Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[micstrachan]

I just found this thread and want to keep up with all the wonderful work you are doing to improve the chickens lives. Even if you cannot do everything you wish for them, with your experience they are very lucky chickens indeed.

Tax, my favorite picture of my beloved and missed Drumstick.
View attachment 2911637

Awww, Drummie!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Blue's tax: Rojo Magnifico!
Aka "Big Red" the Barnyard Cross.

 

[Geckolady]

I'm thankful I read this thread today. I've been giving a generous amount of mealworms to the chickens for protein. Does anyone know if the bugs that produce mealworms are good to give chickens or if they need to be in limited quantities?

i combined my Leghorns and 4 silver grey Dorking hens into one coop. After arguments between the two breeds, the rooster took charge and now they live peacefully but separate themselves by breed.

My tax was prepaid. If this continues, you will need a picture of Rolex, the cockerel who I thought was a pullet until a few days ago. He has started crowing. Now I have 3 boys.

 

[Perris]

Does anyone know if the bugs that produce mealworms are good to give chickens or if they need to be in limited quantities?

all stages of the mealworm lifecycle are edible for chickens, and so are their shed skins and their frass. I don't know about quantities - presumably @MaryJanet can advise on that - perhaps including on any differences we should observe between live and dried mealworms...?

 

[Fawnpuppet]

Not in my life. My family, friends and colleagues make literally colourful group

But of course there are many folks who either choose their own or have never had the opportunity to mix.

Classic example of why chicken behavior/grouping is hard to define. Some groups stay based on looks, others have great diversity.

ETA chicken tax of my bantam frizzle roo who has 3 full sized ladies as pals

 

[Marie2020]

Here in Michigan there are some avian specialists, and some veterinarians who have poultry of their own, so develop an interest in poultry medicine.
Very few chicken owners are willing to spend money for veterinary care for their birds, and the veterinarians who service commercial poultry operations have no time or the ability to treat backyard birds.
And then there's the cost angle; should the veterinarian who spends the time and money, learning about chickens then treat them for nothing, because they are 'only chickens'? Sometime yes, often no. It's still humans who treat the bird, not the other way around.
Rant over...
Mary

No one I know expects free treatment for their animal's. It's just they bump up the price here for chickens and it's a slap in your face when you pay extra for an appointment and they know nothing about them

I spoke to a lovely vet once by phone for some reason she's not qualified with chickens yet she has them.

These are the sort of vets I would love to have. I tried to get back too her but the reception told me she had left and there was no more patient's being added to their list. That's when I was past onto a vet that ignored my text and calls

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I spoke to a lovely vet once by phone for some reason she's not qualified with chickens yet she has them

I think they have to take classes for different sets of animals (or something like that). That's the reason my livestock vet won't do them either, even though she knows quite a few people that have mentioned looking for a poultry vet, because she's not qualified to practice on them

 

[Perris]

I think they have to take classes for different sets of animals (or something like that). That's the reason my livestock vet won't do them either, even though she knows quite a few people that have mentioned looking for a poultry vet, because she's not qualified to practice on them

why is such a specific qualification needed? it's not as if there was some consequence for them for giving wrong/bad advice/treatment - that apparently happen a lot!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

why is such a specific qualification needed? it's not as if there was some consequence for them for giving wrong/bad advice/treatment - that apparently happen a lot!

Honestly, I didn't think to ask when she was out here. Probably because they're so different than mammals, and that way if something happens and the bird doesn't make it, she can't have someone try to sue her or something

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Here's some tax: 3 females, 2 mixes and 1 Mystic Onyx, all dust bathing