Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

No Campine bantams but they're a small standard hen. Ha'penny is rather large for her breed. Aoife & Morrigu are more representative of the breed. They are silver Campines.View attachment 2922028

Don't believe it. Ribh has two breeds, feather dusters and nutters.
I've checked all those super knowledgeable breed guides and I can't find either.
The feather dusters while gorgeous are not really my sort of chicken but the nutters...well now yer talkin!

 

[Shadrach]

I would love to see the illustrations but I am not an official tax collector so you can ignore me.

Want a job?

 

[RoyalChick]

Don't believe it. Ribh has two breeds, feather dusters and nutters.
I've checked all those super knowledgeable breed guides and I can't find either.
The feather dusters while gorgeous are not really my sort of chicken but the nutters...well now yer talkin!

Hold on. I know I am hopeless at breeds but aren't there some feather dusters who are nutters? Maybe those are crosses?

 

[Shadrach]

I'm sure I'll go off topic again soon, so I'm paying pre-emptive tax.

All 4 of my boys were hanging out together enjoying the sun on this cold December morning. See if you can spot them all. Photo taken from inside the house because I knew I'd miss the shot if I went outside.

Difficult to tell the boys from the girls in that shot.

 

[629864]

Difficult to tell the boys from the girls in that shot.

Three Brown L

eghorns and one Easter Egger

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning going grocery shopping

 

[Marie2020]

I think Matilda might have something to say about that.
View attachment 2920911

Hahaha

 

[Marie2020]

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?

Imo in some ways they are a superior chicken because they have come through so much.
Like us skin bucket chickens they will all have their certain talents that free range may not have. My two have taught my divas rhythm, my blind amber loves to tap away with them, Tina and Agatha take turns last thing at night too make sure Amber gets into the coop, if she's stay out a little longer one of them stay close to her so she's never alone

Amber is mean when it comes too food but I know she's has gained respect for my two little super girls.

 

[Marie2020]

Is someone who was/is severely abused (or, may I add with respect, those who are considered mentally handicapped/disabled) not considered a person? They may act and behave differently and never live a "normal" life, but does that make them considered any less of a person?
Of course, this question assumes anthropomorphic thinking.

As for me, I believe they are true chickens, even if they were put into an environment that was not conducive to learning what we consider proper chicken behaviors. At their core, they are chickens.
Could they learn true chicken behaviors? I don't believe they all have the ability to fully overcome what they learned. You are always going to see some of those traits. Some will be better than others and "recover" better, but on average, I don't personally believe they can learn a whole new set of skills. Why? I couldn't tell you. Genetics? Because they are animals and not "sophisticated" humans? Some other reason? A combination of all the above? I'm not sure.

I like your answer

 

[Marie2020]

I must admit, I did not take the "are they really chickens" question seriously because I thought it was a provocation. I took it for granted they are indeed chickens (but they've been deprived of opportunities to thrive).

Well said