Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

And Eve's got the chicks in the coop already
That enclosure was a godsend this afternoon; I saw the dog charge straight past it

 

[RoyalChick]

another attack here, and this time the culprit was seen: a neighbour has a new young dog. Seeing her in action I think it may have been her rather than an assumed fox 2 weeks ago. Anyway, 3 mature birds, 2 of them winged last time, have still not reappeared after the best part of 4 hours, and my anxiety levels are rising. Needless to say I can't find them anywhere. I do hope they're not trapped somewhere or injured.

Oh no! Have you spoken to the neighbor about controlling their animal?

 

[Perris]

I hope they appear soon. Sorry for you and them, it is awful.

We don't have fox, coyotes, hawk etc and I am glad. Dogs are the worst IMO. Well, bad dog owners make dogs the worst.

thank you. These are not bad dog owners fortunately. They recently lost 2 old black labs that were no trouble at all. This is a young rescue dog, about 10 months old I think he said, and has yet to learn everything she needs to. Hopefully they'll bring her over on a lead sometime soon for some training in behaviour round chickens.

 

[Perris]

Oh no! Have you spoken to the neighbor about controlling their animal?

they were trying to get it under control, it escaped from their garden, and they came round soon afterwards to apologise and offered to pay for any losses, so they couldn't really do more. Except maybe muzzle it until it's learned to behave.

 

[RoyalChick]

Is it not the case that every food lacks something? So I don't see that bread is different from anything else in that respect. Also, I'm not sure about only eating so much in a day. My lot seem to have variable appetites, and some definitely have days where they eat less than on other days. So the fixed volume assumption may be irrelevant too. Of course, I note your qualifying 'may' not get enough, and your concluding point seems entirely valid even if the legs it stands on aren't.

I have a lot of faith in the chickens' instincts to know what they need, and as long as I can provide a diverse and informed menu of options, I trust them to take what they need, even if neither of us understand why they want it. Like pica in pregnancy - or my body telling me I really need some chocolate (iron depletion is my excuse if challenged, and I'm sticking with that , but the urge to eat it comes from an instinct not a lab test). And yes I do know they eat things that are bad for them too, like polystyrene balls and rat poison. I consider my job is to try to get as many of those things out the way as I can.

I share your thoughts about the menu and trusting the chickens. I notice how they have very specific tastes when they forage. Sometimes they are all about little roots, sometimes specific leaves and of course always worms and bugs. But what they focus on varies from day to day (I live in hope that one day they will like dandelions!).
My faith in them is a bit challenged right now as Minnie's crop is all clogged up and yet she keeps eating really fibrous stuff in preference to chick starter crumbles which normally she would love.
I cannot fathom it!

 

[Perris]

the boys have finally started crowing again, so hopefully the missing girls will hear the message and know it's safe to come home now.

 

[Perris]

I share your thoughts about the menu and trusting the chickens. I notice how they have very specific tastes when they forage. Sometimes they are all about little roots, sometimes specific leaves and of course always worms and bugs. But what they focus on varies from day to day (I live in hope that one day they will like dandelions!).
My faith in them is a bit challenged right now as Minnie's crop is all clogged up and yet she keeps eating really fibrous stuff in preference to chick starter crumbles which normally she would love.
I cannot fathom it!

Natural processes are not always sound, but evolution beats human cleverness usually - it's had a 4.something billion year head start, after all .

 

[ManueB]

Inhooe

the boys have finally started crowing again, so hopefully the missing girls will hear the message and know it's safe to come home now.

I hope they'll be back to roost for the night .

 

[RoyalChick]

Natural processes are not always sound, but evolution beats human cleverness usually - it's had a 4.something billion year head start, after all .

Yes. Usually. But then sometimes you look at a naturally evolved process and think ‘geez that could have been designed better’!
Never forget it started with something random and there are many solutions to the same biological problem.
Teeth, rocks in a gizzard, secretions that dissolve food outside the body - all good solutions to a problem. None perfect.
Anyway, Minnie’s personal solution to her blocked crop is to fill it as full as it is possible to fill.

 

[Perris]

Inhooe

I hope they'll be back to roost for the night .

Maria's just come back. Only Venka unaccounted for now. The Penedesencas are even more skittish than usual, but I can't help noticing that they're first back, so fast to react both to a threat and to the absence of a threat.