Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[no fly zone]

Heavy sigh. I'm sure many people would not understand getting so attached to a bird that you've never met, that lives half a world away, but I'm sure I don't have to explain that here. I hope he gets to enjoy some days of sunshine first, at least.

I follow a lot of chicken themed accounts on IG and FB. Every time someone's bird dies, I understand completely.

 

[fuzzi]

Try this link?
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...-for-climate-summit/articleshow/118962551.cms

Finally got it to work, internet issues I guess.

Thank you.

 

[fuzzi]

Heavy sigh. I'm sure many people would not understand getting so attached to a bird that you've never met, that lives half a world away, but I'm sure I don't have to explain that here. I hope he gets to enjoy some days of sunshine first, at least.

Very sweet.

 

[Shadrach]

Heavy sigh. I'm sure many people would not understand getting so attached to a bird that you've never met, that lives half a world away, but I'm sure I don't have to explain that here. I hope he gets to enjoy some days of sunshine first, at least.

For a rooster that had a borderline human aggressive reputation he turned out to be rather sweet in his "don't cuddle me when the hens are looking" adolescent streak combined with his acceptance that from time to time he's going to find himself on my lap being inspected.
As a free ranger he has a lot to learn, but given his keeping circumstances over the years one can't blame him for that.
The most important thing is his hens adore him.

I'll tell him you're thinking about him.

 

[Shadrach]

Two and a half hours today. Dry, warmish with a less dramatic sundown temperature drop.
Henry came to the gate under his own volition again; not exactly perky but eager to get out of the run. He even ate a few grams of feed with the hens before heading towards the gate to the field. They charge up the extended run towards the geese pen and head back to the field gate and hang around there until I open it.

Sylph and Dad Henry.

As you can see, when mentally and physically stimulated his tail rises, he's less hunched up and involved with his hens. He does still go to roost earlier then the hens which one doesn't want with free rangers, but at the field with me picking up the slack the hens are reasonably safe. A fox did cross the bottom of the field while the hens were out, we all saw it and once the fox had gone from sight, the hens headed back towards the coop as a group; that's Fret's doing and I have no idea how they all understand that when Henry goes to roost, Fret is their point of reference.

I had another feel of the two lumps and they haven't grown any bigger. I took him, and the hens a tin of mackerel this afternoon. Henry ate around 50 grams of it once I broke the fish up into small pieces.

 

[ChaosMom]

Sylph and Dad Henry.
View attachment 4079901

What a wonderful picture.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I have no idea how they all understand that when Henry goes to roost, Fret is their point of reference.

Chickens really are amazing. I am sure that they recognize that she is the senior hen, but also, I think they have ways of communicating with each other in ways that we don't always recognize. They are very perceptive and read body language.

I can't wait to retire and have more time just to sit and observe them over extended periods. Spuds crew all go to roost in a very orderly manner and he is still the last one in. He always does a quick patrol after everyone is roosting to just make sure.

He does still go to roost earlier then the hens which one doesn't want with free rangers, but at the field with me picking up the slack the hens are reasonably safe.

I am sure that, if he were feeling his best he wouldn't go to roost until all the girls were in and I am sure that if you weren't there to take over, he would stick it out as long as he could or he would herd the girls off to roost on his time, but he feels safe with you there. I think it is a testament to the trust and bond he has with you.

 

[notabitail]

Once there was a bird of some kind flying in the sky. I made the growling noise the chooks do when there's a dangerous bird. Agathae saw me looking up and darted under the tree. The others were too busy dust bathing to care.

 

[BDutch]

A fox did cross the bottom of the field while the hens were out, we all saw it and once the fox had gone from sight, the hens headed back towards the coop as a group; that's Fret's doing and I have no idea how they all understand that when Henry goes to roost, Fret is their point of reference

You told people that they can have flocks without a rooster too. Many of us have no other choice. So have I.

My hens are probably not as good in keeping a flock together and looking for predators as a rooster would. But in general they do fine. The keep an eye open for unwanted creatures and sound I noticed different kind of hen-alarms for different animals/predators. The sound and actions for a cat is definitely much calmer than the sound and actions for a dog.

Definitely worthy for POW.

I had another feel of the two lumps and they haven't grown any bigger.

Fingers crossed they reduce and Henry gets well again.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Stopping by once again, I lose track of this fair too much.
Unfortunate to see Henry not doing his best, every time I'm out with my own older Sussex boy I think of him and this thread. I'll be trying to check in more often.