Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

Spraying their behinds and tails with BlueKote will stop this attraction.


Her foot in the second picture seems to be affected by scaly leg mites. You can easily treat them by spraying Ballistol animal spray up to the feathery part of the leg. Spraying every other evening for ten consecutive days.

https://ballistol-uk.com/product/ballistol-animal-care-oil/

Henry her dad has Scaly Leg Mite and they roost together so it's not suprising it's spread. I've treated Matilda with Permethrin. Henry had Ivermectin because he doesn't lay eggs. The scales won't look normal again until they've shed the old lifted ones.

 

[Shadrach]

Shad, what all are you still missing from your kit?

Hope, time and patience.
There are only certain things that I am able to treat. The list is very similar to the list I had for the Tribes in Catalonia.
Some conditions that others may treat I won't. Not because I care any less but because my view is different.
Conditons such as reproductive issues which for example the Golden Comets are particularly suseptible to are not really fixable. I know people try but at what cost to the hen and themselves. One may extend the hens life and some will report that their hens lived what seemed to be a heathy and happy life for some time after treatment.
I am interested in, and only have the resources for, making these chickens quality of life better while they remain reasonably healthy. After that a quick end is in my view preferable for them, the rest of the group and me.

I would, if I could find a vet I trusted within easy travelling distance use them in some circumstances. I know of three or four excellent vets in the UK but all are over one hundred miles away and all are very expensive. If I find a good vet in the South West this might change.
While I'm never happy with the these are or are not my chickens type attitude; a sick creature is a sick creature and ownership should not be a factor, I can't afford to spend hundreds of pounds on saving what are essentially dead chickens walking.

I will treat for parasites, injuries if realistic, egg binding, crop disorders to a point, beak reshaping and environmental improvements. Cancers/organ failures and problems of this type are going to kill these hens at some point. They were not bred to live long.

I have the basic supplies now and unless someone wants to buy me a couple of acres of land with a few coops and a bit of a shed for me, it's the best I can do.

 

[Shadrach]

My tax sent in early
View attachment 2911262

That better be a male!

 

[Everose]

Hope, time and patience.
There are only certain things that I am able to treat. The list is very similar to the list I had for the Tribes in Catalonia.
Some conditions that others may treat I won't. Not because I care any less but because my view is different.
Conditons such as reproductive issues which for example the Golden Comets are particularly suseptible to are not really fixable. I know people try but at what cost to the hen and themselves. One may extend the hens life and some will report that their hens lived what seemed to be a heathy and happy life for some time after treatment.
I am interested in, and only have the resources for, making these chickens quality of life better while they remain reasonably healthy. After that a quick end is in my view preferable for them, the rest of the group and me.

I would, if I could find a vet I trusted within easy travelling distance use them in some circumstances. I know of three or four excellent vets in the UK but all are over one hundred miles away and all are very expensive. If I find a good vet in the South West this might change.
While I'm never happy with the these are or are not my chickens type attitude; a sick creature is a sick creature and ownership should not be a factor, I can't afford to spend hundreds of pounds on saving what are essentially dead chickens walking.

I will treat for parasites, injuries if realistic, egg binding, crop disorders to a point, beak reshaping and environmental improvements. Cancers/organ failures and problems of this type are going to kill these hens at some point. They were not bred to live long.

I have the basic supplies now and unless someone wants to buy me a couple of acres of land with a few coops and a bit of a shed for me, it's the best I can do.

I think you are doing right by them. I Share your view on all of it.

 

[sourland]

I think you are doing right by them. I Share your view on all of it.

I share the same views.

 

[MaryJanet]

I think you are doing right by them. I Share your view on all of it.

So do I.

The main difference between Shad and I is that I have an affordable, reliable avian vet only 40 minutes drive away. Yesterday he provided a phone consult with no charge. Another time had he had a hen for an overnight stay because I thought she was sick. Turned out she was fine, no charge. That's his style. I'm very lucky. He's a good bloke.

 

[Everose]

So do I.

The main difference between Shad and I is that I have an affordable, reliable avian vet only 40 minutes drive away. Yesterday he provided a phone consult with no charge. Another time had he had a hen for an overnight stay because I thought she was sick. Turned out she was fine, no charge. That's his style. I'm very lucky. He's a good bloke.

Gosh I'm jealous! Vets here are kinda difficult.
I believe that health is a natural state of being, we sometimes mess that up unfortunately, and it's usually the chickens who pay the ultimate price. I try not to compromise their health in any way, so I very rarely have health issues in my flock.
There are always things that are out of our hands and just can't be helped though. I hate those times

 

[MaryJanet]

Gosh I'm jealous! Vets here are kinda difficult.
I believe that health is a natural state of being, we sometimes mess that up unfortunately, and it's usually the chickens who pay the ultimate price. I try not to compromise their health in any way, so I very rarely have health issues in my flock.
There are always things that are out of our hands and just can't be helped though. I hate those times

I try to stay aware that Australian vet circumstances are not the norm.

I think you're right, that's the best way to think about chicken health. I try not to be a problem for them and I'm slowly getting better at doing that.

But I've made some shameful mistakes - this is why I value Shadrach's opinion. He tells me straight, without letting his perception of my preferences get in his way. He's taught me so much, both in posts and in his articles.

 

[Jeanw]

Following

 

[Everose]

But I've made some shameful mistakes

Me too, plenty of them.