Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[RoyalChick]

Come to think of it, he would've been referring to her ovaries.

Yes I assumed that. In humans a total hysterectomy (vs a partial one) includes removal of the ovaries.

I am assuming Elizabeth died of something like that. She couldn’t put a shell on her eggs either and died very suddenly. In all honesty her’s wasn’t a bad way to end (waaay too young of course). She was out foraging with everyone and at the end of the day came in and instead of roosting just lay down on the coop floor. She died maybe an hour later.
Rest In Peace Elizabeth.

 

[Shadrach]

Looks like a beautiful afternoon!

It was. It's been the first evening this year where I've sat there and though I could stay here all night.

 

[Shadrach]

Submit for POW - it will bring a smile to everyone's face.

I did.

 

[Shadrach]

This is not related to chickens at all, and I still don't have my new chickens yet to pay tax! I am working on it, though. Got the shade house area and the old coop cleared out ready to build the new one. Will be looking for three bantam pullets this summer.

I am a licensed captain (and female, I might add), but since boats are very expensive and I am poor, I mostly act as first mate on wealthier friends' boats. I have done the Transpac race multiple times (So Cal to Hawaii), spent 2 1/2 years cruising the South Pacific, and regularly had rich people hire me as part of a crew to bring their yachts back from Mexico (due to prevailing currents, everyone wants to sail to Mexico, but no one wants to do the "Baja Bash" bringing them back). Currently I run a university sailing program and try turn a bunch of landlubber students into sailors in eight weeks.

This pic is fun. I am regularly first mate on this boat for fun stuff. She is a heavy cruising sailboat, but we entered her in the Newport to Ensenada race one year on a lark. It is a handicapped race, so boats of all types compete, usually around 400 boats. We had no expectations, but that year was so stormy it was a shoo-in for all the heavy cruisers and we won and got a big ol' trophy! We even beat Dennis Connor the Amercia's Cup champion! This is us coming up on the finish line.

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I've got to ask you this. How does it feel being so badly in debt to the taxman.
My dad taught me to avoid credit like the plague.

 

[Shadrach]

Same boat, some crew's eye view of that race:

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**** that!
Sorry, I meant that looks awfully dangerous doesn't it?

 

[Shadrach]

I was watching a large raccoon messing around by the chicken coop from my bedroom window. Too bad I couldn't open the window silently and lean out with the crossbow. Will have to check tomorrow to see if I have a clear line of sight from the corner of the front porch.

So pleased we don't have racoons here.

 

[BDutch]

So pleased we don't have racoons here.

#metoo

 

[Shadrach]

Ah. A Laser had too much sail area for me. I was 5'5" & 7 stone when I was racing ~ which means I was too small & light for the 16 & 18 footers on Sydney Harbour too. I raced the old Scow Moths ~ the only girl in our club racing one. Ticked the blokes off in the light winds. But I have raced Cherubs, Fireballs, Flying 11s ~ I was crew for a skipper who had no experience with round hulls so we swam a lot.. My brother & I raced a friend's Fireball of Jibbon Beach in a Southerly. Between us we'd have been lucky to weigh 14 stone dripping wet [& we were] The wind was between 25 & 30 knots & we had so much white water on the reaches we had zero visibility & both of us hanging off the stern. It was a lovely sail. The old Sharpies are nearly as exciting as the 18 footers. We had a big fleet of them. They were very popular with the competitive sailors & we hosted the National Championships one year. Most exciting thing I've ever seen. They had no limit on the sail area so if you could rig it you could carry it. The 1st race a southerly buster came through & the fleet exploded. The masts splintered like spaghetti. All the sails blew out. Boats cartwheeled across the bay dragging crew in their trapeze harnesses behind them. It was a mess. They had to jerry rig extra pick up boats to fish everyone out of the drink.

The only time I enjoyed *cruising* we'd been up the Pittwater & came round Barrenjoey into a 25 + knot southerly. I thought it was lovely but my dad figured a seasick wife, 2 small boys & me was not a safe enough crew & turned back. I like my sailing mad, bad & dangerous...

Yeah, ok, Shad, paying tax...

Portia & Olivia.
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Well done Ribh. I'm glad to see you taking a responsible approach to your tax obligations.


A little less reluctance would of course help make people think that the posting of chicken photographs is indeed a joyous activity for a very small cost.

 

[Shadrach]

I have to admit I have absolutely no experience myself. I only have had chicken for 25 months now and I can't take them to the vet because it's a two hour drive, I don't drive and my partner wouldn't agree to it. I get the impression from internet that in some places in the world (Australia for example) there are more specialized avian vets.

Even if I know you can't cure everything and I'm aware if you keep animals you will necessarily see them die at some point, it's still hard. Maybe you do get used to it when you have lost and euthanized many or at least you make your peace with it.

Last evening I had to remove two hens from him. I did gave him some treat like Perris suggested first. Vanille (my hen that has been unwell on and off) was eggbound and doing very poorly. He jumped on her and tried to mate her three times in a row. Normally she puts him in his place but she was so ill she didn't move. So I got her and Cannelle separated in the pen. Théo was extremely upset about that and he did all he could to force his way in. I got exactly that impression that he wanted to be able to watch and check on all of the hens.

Vanille slept in a dog crate and this morning she is so weak I get the feeling it's the end. Then again I have thought she would die at least 20 times and she always made it.

Vanille yesterday
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Three days ago

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Cannelle, Théo's crush, with the pecks on her comb
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I hope she manages a bit more life yet.

I disagree, Henry isn't trying to look regal, he just is. Nothing disturbs him. What we french call "le flegme britannique"

Your French word "flegme", is it's root in phlegmatic?
Great word to describe the English. I think the Welsh and Scottish come with a bit more passion in general.

 

[MaryJanet]

#metoo

#methree!