Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

The legs are supposed to give an indication of a chickens age

in the sense of general wear and tear? corns and callouses? like old people's feet?

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach I hope Henry pulls through whatever he is dealing with.

I know you are very hands-off & let nature take its course…would you consider bringing an older cockerel to the allotments to learn from Henry and take over once he has moved on (hopefully years from now?) Friends of ours have a “senior” rooster and added a few pullets and a new cockerel this year so he could “learn from the best” and step into a lead role when the time does come…

There are lots of possibilities when correctly set up. It would be hard to think of a less correctly set up keeping and for me caring arrangement than the allotments.
What I have learned in this past year is never keep chickens confined to a coop and run. I've had this view for many years but never had the experience of such an arrangement until recently to fully appreciate the stupidity of the model.
It may seem that I'm very hands off but it isn't actually the case, or should I write while I may be hands off I'm eyes on.
For those who read my posts on By Bob's thread it should be apparent that I had a constant stream of chicken guests in my house for various reasons. The difference here is I don't have the flexibility that mutiple coops and most importantly, a place where I can administer the care that is needed that is seen as a safe place to the chickens.
Yup, ideally a younger male trained up by Henry would be wonderful. Henry on the other hand would probably not appreciate an unrelated newcomer.

 

[Shadrach]

I've always been fascinated with bermed homes. Probably because my mother loved to visit caves when I was child.

You may have seen this.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/byc-café.948525/post-22071698

 

[Shadrach]

Quite a number of floor sleepers.

I'm not sure why they prefer the floor.
I'm not sure if I should try and do something about it and then I'm not sure what to do if something does need doing about it.
It is only the Ex Battery hens. Interestingly the newest arrival had perches in their former home and use the perches in the new coop.
It may just be habit.
On the progress side none are sleeping in the nest boxes anymore.

 

[janiedoe]

You may have seen this.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/byc-café.948525/post-22071698

I have now, and I love it!

 

[Shadrach]

in the sense of general wear and tear? corns and callouses? like old people's feet?

Dunno. Varicose veins perhaps.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

92 sunny 51% humidity feels like 98 possible rain.

Have a great day!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Henry oooohhhhhhhh Henry!

You need to get well.

The hens need you.

 

[Shadrach]

I didn't make it to the allotments today. I left my flat to catch the bus and it didn't show up; nor did the next one. I went to another bus stop in the city centre planning to catch the slow bus (45 min journey) which would have got me there just in time to feed them before dark. That bus didn't show up. Texted and rang C to let them know; no answer. Waited for the next slow bus (the fast buses had finished running) that didn't turn up either.
Apparently not only does the bus company not have enough drivers, but they don't have enough mechanics to keep the fleet running either much like the trains.

I could tell the bus and train companies how to sort these problems out in one short sentance. Pay your staff decent wages and stop giving the profits to shareholders.

 

[Perris]

Pay your staff decent wages and stop giving the profits to shareholders.

exactly. I am sick of 'news' items that consist of various industry spokespeople saying we need to get in workers from abroad. No we don't; what we need is for them to pay a wage that will attract people to perform the work they want done, instead of expecting the taxpayer to subsidise their wage bill.
PS that's a really bum turn with your buses. I'm sure the chickens will forgive you though.

 

[Perris]

we finally got some rain today; not a lot, but slow and steady for a few hours, so it soaked in and didn't just run off downhill.