Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

You're talking about the queen's jubilee, not your own, right ?

yes that's right. 70 years on the throne. She's a real trooper. Health issues are kicking in now though. Losing Philip and getting Covid both took a heavy toll I think.

 

[MaryJanet]

yes that's right. 70 years on the throne. She's a real trooper. Health issues are kicking in now though. Losing Philip and getting Covid both took a heavy toll I think.

Maybe one of the chicks can be called Elizabeth

The older I get, the more I admire her. She's always had a strong focus on charity and I think she's worked harder for the greater good than any of her predecessors.

 

[Ribh]

Maybe one of the chicks can be called Elizabeth

The older I get, the more I admire her. She's always had a strong focus on charity and I think she's worked harder for the greater good than any of her predecessors.

I feel very much the same, MJ. She has set a wonderful example of service & self~sacrifice. Pity about her kids. Apart from Anne they're pretty much hopeless. Apologies to any Brits who feel differently.

 

[ManueB]

I'm what is best described as an opportunist inspector. Any on the watch list get checked each time I'm there. The rest of the inspections is pretty random. If I find mites or other obvious problems then I work my way through the lot. It's a lot easier to do this now than it was. Even Fret will let me inspecter her if she's roosting next to Henry. She fusses a bit and then sticks her head under Henry's wing until I've finished.

Yeah but, to work properly each coop would need a rooster. I just can't adequately explain just how important the rooster part is. It's something one has to see over time and in differing circumstances to fully appreciate.
For example, currently Henry roosts on the bar outside the main coop. There is quite fierce competition about who roosts with him. It's almost always Matilda, Fret and one or two of the Legbars and more recently Lima. Six on the roost bar is usual.
But, the rest of the hens then compete to sit right in the coop doorway, or as near to it as they can get so Henry is in their sight. If I open the coop there is a pile right by the door and apart from a couple in the nest box the remainder of the coop is empty. I'll try and get a picture.

I probably didn't insist enough on inspecting my ex-batts when they were pullets because three out of the six are really skittish and hate being handled, even though they're very familiar and will come pecking at us and occasionally climb on our knees. With Caramel we found out how much this can be a problem when they are sick. And once she understood we would get to her at night, she started roosting far above the ladder on which they sleep, so we couldn't reach her.

Train was cancelled today so I was late. Fortunately C had them out during the day.
View attachment 3107887View attachment 3107888View attachment 3107889

Is public transport as bad in the UK as it was 30 years ago ? When I was a teenager we were always told it was an example of how transport had deteriorated by letting private companies take parts in it.

Thinking of an alternative, since you are taking more than one transport, you could also look if it would be worth it to replace only part of your travel by bike if you have a lot of waiting time in between different buses / trains.

 

[ManueB]

I feel very much the same, MJ. She has set a wonderful example of service & self~sacrifice. Pity about her kids. Apart from Anne they're pretty much hopeless. Apologies to any Brits who feel differently.

I would say she's alright for a queen like the present pope is alright for a pope, but that doesn't make me change my mind about royalty or religion .

Apologies to any Brits who feel differently.

So do I .

 

[ManueB]

Well as of last night we're in full broody drama mode, beginning with my failed tentative last night to switch eggs without waking broody Chipie and the epic chase around the coop that followed, and going on this morning with numerous attacks from the ex-batts who have decided that 1. They need to lay where she is brooding (where they have never laid before) 2. She will not brood and she must die.

I knew we should have waited!!! @Shadrach I showed your broody coop to my partner and he thought it was neat and said we were going to build one, I did read that part where it said "put some thoughts into it" and of course we did nothing of the kind.
I was born with a lot of good will and so little good sense .

 

[Ribh]

I would say she's alright for a queen like the present pope is alright for a pope, but that doesn't make me change my mind about royalty or religion .

So do I .

Well, I used to be a rabid republican but having seen the sad & sorry lot who pass for our parlimentarians I'll take a queen like Bess any day of the week. She's always been dignified, even when her kids were less than royal, & has really tried, in so far as her position allows, to be one with her people. She really went up in my estimation when I 1st learned she served in WW11. She didn't have to. Her parents didn't want her to but she served as a mechanic. She really has a servant heart & I think that is admirable. Our pollies on the other hand.... I reckon we should just stop paying them!

Broody tax.

 

[MaryJanet]

Well, I used to be a rabid republican but having seen the sad & sorry lot who pass for our parlimentarians I'll take a queen like Bess any day of the week. She's always been dignified, even when her kids were less than royal, & has really tried, in so far as her position allows, to be one with her people. She really went up in my estimation when I 1st learned she served in WW11. She didn't have to. Her parents didn't want her to but she served as a mechanic. She really has a servant heart & I think that is admirable. Our pollies on the other hand.... I reckon we should just stop paying them!

Broody tax.

View attachment 3108563​

I like the idea of paying them on a means-tested basis. Already wealthy? You get very little. Quite poor? You get a fair whack.

 

[BDutch]

It must be something in the air; I was feeling the same Shad, and out of the blue one of mine has flipped today too; I hope to get some Braekel eggs for her

Braekels look amazing . Wanted them (bantams) too until I saw their run away behaviour. Did you know they are quit flighly/skittish?
The breeder I got the eggs from had more breeds. And I choose another good looking breed who reacted normal with good egg laying qualifications. Naine de Tournaisis/Doornikse. A Belgium breed that got nearly distinct.

Some tax for broody lovers:
2 mama’s went broody, gave them each 5 eggs, 3 chicks hatched. And they decided to care for them together.

 

[BDutch]

I've had a three way sit but spread over two nests. It worked out okay apart from the chicks in one nest hatched before the other and of course all the hens left with the first lot to hatch. Shame really because the others just died in their shells.
I didn't interfere but I think if it happened again I would make sure all the eggs were in the same nest.

I had a little issue too with 3 broodies in one nest years ago. I thought 3 broodies in one nest was too crowded. And seperated one broody with ‘new’ eggs from the kitchen. The eggs were all marked. The outcome was not bad at all.

Last year I had 2 broodies in a nest where other chickens where laying too. I could take away new eggs. But this time this setting was not okay. There was too much fuss. I did separate the broodies, but too late. And the outcome was poor.