Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MaryJanet]

I’ve now caught up to page 20. The 19th page contains the informative post regarding the history behind the tax system. I am most definitely in arrears, as I’m 1/3 of the way to caught up on this journey. However, I didn’t want to pay until I understood why I was paying. I shall now stop evading and pay up. Sammy here is the love of my life, even though he’s only 4 months old.

He's very handsome!

 

[blackacres]

He's very handsome!

Thank you! He follows me around like a dog and he’s just the sweetest. Fingers crossed that the teenage hormones don’t turn him into a nightmare!

 

[DobieLover]

For the number of chickens my egg supply isn't that great.

I currently have 27 birds in my flock (including 3 males) and I'm averaging about an egg a day. I have heated nest boxes that I have yet to bother turning on.
But the girls are looking lovely with their new feathers! I am down to three girls that have yet to start their molt. The brown hen, Olivia, looking at the pumpkin and one of Fabio's daughters, Mackenzie (the black hen behind his tail) are two that haven't molted yet.

Sammy here is the love of my life, even though he’s only 4 months old.

I hope he doesn't turn into the holy terror mine did.

We get along fine now but wow, did we have a wild ride for about a year when I was building their new coop and run!

 

[Sally PB]

We get along fine now

How did you change his attitude?

 

[blackacres]

I hope he doesn't turn into the holy terror mine did.View attachment 2920096
We get along fine now but wow, did we have a wild ride for about a year when I was building their new coop and run!

How did you change his attitude?

Yes! I would love to hear what behavior you experienced and how you dealt with it. I’m fine if he doesn’t stay snuggly, but I’m not sure I can do mean.

I suppose I should pay some more tax for going off topic.

This is Boots, also around 3/4 months old. He’s definitely the leader and very bossy!

 

[DobieLover]

How did you change his attitude?

That is a very long answer and you were late joining the Cafe so you didn't get to read about it as it was happening.
In the very beginning of his rehabilitation when I saw him getting ready to flog me I would quickly reach down and squash him to the ground and pin him there until he submitted then pick him up and carry him around for a while to get him to calm down. I learned that when you do that you'd better have your long sleeves on and keep his face away from you because he bit me once in the arm and once in the chest.
But the gist is basically: always go into the pen ready for battle so that no matter what he does it feels like nothing more than annoying gnat, never ever back down and always walk into the attacks, never hurt him and always reassure him that you don't want his hens.
For the longest time I would always go into the pen and give him the food to give to the hens. He doesn't much care if one of them steals it as long as I came to him with the food. Don't get me wrong, he still has his moments where he wants to act up but all I have to do is give him a look and point at him and he backs down. This usually happens in the spring or when chicks have hatched.
You'll read a lot on this site about how aggressive roosters have aggressive sons. I have never found that to be the case with Fabio. Every single one of his sons have been a pure delight.

 

[AnnaWolf]

What a nice thread!
Here is my tax Nugget and Jackass in the background.

 

[Shadrach]

The allotment crew are ex battery hens, I take that to mean they were caged.

My point is, it might also be relevant to ask what sort of egg farm do hens come from? I know of at least one egg farm with very high standards of hen care: free ranging on pasture. Those hens would be worse off if they were "rescued" into crowded, muddy conditions.

PS I'm not thinking of breeding decisions here (or male chick disposal), only hen care. Personally, I can't support the jump from "need to make profit" to "selectively breeding so hens lay fast and die young" nor "kill most of the male chicks"

Caged hens were made illegal in the UK a few years ago. These are probably from intensive barns and they are probably responsible for what gets labeled as free range eggs. The whole egg classification business is very misleading.
The whole Ex Batt chickens thing poses a bit of a problem these days.
For example, these chickens are still classified as battery chickens.
Okay, just from this picture there doesn't seem to be much of interest on the landscape, but if you take a look at many backyard setups the lot in the picture would be taking a backward step in environment and maybe care if they were "rescued".
Places like this are increasing in number thanks to consumer pressure and the top standard is now called Pasture Raised.

 

[Shadrach]

Welcome to the thread @GoatsandGuineas , @blackacres , @AnnaWolf .

 

[Marie2020]

I've bought quail feed for my chickens and they have stopped moulting