Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

If breeding is a large part of it, then most, if not all, laying or “dual purpose” breeds from hatcheries wouldn’t be proper chickens either.

(Chicken tax) rooster flockView attachment 2924865

You're way ahead of me.
It's a bit like the emotive slushy stuff from the chicken rescuers who say that rehoming will give these hens the chance to live a natural life.
It would seem that these people have no idea what a chickens natural life is like. It most certainly isn't beinng kept in a coop and taken out for cuddles every now and then.
Welcome to the thread @RoostersAreAwesome

 

[Marie2020]

This is a fascinating thread, and it’s taken me several days to read through it. I live in an area where summers are hot and dry (going up to 100+ degrees F for a few weeks in July) and fairly cold in the winter (-20 degrees F is usually the coldest) and I researched extensively trying to figure out what breeds were best suited to my climate. All my hens have done fine, and I credit the fact that they have plenty of shade and cool dirt in the summer more than a breed’s reputation. My feather footed birds don’t like going out in the snow as much, because the feathers don’t dry off quickly. One of my big combed birds did lose the tips of her comb due to frostbite, but I think that was more due to inadequate ventilation in their first coop. I’ve built a better once since then.
Tax for lurking here so long and adding comments to an old tangent:
1. Fluffy butts all in a row preening
2. My fluffiest fluffy butt (who requires periodic trimming or she gets poop stuck in her feathers)
3. I let one of my broodies hatch eggs for the first time this year
4. Nosy flock queen, Fuzzy
5. Saiorse and Mister. Mister was gorgeous and a favorite of my youngest but he became aggressive towards her, and I had to rehome him because I didn’t have the time or ability to teach his good manners while keeping my littles safe. She was only two and didn’t understand why she couldn’t visit ‘her tickies’.

I just love that huge beak

 

[Marie2020]

We need to be a bit clearer on the cuddle stuff. I've seen kids and some adults unfortunately grab a hen that has come close, pick it up and squeeze it like a football.
Having a chicken choose to jump on you or even rest on you is rather different.
I've had roosters mainly who did seem to enjoy beingpicked up but I think it's becaue they think that is how they have sex with the oddball hen. Not much to do with affection.

I really have to control my urge too hug Tina and Agatha.

 

[Shadrach]

This afternoon. Still chilly and miserable but everyone wanted out.
Part of what is helping to improve the condition of these chickens is what they manage to forage. They are slowly working their way into the less explored areas in their search for greenery and bugs.

 

[Sortacountrychicken]

Can't help but to share Ace's first crow here. He was 18 weeks old yesterday. It's an outstanding first crow if I do say so myself!

My cockerel Magpie gave his first crow tonight. I must say his was much less impressive. It was more along the lines of a two note long dying bagpipe than a true crow. He kept trying to replicate it but he couldn't get past the first note. Jackdaw was quite concerned about his brother. Jackdaw figured out how to make the tidbitting noise today although he hasn't really figured out it's context so he was walking around all day displaying his new skill. They are just past their 4 month mark.

The boys in question waiting for the goat feed (a.k.a. second breakfast) to be put out for the morning:

 

[Marie2020]

This afternoon. Still chilly and miserable but everyone wanted out.
Part of what is helping to improve the condition of these chickens is what they manage to forage. They are slowly working their way into the less explored areas in their search for greenery and bugs.
View attachment 2924902

They'll be in that house in the background next

 

[Shadrach]

This hen was on the watch list and I was rather worried about her. She is still not what she should be but her tail feathers are up now and the puffiness around the eyes has reduced. She has had her eyes cleaned. She doesn't have mites or lice and isn't laying. I think she's from the first intake last year so she may have internal problems that I can't know about. Still, if hse is dying she a lot more comfortable than she was it seems. She spends quite a lot of time by my chair if I'm sat down and has learn't to put up with me feeling her crop and checking her vent which she will put up with while she's stood on the ground.

 

[Marie2020]

This hen was on the watch list and I was rather worried about her. She is still not what she should be but her tail feathers are up now and the puffiness around the eyes has reduced. She has had her eyes cleaned. She doesn't have mites or lice and isn't laying. I think she's from the first intake last year so she may have internal problems that I can't know about. Still, if hse is dying she a lot more comfortable than she was it seems. She spends quite a lot of time by my chair if I'm sat down and has learn't to put up with me feeling her crop and checking her vent which she will put up with while she's stood on the ground.View attachment 2924913View attachment 2924914View attachment 2924915

She's looking content for now

 

[pennyJo1960]

This is paying tax most my black sex-links
I do not pick up birds unless I have to .. Had one fly to my shoulder cleaned half the tables with her there.

 

[Windrider]

Hopefully Shadrach will accept this as unconventional TAX (from a children's book on World Folk Tales that I illustrated):

Why the Sun Comes Up When the Rooster Crows
A Folk Tale from China
​

Long ago, when the world was young, there wasn't just our sun in the sky. There were nine. Their blazing heat scorched the land. The earth grew hotter and hotter. The crops shriveled. People began to die.

The people tried to think of ways to block the heat of the nine suns. Finally, they decided to ask their best archer to shoot the suns out of the sky. He listened to their plan and agreed to help.

The next morning before sunrise, the archer climbed to the top of the highest mountain. As each sun appeared, he strung an arrow and, one by one, shot the suns. He did this eight times until there was only one sun left. As the last sun watched what happened to her sisters, she grew more and more afraid. She hid behind a mountain so that she would not be pierced by an arrow.

At first people celebrated their victory. They praised the archer for his great skill. But they soon realized that they couldn't live without the sun. The world was freezing cold. Nothing would grow. They called out to the hiding sun, but no matter what they said, she wouldn't come out.

A great meeting was called to decide what to do. "We must find someone who can convince the sun that we mean no harm."

A few people suggested Tiger. They said, "Tiger is a powerful animal. His words will be believed by the sun."

But Tiger's voice was so loud and sounded so much like a growl that the sun grew even more frightened.

One of the village elders spoke up. "Perhaps we need an animal that has a soothing voice. Why not ask Oriole? No one sings better than Oriole."

Oriole sang her sweetest song. Although the sun liked Oriole's singing, she still wouldn't come out. Many other birds tried, but none of them succeeded.

As last, another elder suggested Rooster. He argued, "It's true that Rooster doesn't sing as beautifully as Oriole, but he is fearless and won't give up." When people asked Rooster, he didn't hesitate. He strutted up to the top of the mountain and called out, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

The sun was still too scared to come out. Rooster crowed a second time, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" A tiny bit of the sun peeked out from behind the mountain. She was still afraid she would be shot with an arrow. Rooster didn't give up. When he crowed a third time, the sun was convinced that it was safe. Her fear vanished, and she came out from behind the mountain in her full glory.

The crowd cheered. The sun was very pleased with their reaction. She was grateful to Rooster for finally convincing her to come out. To reward him, she took a bit of red out of the morning sky, made it into the shape of a comb, and placed it on top of Rooster's head.

To this day, Rooster is very proud that he saved the world. If you watch him in the barnyard, you will see that he struts about with his chest puffed out and the bright red comb on his head. And every morning when Rooster crows, the sun soon appears.