Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[pennyJo1960]

So Tax is well due have one still moulting Smudge in his glory and growing up in the banty land.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Shadrach It is deplorable what you face there.. Worse yet what they might be faced with if you did not come to care for them.

 

[ManueB]

I know there are raccoons around, though I’ve never had any problems with them as of yet and hoping it stays that way. If figured those two I couldn’t reach would probably fine for one night, but I wouldn’t want it to become a habit. There are plenty of cats in the neighborhood that are also allowed to prowl around, though I’m happy to see them as I’m sure they help with mice/rats, and I don’t think any of them would seriously consider going for my fully grown girls. I think my backyard is left somewhat alone in part because my dogs are out in the backyard frequently and I keep the feed secured in metal garbage cans. My dogs have chased a couple of cats up trees when we first moved here, and they mostly avoid the backyard now.

I have deer that will come and knock the seed out of my bird feeders in the front yard but they’ve yet to jump the fence in the backyard. They could if they wanted to badly enough, it’s only a 6’ fence, but again, I think the dogs are enough of a deterrent they leave my vegetable garden alone. I’ve got neighbors that are plagued with the deer getting into their gardens, so perhaps they are just deciding to go for easier pickings.

It seems dogs are quite efficient to keep many predators away, but I don't know if domestic dogs would keep guard all night, in case a hen roosted outside! Good thing you found them all and put them to safety.

Our bantam lady slept in the wild the first night we got her (she flew off our fencing) and I was very surprised and relieved to find her still alive towards noon on the next day.

I don't think deers would harm the hens . Before we put the fencing we had roe deers eating up our gardens all the time, and the chickens didn't mind them!

 

[ManueB]

Shadrach It is deplorable what you face there.. Worse yet what they might be faced with if you did not come to care for them.

Which makes me wonder how things were going before you came. Was C. doing evenings also or was there someone else helping her?

 

[ManueB]

So Tax is well due have one still moulting Smudge in his glory and growing up in the banty land.View attachment 2997497
View attachment 2997498View attachment 2997499

Is it juvenile molting ? Picture is slightly blurry but he seems kind of uncomfortable .
Is molting for the guys as difficult as it is for the girls ?

 

[Marie2020]

What happened to the sun

Just an idea Shad. I buy 15kg bags of feed, pay for them over the phone and have them delivered all without human contact. Could you have big bags of feed delivered straight to the allotment?

My supplier also sells big empty drums to store feed in. I also use a galvanized rubbish bin to store grain. I scoop out what the chooks need for the day with a big, plastic measuring jug.
View attachment 2996425


I haven't had any problems with rodents and the containers are water tight and keep everything fresh and dry. Might something like this be a possible solution for you?

You are a massive help . I bought bins to store food and the food tends to smell like the bin. I wish i had asked you before buying them.

 

[Marie2020]

Which makes me wonder how things were going before you came. Was C. doing evenings also or was there someone else helping her?

I dread to even think about it.

 

[Marie2020]

I am thinking of doing something similar - to Block off an area and reseed it for them.

I have too do the same. All of my garden is completely bald

 

[Marie2020]

I could AC once I've found somewhere that will do it. While I was at my daughters this wasn't really a problem. I could have it delivered to the house and given how close the allotments are to her place it was easy enough to get 20 Kg down the road.

I've left you a pm shad

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

What happened to the sun
View attachment 2996818

You are a massive help . I bought bins to store food and the food tends to smell like the bin. I wish i had asked you before buying them.

I'm still learning.
What sort of bins did you get Marie? I found that the mice/rats were able to gnaw through the lid of a plastic bin.

Luckily I seem to be near a good supplier and all the info from my chicken friends is helping too.

At least now you know what to replace the bins with when they get too old.