Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

Took Christmas dinner for the chickens over to the allotmants this afternoon. Two tins of haddock drained of water, some lovely plump raisins, cooked coconut rice (always a favourite) sunflower seeds and a dozen eggs scrabbled.
Miserable weather. The coop run is just a mud bath. They all came out for a while despite the rain, ate and foraged for a while and headed back to the coop to dry off.
I got the coop roughly cleaned out and new bedding in, changed the water, ans filled the feeder.
I can't really get under cover at the allotments so I stood in the rain while the filled their crops for the night nad headed off to roost.
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You are an angel Shad. Let's hope for a brighter day today! my chickens went to bed very soggy too.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

The temperature is 57 and foggy.

Have a great day!

 

[HiEverybirdy]

It was the same temperature this morning in the Tennessee smoky mountains as in your neck of the woods, @Ladies-Eight. Our chickens don't know what to do with it. They're acting like they do when it's cold: spending most of the day under the cover of their runs, making dustbath craters. When they run out to forage, they keep an eye on the sky, which is more open now that the trees don't have leaves. I'm guessing I underestimated how much their hawk/eagle awareness affects their winter behavior.

Tax: some of the girls show off their craters, and Merle Hagbird says, "Happy Boxing Day!"

 

[HiEverybirdy]

True. One of the things that fascinated me was the height off the nest a hen delivers the egg at. I've watched quite a few and they all squat at about that height.

I was amazed by the sound they can make: that quiet, strained, egg-pushing breathing. Lets you know what an effort it is.

Which makes perfect sense, but it was eye-opening to actually hear a pullet doing that for the first time. Now if I happen to catch it, I'll head the nesting area to congratulate the hen and tell her what a masterpiece her egg is.

Weird human behavior, but the hens seem to like the attention, so it's what I do

 

[Sally PB]

I thank the ladies for their eggs. I can identify the layer by the shell color atm, (might not be able to when more are laying), and I thank them by name.

To the ones who aren't laying, I say encouraging things like, "I know you'll be doing this again soon, Little," and, "Lark, you had a hard molt, so take some time off," and, "Widget, they'll show you how to do it when you get started."

I have been known to say, "Sorry, kids," when I scramble eggs for breakfast.

Tax:

 

[fuentemoon]

We have snow today, which is a fairly rare sight in our neck of the woods. The ladies came out of the coop and headed straight for the garage. The garage connects to the house and leads to the front door. They like to sneak in and eat whatever wet cat food might be around on their way go the front yard (they usually go around the house) they came in, ate, stepped outside and came right back in.

 

[Shadrach]

It stopped raining and for a while the sun shone. Mass preening party in the weak sunshine.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning post tax in bit .. About 4 inches of fluffly snow

 

[Solanacae]

I thank the ladies for their eggs. I can identify the layer by the shell color atm, (might not be able to when more are laying), and I thank them by name.

To the ones who aren't laying, I say encouraging things like, "I know you'll be doing this again soon, Little," and, "Lark, you had a hard molt, so take some time off," and, "Widget, they'll show you how to do it when you get started."

I have been known to say, "Sorry, kids," when I scramble eggs for breakfast.

Tax:
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While I’ve never said “Sorry kids,” (which made me chuckle) I do thank my chickens for their eggs, and gently chide the ‘freeloader’ pullets who are old enough but not laying yet for ‘not paying rent.’ The older ladies who are molting or stopped laying for the winter are off the hook - they’re taking a well deserved and needed break.

 

[Shadrach]

A few more from this afternoon.