Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

This applies to any chicken.
As you know, I have a problem with killing my chickens. I have never killed anything. I now have 4 different people I tap when I need a chicken euthanized. Last night was Una's time.
Fabio's oldest daughter started to exhibit signs of reproductive issues about 3 months ago and I've been watching her. Her biological mother was a WLH. I made the decision that yesterday would be her last day. I found her roosted next to her father when I took her from the perch last night. For me, that was another sign that she was feeling poorly. She was always a little spitfire and the hens that currently crowd around Fabio at night are the more meek birds who act more insecure than the others.
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2.5 ( see BYC Cafe) years old is an unfortunately young age to be terminally sick.
Your obsevation that the sick and more timid hens try to roost next to Fabio is interesting. I see that here.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I would love to but there are so many problems.
The main problem is this. One can't study natural behaviour in unnatural conditions. This has been a will be for a very long time I fear the problem with behvioural studies.
The beauty of the set up in Catalonia was I could get fairly close to natural conditions and still be able to observe them.
One of the Golden Comets was showing pre broody behaviour but her eggs were removed and that stopped.

You are correct that one can’t study natural behavior in unnatural conditions. It is also true that you studied natural behavior for years.
It might be an amazing study to observe their behavior in unnatural conditions as a contrast.
Just a thought.
Like humans, chickens adapt in crisis circumstances in order for their species to survive.

 

[Perris]

2.5 ( see BYC Cafe) years old is an unfortunately young age to be terminally sick.
Your obsevation that the sick and more timid hens try to roost next to Fabio is interesting. I see that here.

I see that behaviour here too.

 

[Shadrach]

You are correct that one can’t study natural behavior in unnatural conditions. It is also true that you studied natural behavior for years.
It might be an amazing study to observe their behavior in unnatural conditions as a contrast.
Just a thought.
Like humans, chickens adapt in crisis circumstances in order for their species to survive.

That is a very good point especially when it comes to me. One of the reasons I wanted to care for Ex Battery chickens is to have some idea if returning them to "proper" chicken state was feasible. It may not be, in which some guide on how to maximise their quality of life in circumstances I consider to be less than ideal but in which many chickens live may be of benefit.
Some who read this thread will already know that Shadrach is a bit of an idealist who isn't really interested in the what the human wants from the chicken and is prmarily interested in the chicken itself. I would agree my view is far from realistic; it's something I'm very aware of.
It might seem more productive and reasonable for me to take more into account the wants of the human side of the equation but currrently my view is there are enough people taking this position already and me being on the extreme pro chicken side is unlikely to upset the status quo and it's what I'm really interested in.
I do intend to put together an Ex Battery hen keeping guide. From what I've seen to date there is the animal rights type view which I don't support for many reasons and the chicken exploitation side at the other extreme which I don't support either.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

That is a very good point especially when it comes to me. One of the reasons I wanted to care for Ex Battery chickens is to have some idea if returning them to "proper" chicken state was feasible. It may not be, in which some guide on how to maximise their quality of life in circumstances I consider to be less than ideal but in which many chickens live may be of benefit.
Some who read this thread will already know that Shadrach is a bit of an idealist who isn't really interested in the what the human wants from the chicken and is prmarily interested in the chicken itself. I would agree my view is far from realistic; it's something I'm very aware of.
It might seem more productive and reasonable for me to take more into account the wants of the human side of the equation but currrently my view is there are enough people taking this position already and me being on the extreme pro chicken side is unlikely to upset the status quo and it's what I'm really interested in.
I do intend to put together an Ex Battery hen keeping guide. From what I've seen to date there is the animal rights type view which I don't support for many reasons and the chicken exploitation side at the other extreme which I don't support either.

I see a book in your future. Or at least a research paper.
You are correct in that your point of view is different from the usual, and therein lies the value in it.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

-8 isn't the weather for standing outside plucking feathers.

Yep, hence them earning another 3 months or so of life. At least they're nice males and don't give me problems

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I see that behaviour here too.

2.5 ( see BYC Cafe) years old is an unfortunately young age to be terminally sick.
Your obsevation that the sick and more timid hens try to roost next to Fabio is interesting. I see that here.

Huh... my meek girls aren't allowed to roost by my flock masters. They either roost with my lower males or with other females or by themselves.

 

[Perris]

what about your sick girls @JacinLarkwell ? Here a bird that is really sick self-isolates, or sometimes is driven away by everyone else until they recover or die, but one that is clearly not well but is not being chased away either may roost next to the dom or the sub (and they roost in different coops, so the sub is master of his coop) while it lasts. Sometimes they'll sleep in a nest box; that's usually a fair indication they're under the weather too.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

what about your sick girls @JacinLarkwell ? Here a bird that is really sick self-isolates, or sometimes is driven away by everyone else until they recover or die, but one that is clearly not well but is not being chased away either may roost next to the dom or the sub (and they roost in different coops, so the sub is master of his coop) while it lasts. Sometimes they'll sleep in a nest box; that's usually a fair indication they're under the weather too.

My sick birds either cannot fly onto the roosts (still can't figure that problem out, but hope it never comes back), roost in their normal spot or it's so fast that that I don't even notice they were feeling unwell before they pass away. Now, if a head hen were feeling unwell, that would be more noticeable just because they always roost in the same spot. Everyone else usually rotates throughout the sleeping space.

Plus my male in one of my flocks actively doesn't allow a certain bird near him. For whatever reason he doesn't like my white female, and will screech when she comes near him at bedtime and have a hen make her leave.

 

[Perris]

have a hen make her leave

what a wuss!