Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MTKitty]

So, here's a question for people to think about.

Was Mr Young right and battery hens are not proper chickens?

If by “proper” he meant normal or natural, then he was correct.

....
Could they ever learn how to be proper chickens, particulalry given they have such short life spans in which to learn given the opportunity?

I don’t know that they need to learn to be chickens. I believe they only need an environment more conducive to their natural behaviors. If they are older and fully conditioned to their battery cage, they may not have enough time for those instincts to emerge. Sadly, those would die stressing in their unfamiliar environment and never achieving “chickenhood.”

If introduced to a better environment early enough, natural instincts may emerge. They would become “proper” chickens.

 

[Sortacountrychicken]

I suppose I owe too. That's Jackdaw on the left, Magpie on the right.

 

[Ribh]

She has calmed down a bit, but when she was a chick she would atack me, try to run from me and decides she is safe om my head, always screaming bluddy murder, annoing her sisters by thowing them of the roost. She does her name credit.View attachment 2920873
Jackass as my tax.

You sure she hasn't got Campine in there somewhere. She sounds like my mad women.

 

[Ribh]

So, here's a question for people to think about.

Was Mr Young right and battery hens are not proper chickens?
If he was right, given their breeding, the fact they are hatched in their millions in incubators, have never aquired the skills and knowledge that broody reared, free range chickens do, are never likely to reproduce naturally.
Could they ever learn how to be proper chickens, particulalry given they have such short life spans in which to learn given the opportunity?

Any sentient being is *real* so perhaps it is a process. The first thing ex~batts have to concentrate on is regrowing feathers & beaks. Only then can they focus on other things like foraging & growing really healthy. Healthy hens who feel safe & confident will go broody.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I should've read all the posts before piping up. I've added repetition and little else. Sorry folks!

View attachment 2921241

oh its them again like the repetition tax.

 

[Shadrach]

The most obvious things I've noticed about the Ex Batts is they don't seeem to know how to dust bath.
I've watched lots of broodies teach their chicks to bath so maybe this is learn't behaviour. Henry, Matilda,Volt and Amp and Cloud and Fret all dust bath when they can. The comets and links don't.
Amp dust bathing.

 

[Ribh]

TAX.
Ha'penny. Golden Campine & as mad as they come.​

 

[Ribh]

The most obvious things I've noticed about the Ex Batts is they don't seeem to know how to dust bath.
I've watched lots of broodies teach their chicks to bath so maybe this is learn't behaviour. Henry, Matilda,Volt and Amp and Cloud and Fret all dust bath when they can. The comets and links don't.
Amp dust bathing.
View attachment 2921418

Mine learnt ~ but they were chronic sunbathers till they grew feathers.

 

[Shadrach]

TAX.
Ha'penny. Golden Campine & as mad as they come.​

View attachment 2921428

I have to say, she looks as you describe.

 

[MaryJanet]

oh its them again like the repetition tax.

I only have four chickens, so I can't offer much variety in my photos.

Tax