Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

That's a good find.

I might've been thinking of @Sue Gremlin, who doesn't seem to be frequenting BYC anymore, unfortunately.

Here's their 3-part series on fecal floats:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/fecal-examination-in-backyard-chickens-101-part-1.75459/

The articles are so well written that it's almost tempting to get a microscope, but...pooh slurry

She seemed rather nice. She could certainly write a good article. One of many who were one day and gone the next. BYC can't really afford to lose such people.

 

[Shadrach]

8C, dry afternoon. Everyone got onto the field.
Looks like I may have an egg surplus for a few months.

Second worming dose for Henry today. He's such a joy to deal when it comes to getting medication down him. He's more or less back to normal now. I think he's lost a bit of weight. I keep forgeting to take some scales to the field. They all need weighing, something I've been neglectfull of.

LaFleche very kindly sent me a PM writing that she had read I was having problem erradicating SLM and suggested I give this a try.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jehn-Balli...8&sprefix=ballistol+animal+oil,aps,429&sr=8-1

It should arrive at the end of the week.

 

[Shadrach]

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/retired-hens-revitalise-cyprus-olive-groves-2025-02-24/

 

[BDutch]

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/retired-hens-revitalise-cyprus-olive-groves-2025-02-24/

Great way to improve the olive groves. But I dont understand that they say the hens stop laying after 2 years. Even the laying hybrids start to lay again after they have moulted and another springs is arriving.

Now I wonder until what age a laying hybrid abused in factory farming can lay eggs. I mean in years, not in numbers as long as they don’t get sick.

 

[Perris]

Great way to improve the olive groves. But I dont understand that they say the hens stop laying after 2 years. Even the laying hybrids start to lay again after they have moulted and another springs is arriving.

Now I wonder until what age a laying hybrid abused in factory farming can lay eggs. I mean in years, not in numbers as long as they don’t get sick.

indeed. And I was wondering what they do with those eggs... probably shouldn't be selling them to third parties (officially at any rate) in view of the food waste of uncertain origin and traceability given to the hens. But I may be behind on EU food regs now.

 

[Shadrach]

Some will lay until they die. 10 years as cited in the video is rather optomistic. From what I can gather caged rescues might make 4 years.
Rangers and barn kept may live a little longer.

I didn't notice any bags of 24% protein commercial feed.

 

[BDutch]

indeed. And I was wondering what they do with those eggs... probably shouldn't be selling them to third parties (officially at any rate) in view of the food waste of uncertain origin and traceability given to the hens. But I may be behind on EU food regs now.

I can’t imagine them going to waste in Cyprus.
If its not officially allowed I suppose there is still people who buy them (thriving black market).

Anyway if you read this > you understand me saying this. ^
Source behind a paywall: Trouw, Dutch newspaper.

Spoiler: Bird Poachers

Bird conservationist Andy from Birdlife searches for the glue sticks and bird nets that poachers placed in Cyprus.

In Cyprus, songbirds are an illegal delicacy: 'You have to eat them with the bones and all' In Cyprus last year, poachers captured 400,000 birds with nets and glue sticks to sell them on the black market as a delicacy. Nature organizations are trying to stop hunting.

 

[BDutch]

I didn't notice any bags of 24% protein commercial feed.

About 11-14 years ago the waste authorities in Belgium made a brochure about keeping chickens, to encourage people to have some backyard chickens. Bc it was a way to add good and cheap nutrients to the groceries. And recycling food waste was the way to do so.

It was one of the things I came across looking for info about keeping chickens starting up 11 years ago.
Also read on the Dutch/Belgium chickenforum that the leaflet was a bad thing bc giving much/the wrong waste wasnt good at all.

The brochure is still online;
https://www.imog.be/uploads/media/Wat_pikt_de_kip.pdf
Its in Dutch, a pdf and not easy to translate. Maybe AI can?
The pictures and graphic design are good enough to take a look though.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/retired-hens-revitalise-cyprus-olive-groves-2025-02-24/

They're on to something.

Last year, the first 3 weeks of June were scorchingly hot, stressing our fruit trees, except for the pear tree that was annexed into the chickenyard when we expanded it for Andre & his baes.

Here's the pear tree outside the fence. It produced much less fruit than usual.

And inside the chickenyard: over 100 pears.

The only stress this tree had was that a branch broke due to the weight of the fruit.

 

[no fly zone]

One of my buddies from college is starting a flock, and he's open to getting some of Skeksis's descendants to keep the lineage going.