Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Ribh]

You have reminded me Ribh that I do periodically have to herd them (and it's a nightmare) - when I move the coops in spring after winter on the terrace. It takes the slowest-witted/most set-in-their-ways members of the flock up to 5 days to go to the new location instead of where they used to be! It takes 2 of us with a rake or suchlike in each hand too. But they're not long enough and we're not fast enough to be able to use them to poke any offenders !

When we moved here no~one knew where they were supposed to roost for the night & convincing everyone the shed was it for the time being was exhausting. No~one believed me. Then Ha'penny, my Golden Campine & a complete nightmare to try & handle, lost the plot & was trying for anywhere but the shed: the roof, the trees, the fence. I thought I was going to lose her. She went completely ape. She's not stupid. Just the opposite but she panicked until it got so dark she had to roost & I was able to nab her & pop her in with everyone else. The next night she went into the shed like a lamb.

 

[Perris]

When we moved here no~one knew where they were supposed to roost for the night & convincing everyone the shed was it for the time being was exhausting. No~one believed me. Then Ha'penny, my Golden Campine & a complete nightmare to try & handle, lost the plot & was trying for anywhere but the shed: the roof, the trees, the fence. I thought I was going to lose her. She went completely ape. She's not stupid. Just the opposite but she panicked until it got so dark she had to roost & I was able to nab her & pop her in with everyone else. The next night she went into the shed like a lamb.

Yep, that sounds familiar

 

[RoyalChick]

ditto. My solution is to adopt the kind of sliding leading foot perfected by guardsmen on parade doing a slow march; the moving foot barely hovers above the ground as it goes forward so there's not enough room for much more than a toe to get caught under or to trip over.

Yes exactly what I do - but it doesn't work on steps. Because of the steep hill I have lots of steps.

 

[bruceha2000]

But it seems it can happen with heritage breeds too.

I have a Black Australorp from Meyer (2015) that has been laying soft shells for the last 3 years. She starts out OK in the spring but eventually they turn into "crushes when you pick it up".

That's you and him scrubbed off my holiday destination list then.

Even if there is free food and good scotch?

However, they need to eat before bed and the eating is spread over 15 to 20 minutes.

Really? When I toss feed out for my girls it doesn't last 5 minutes.

I have absolutely zero experience breeding and no understanding of genetics, so I'd love to know what your suggestions for Peggy's breeding are. What do her characteristics suggest to you?

I'm FAR from a chicken expert but we can ALL guess if you post several pictures.

I only have 4 adults and I cannot imagine how I will handle it when the Hooligans grow up.

Try it with 22! They kind of understand "out", meaning they are getting fed outside the barn, and all start that way but the second one near the front stops, they all stop. Must walk carefully!

 

[Shadrach]

Do you really think chickens fall in love or, if the metaphor is still operating in the second half of the sentence, I'm wondering what is the people equivalent of a senior hen?

Do you think humans do, or is just a biological trick to get males and females to stay together long enough to mate and then raise their young?
Yes, I think some chickens fall in love, if that's what it is.
Harold loved Bluespot. I have absolutely no doubt about it. Major loved the hen that he was with before I knew him. He never recovered from her death.
I think Treacle had the chicken equivalent of a crush on Moon. Moon had her eyes on Cillin while he was still the senior rooster. There were others.
What explanation is there for roosters having favourites?

 

[Shadrach]

I have a Black Australorp from Meyer (2015) that has been laying soft shells for the last 3 years. She starts out OK in the spring but eventually they turn into "crushes when you pick it up".


Even if there is free food and good scotch?


Really? When I toss feed out for my girls it doesn't last 5 minutes.


I'm FAR from a chicken expert but we can ALL guess if you post several pictures.


Try it with 22! They kind of understand "out", meaning they are getting fed outside the barn, and all start that way but the second one near the front stops, they all stop. Must walk carefully!

Yup, even if there is food and good scotch.
It's not so much the having to work; it's having to take my boots off.

 

[bruceha2000]

What if we had nice comfy slippers for you? And we could take your boots off since we are proper hosts!

 

[Shadrach]

Too sick to make it to the allotments today. I'm testing negative for Covid but the doctor thinks I've got the Noravirus and a possible chest infection.
I can't go far from the toilet at the moment. I'm okay to do stuff at a slow pace but there are no toilets on buses or on the walks from bus to train, trian to allotments etc. I'm not getting a lot of warning.
I'm sure you all wanted to know this.
3 days for the both ends problem to fully go apparently.

 

[bruceha2000]

Time for bed rest Shad! I hope you get better quickly

 

[Shadrach]

What if we had nice comfy slippers for you? And we could take your boots off since we are proper hosts!

Comfy slippers!

(I just do not know who he thinks he is talking to)