Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

View attachment 3188661View attachment 3188667View attachment 3188681the newer set of coops

I'm finding it quite difficult with the new coop to get enough ventialtion where I want it without weakening the structure too much.

 

[Shadrach]

I have posted this video here before but I'll do it again as it gives you a fair idea of how I manage most of my hens. Luckily the majority are docile & don't object to being handled.

A fine example of the step back principle.

 

[Shadrach]

That is definitely true of some of my birds. They will step onto my hand voluntarily, or necessity (if I my hand comes from behind). I have found that they REALLY want to be walked facing the direction they are travelling. Others will fly if I try that so my only option is to grab them over the wings.

I agree. It makes a lot of sense for the chicken and keeper.
If I've picked the chicken up from the front and layed it in my palm rear end facing out, if I bring my arm accross my body, the chicken can see where it's going with one eye and even that helps keep them calm.

 

[MaryJanet]

I hate gov't corruption/incompetence.

Definitely not a fan of Big Ag here in the US. I see things are the same everywhere. It should not be so hard to get quality food. But it's ok to sell kids' breakfast cereal that causes cancer.

I must've missed the part about government incompetence and corruption. The government changed the legislation to support the mobile abattoir.

The regulatory board is the problem (usually a mix of industry experts and lawyers) and their feet are in fire, which is a good thing. They probably need to expand their support for market entrants.

The reporting was framed as a David and Goliath story, which may have been a little disingenuous. There would be others on the David side of the struggle, or it wouldn't have been reported.

 

[Ribh]

got told by one of the plot holders that C had told them that C's lodger had been trying to poison C.
I must confess my first though was it's a shame he didn't make a better job of it.

Shad. Shad. Shad....

 

[MaryJanet]

Shad. Shad. Shad....

Reminds me of the story about when Alice Cooper met Elvis. According to Alice Cooper, Elvis handed him a loaded gun to demonstrate how easily he could disarm someone. Cooper's evil angel said "shoot him" while his better angel said "don't kill him, just wound him"

Spoiler: The rest of the anecdote

Before Cooper got to the end of those thoughts, he was on his back on the floor, disarmed, with Elvis's boot under his chin. Elvis was quite good at karate, although I daresay Alice Cooper was not much of an opponent

 

[GregnLety]

I'm finding it quite difficult with the new coop to get enough ventialtion where I want it without weakening the structure too much.

Maybe add some structure. I often purchase cull lumber at a discount rate and use it for my coops.

 

[ManueB]

Yes, I found the breeding part very interesting ~ the abattoirs ~ not so much...

I must've missed the part about government incompetence and corruption. The government changed the legislation to support the mobile abattoir.

The regulatory board is the problem (usually a mix of industry experts and lawyers) and their feet are in fire, which is a good thing. They probably need to expand their support for market entrants.

The reporting was framed as a David and Goliath story, which may have been a little disingenuous. There would be others on the David side of the struggle, or it wouldn't have been reported.

I'm interested in the killing aspect. I think abattoirs / slaughterhouses are a major problem in many countries for small farmers and not only for poultry but for all meat production.
In France there has been a huge centralization of slaughterhouses , meant with the good intentions of having higher hygienic norms and less structures, so as to make controls more efficient, but it has exactly the opposite results. The last year's there has been many ugly stories leading to places being closed up after having L214 divulging footage of illegal treatments of animals as I believe happened in the UK a decade ago ? Unfortunately this leads to even more centralization of killing. Mobile abattoirs are very difficult to create because they must respect norms that are not meant for that type of structures. But there is a huge demand for sustainable meat and there are waiting list for customers buying directly from farms! I think it would be a huge step forward to help small farms and lessen animal suffering if mobile slaughterhouses could be authorized like they are in some US states and Canadian provinces.
I am definitely not an animal activist and don't approve of all they do but if you relate it to humans, what does a truck packed with thousand of living creatures travelling hundreds of km toward a death structure make you think of ?

 

[ManueB]

I survived the birthday party and the chicks survived their first independance day !
It turned out Chipie didn't reject the chicks completely yesterday , it was very progressive : she spent half an hour with them then left them several times throughout the day to go with Théo. She did leave them to roost on their own which was the main difficulty for them.

Married life for you isn't it. Ask any rooster.

It was pretty sweet to see how Théo spent the day hanging out with her, tidbitting and being nice. He's got to make some progress to protect her from the other hens though. I was also surprised he didn't try to mate.

That's me in the dog house as well then.

You are a chicken expert, I wouldn't dare!

 

[ManueB]

I'm not a happy chappy. I have just got home. It was a bit past midnight when I finally got to my front door. I left the allotments at 21.45.
I got to the train station to catch the 22.15. I just got on the platform when the information display stated the 22.15 was cancelled. Not the end of the world because there was another train due at 22.38. 22.30ish arrives and the display states the train is delayed and wont arrive until 22.48.
The train arrives on time and I'm looking forward to getting home. We get less than a mile from where I get off and the train comes to a halt. After a minute or so the driver tells us through the tannoy system that we have stopped because there is a tresspaser/intruder walking along the track! It's the sun honestly. The British see so little of it that when it does shine and the temperature gets into the high twneties andlow thirties, the British tear all there cloths off, get pissed and then fall asleep on a beach or garden somewhere.

Now I want tp know why they don't just run these people over. It's not like the train is going to notice.

To add to this is the latest allotments drama.
I've mentioned earlier that the allotment has had new intake. I've gone out of my way to talk to them. They seem a nice bunch. There are also two more established plot holders I talk to whenever we see each other. They have all become aware of C, erm, disposition, would be the tactfull way of putting it.

C has a lodger. C has complaines to me about her lodger constantly and apparently this has been normal with the others plotholders for some time.
A few weeks ago C said they had given the lodger notice to quit.
I got told by one of the plot holders that C had told them that C's lodger had been trying to poison C.
I must confess my first though was it's a shame he didn't make a better job of it.

I can't say I know the lodger well but they are one of the very few who are productive. He also did quite a lot of things for C such as feeding the geese if C was unable for some reason. He drinks too much, but he pays his rent and has two, or three allotment plots going plus, he's the only one who makes use of the greenhouse.

The allotment holders have a private Whatsapp group and the stories from every one I'm told about what goes on there beggar belief. Needless to write I have yet to be invited.
View attachment 3188961View attachment 3188962View attachment 3188963View attachment 3188964

Human drama... Seems you kept your sense of humor but what a day . You could make a reality show out of this : "the allotments" . Now I can't help wonder if C. was being paranoid or if the lodger really tried to poison them!

the British tear all there cloths off, get pissed and then fall asleep on a beach or garden somewhere.

Getting pissed means getting drunk ?