Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[BDutch]

May the 4th be with you all today

?? Its May, not July.
In the Netherlands we have a memorial day on the 4th of May. Remembering all the WW2 victims. (and other wars) .
Tomorrow is liberation day and a day to celebrate peace. With lots of festivities. But a bit awkward this year now Ukraine is attacked so badly by Russia.

 

[NatJ]

?? Its May, not July.

It's based on a pun.
Star Wars: "May the Force be with you"
Pun: "May the 4th be with you"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Day

 

[Shadrach]

…


If you leave eggs for several weeks/months in the nest they can rot.
Only if you have a broody, a rooster and you want chicks its wise to leave many eggs in the nest for days imo.

If there is no hen sitting on the eggs, you can mark the ones you leave behind and collect them a week or so later. As long as the eggs are still good (to eat). How long it’s safe to leave them in the nest depends on the temperature.

Normally I have two fake eggs that I leave in the nestboxes. I take away all fresh eggs to eat them. With only 6 bantams (3 oldies) the supply of eggs is just right for us ( my love and myself).

If I leave more eggs in the nestbox I have a broody within a week. Which is very inconvenient because I don’t have a rooster and I don’t want more chicks now.
My flock of 6 has enough space if I need to keep them locked in the coop/run because of the HPAI. Adding chicks without free ranging for the old flock would make it crampy.

I did try fake eggs a couple of times in an attempt to encourage the hens to lay in the nest boxes. I have no idea if they worked or if the hens would have laid there eventually anyway. What was apparent was once the hen had laid one of her own eggs in the nest box, she and others that laid there pushed the fake eggs out.

 

[Shadrach]

I've had a few messages from C while I've been ill. It seems the newest arrivals (also Ex Battery hens but with a wider experience of free ranging) are teaching the others how to escape from the coop run.
The number of Ex Battery hens dust bathing is also increasing.
I can't help wondering if breed identity has some role in this.
The Legbars and the other non battery breeds that have lived at the allotments have dust bathed regulalry, even in coop run.
The newest arrivals look very similar to the rest of the Ex Battery hens.
I can't help wondering if the established Ex Battery hens watch the new arrivals and think, they look like me and do this or that, maybe I should be doing this or that as well.
However it works, it seems to me to be a promising development with regard to Ex Battery hens either overcoming the supression of their natural instincts or learning new behaviour, whichever view one happens to subscribe to.

 

[Sortacountrychicken]

Magpie with one of last year's hatchery hens. Him and Jackdaw are going back and forth. Jackdaw broke one of his toes and has been a lot less active because of it. Magpie has taken the opportunity to put him back in his place. So far Jackdaw has been submissive. Not sure if he will stay that way once he is fully functional again.

Shadrach, I hope you don't remain sick for too much longer.

A decision was made 2 weeks ago to fence in the chickens. I'm not sure how much longer they have free range. I'm hoping I'll be able to at least get some say in the building plans so that they will have access to the goat pastures.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning X Batts .. Was errant from here yesterday.
Do that about once once a month .. to pay bills.
One of hatchery stock I had this is tax paid.

 

[Iluveggers]

Hi Shad, I hope you are feeling better! I have learned so much about chickens from reading your thread.

 

[no fly zone]

Two weeks old

 

[Shadrach]

A decision was made 2 weeks ago to fence in the chickens. I'm not sure how much longer they have free range.

What may I ask brought about this decision?

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks everyone for the back to health wishes.