W facing window

 

[Shadrach]

Realized I've cited it before, on this thread no less; here https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rescued-chickens-thread.1502267/post-27216260
It's Nicol's book on chicken behaviour that you put me on to

Ah yes, Bristol University's Nicol. Great book. I think she's got this wrong.

 

[Perris]

Ah yes, Bristol University's Nicol. Great book. I think she's got this wrong.

well it is valid for my flock. If I had more land I could experiment, but 30 is definitely the limit for my quantity of grass. Perhaps someone else with a larger flock will chime in...?