Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[JacinLarkwell]

I showed dog professionally for 34 years ... Chickens no way.. Ya know My best friend is our Post mistress. I am giving her a hatch of birds pullets .. The white pullet is going in my main coop.. Never added a single bird ..
I wanted to ask will smudge treat a son better than a cockerel that is not related ? I had a hatch of two one being the barred cockerel.

In my experience, if the males are raised by a hen in his flock, he will think that they're his no matter what they look like and it will be easier. Also easier to introduce males as uonh as pissible begore hormones start or during the winter when theyre not interested in hens right now. I currently have 7 roosters kind of mingling with 9 or 10 females from 3 different groups (mixed grpup, polish and culls). The mixed group stay alone most lf the time so long as the others are quick at snatching feed and then leaving, but the culls and the polish went as far as to decide to share the little polish coop last night (an extra 3 birds including a giant orpington boy). I wont argu for now, they keep each other warm just fine and everyone is getting along.

The only way i would not introduce a male is to wait til hormones are starting and then add him to a flock with a male present already. Thats a sure recipe for a fight and they may or may not settle it

 

[DobieLover]

That is a LOT of eggs for 2 people to eat! Wow. We probably go through 2 dozen with 3 of us…

That is a lot of eggs! My consumption at peak is probably a dozen every 10 days. I only froze a dozen and I haven't used them all yet.
But my crazy Roadrunners have decided it is Spring and have started laying.

I guess it is to some.
We eat a Paleo diet so I cook everything. I need something fast and easy for work days so I make a frittata every week. They consume 10 eggs right there. I put a boiled egg on our salads and we eat a salad every day.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

The temperature is 65 and sunny.

Have a great day!

 

[RoyalChick]

I guess it is to some.
We eat a Paleo diet so I cook everything. I need something fast and easy for work days so I make a frittata every week. They consume 10 eggs right there. I put a boiled egg on our salads and we eat a salad every day.

 

[Shadrach]

One advantage of having my own thread is I can do things like this.
Having written a few articles, there is nothing more dispiriting than having nobody read it.
This is an article from @Iluveggers
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ecessary-but-lots-of-research-required.77184/

 

[Perris]

great article @Iluveggers ! and thanks for drawing our attention to it Shad

 

[Iluveggers]

Thank you, Shad! So kind & unexpected! I’m definitely not the best writer so I hope my passion for chickens is evident! They are such wonderful creatures that I am fortunate enough to spend time with!

& thank you for the kind words, @Perris !

Of course, some tax lol. Hope a fluffy butt will do!

 

[MaryJanet]

Thank you, Shad! So kind & unexpected! I’m definitely not the best writer so I hope my passion for chickens is evident! They are such wonderful creatures that I am fortunate enough to spend time with!

& thank you for the kind words, @Perris !

Of course, some tax lol. Hope a fluffy butt will do!
View attachment 2955814

It was a lovely read!

Did you build a pallet coop in the end? Or buy a good one?

 

[Iluveggers]

It was a lovely read!

Did you build a pallet coop in the end? Or buy a good one?

Thank you! I now do an agricultural unit with my city students (the small but very urban city is close enough for my commute), because I know that it might be the only exposure that they get, and you never know what will start the itch for them! Kids all grow a veggie of their choice to take home…virtual farm tours, and this year I am hatching with them! It’s technically not in our curriculum but since we teach the agricultural revolution if anyone says anything I’m going to tell them I’m bringing that era to life in my classroom.

The hub bought me a custom made one for Christmas! It is 4x5, smaller than I wanted but will do for the 5 we are getting (town limit is 6 so no risk of too much chicken math). I think he knew deep down that if I had a project going, he would have a project going……either that or he loves me. Or both! Still might incorporate the pallets into the run. It will be 20x10, so lots of room plus another 300 or so feet to go in the garden when I am home with them.

Now more tax…I'm going broke here! Louise rarely jumps on my lap, she must have been looking for treats!

 

[Shadrach]

This hen is dying slowly. She rests next to me when I sit down. At dusk I have to give her a nudge to get her to go to roost. She is one of the first Ex Battery hens to come to the allotments shortly after the first lockdown in the UK I'm told. This would make her around three and a half years old. She eats well enough and makes sure she gets her share of any treats. She still spends a few minutes out foraging with the others but it's apparent that she is slowing down.