Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

The temperature is 68 and partly sunny.

Have a great day!

 

[Solanacae]

Thanks to Sisko , what a good dog! Would they be safe from predators if they roosted in the apple tree?
Ginger and Goldilocks look lovely and now they have really distinct colours.

I know there are raccoons around, though I’ve never had any problems with them as of yet and hoping it stays that way. If figured those two I couldn’t reach would probably fine for one night, but I wouldn’t want it to become a habit. There are plenty of cats in the neighborhood that are also allowed to prowl around, though I’m happy to see them as I’m sure they help with mice/rats, and I don’t think any of them would seriously consider going for my fully grown girls. I think my backyard is left somewhat alone in part because my dogs are out in the backyard frequently and I keep the feed secured in metal garbage cans. My dogs have chased a couple of cats up trees when we first moved here, and they mostly avoid the backyard now.

I have deer that will come and knock the seed out of my bird feeders in the front yard but they’ve yet to jump the fence in the backyard. They could if they wanted to badly enough, it’s only a 6’ fence, but again, I think the dogs are enough of a deterrent they leave my vegetable garden alone. I’ve got neighbors that are plagued with the deer getting into their gardens, so perhaps they are just deciding to go for easier pickings.

 

[Marie2020]

Despite the bursts of drizzle they all came out for around an hour yesterday.
The Legbars are not at all impressed with the weather. They do venture out but the RSL don't seem overly bothered. They just want out.View attachment 2996175View attachment 2996176View attachment 2996177View attachment 2996178

Mine are fed up of this weather we have had awful rain yesterday and on and off today plus it very cold

 

[Marie2020]

 

[Ribh]

Just an idea Shad. I buy 15kg bags of feed, pay for them over the phone and have them delivered all without human contact. Could you have big bags of feed delivered straight to the allotment?

My supplier also sells big empty drums to store feed in. I also use a galvanized rubbish bin to store grain. I scoop out what the chooks need for the day with a big, plastic measuring jug.
View attachment 2996425


I haven't had any problems with rodents and the containers are water tight and keep everything fresh and dry. Might something like this be a possible solution for you?

Those blue bins are great. I have one & they are tough as & keep everything fresh & dry.

 

[Shadrach]

How much do you think the rats are taking? Is there any rodent control going on?

Rodent control! Make I larf.
I don't think the rats are getting much. Maybe at night if there is still feed in the trays after the chickens have gone to roost. The rat problem is better than it was.
If you've got poultry and any feed is in the feeders then there is a rat or mouse waiting. There isn't any getting away from it. Some people will tell you they don't have rats and maybe, just maybe there are a very few places that don't. For the rest of us, we've got rats. They may not be in the coop and run and we may rarely see one, but they are there.

 

[Shadrach]

Just an idea Shad. I buy 15kg bags of feed, pay for them over the phone and have them delivered all without human contact. Could you have big bags of feed delivered straight to the allotment?

My supplier also sells big empty drums to store feed in. I also use a galvanized rubbish bin to store grain. I scoop out what the chooks need for the day with a big, plastic measuring jug.
View attachment 2996425


I haven't had any problems with rodents and the containers are water tight and keep everything fresh and dry. Might something like this be a possible solution for you?

I could AC once I've found somewhere that will do it. While I was at my daughters this wasn't really a problem. I could have it delivered to the house and given how close the allotments are to her place it was easy enough to get 20 Kg down the road.

 

[Shadrach]

Usual story.

They were seriously hungry!

The weather was foul. Wet, 65mph gusts of wind, cold and generally miserable.
A few ventured out for a few minutes.

 

[BY Bob]

Rodent control! Make I larf.
I don't think the rats are getting much. Maybe at night if there is still feed in the trays after the chickens have gone to roost. The rat problem is better than it was.
If you've got poultry and any feed is in the feeders then there is a rat or mouse waiting. There isn't any getting away from it. Some people will tell you they don't have rats and maybe, just maybe there are a very few places that don't. For the rest of us, we've got rats. They may not be in the coop and run and we may rarely see one, but they are there.

Exhibit #1. Le Rat in the run.

Exhibit #2. Le Rat in the coop

 

[Shadrach]

This was today. Better weather.
Feeders empty but...
The past week has been particularly grim. One can tell how hungry the chickens are as soon as one opens the gate. If they've had a reasonable quantity of food then all they want to do is get out on that green stuff and forage and run around. After a while Henry will come and find me, and now he marches off to where I hang my rucksack and the hens who are most clued in follow him. Of course, not wanting to damage his reputation as the great finder and provider of food, I go over and get whatever I've brought in the way of treat food out of the rucksack and after a bit of manouvering, get to a less soden piece of ground and offer Henry the first handful. He's good. He drops what he can for the hens if they haven't already grabbed it out of his beak. I chuck some around to relieve the pressure and offer Henry some more. Eventually Henry gives up trying to take bits out and drop them and I spread the food around in small handfulls trying to throw some to the less competitive hens. Then finally a large handful gets fed to Henry and any hens that are not otherwise occupied.
Today they must have had enough food this morning because they shot out to forage and it was at least 15 minutes before Henry came to find me.