Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MaryJanet]

thanks! I like it because it shows her shorts so well Not quite the owl legs that went viral, but she's got a great pair of legs nevertheless

It was the dust cloud that caught my eye but she does have a lovely pair of shorts!

 

[Shadrach]

Are you hoping to get all of them in the coop, or do you think that when you're done with the new run, it will be safe enough for some of them to sleep in ?

That's the idea. Most coops are far from ideal for keeping chickens in imo.
They end up as problems for the keeper and the chickens. The healthiest chickens I've known have roosted in the trees and/or hay lofts/open barns.
As a Catalan friend of mine pointed out; do you make the whole tribe sick because a predator may get one or two?
It's a serious consideration.
I hope to provide a roost bar in the run part that will hold ten chickens. If they want to squeeze to more than that that's fine.
There is no such thing as a secure run and not many coops come to that. I'm trying to make a sleep in run that offers enough security to stop me worrying.
My main security concerns are 1) human stupidity, 2) a weasel and/or stoat 3) fox, and the one that catches everyone out, a new predator moves into the area.

I'm interested to know how you find it, we plant some linseed and I keep the dry plants for reseeding. I wouldn't have imagined it could be used as straw because it's very stiff!

This is what I thought.

Did your company speak English, or did you talk in chicken ?

She speaks English. It takes her a few days to make the transition.

 

[Shadrach]

By coincidence, my June clutch took to the roost last night - no poo in their nest box They'll be 9 weeks old tomorrow, and that's the age at which Eve sent her last clutch away, so I suspect the same thing's in the offing, now they've shown they're all grown up

Meanwhile in another coop there's another lot just starting; Maria has a clutch hatching under her as we speak So that's one for each month of this summer. More home bred birds: 2 of Puffin's (as the best layer amongst the Penedesenca's - best in the sense of lays the darkest eggs, and doesn't hide them round the garden [found a hidden nest with 6 of Polka's when strimming the bank last week ]), and one each of Janeka's, Gigi's, Neath's, and Maria's. If there is a benefit to be had from true free ranging and keeping a mixed age and gender flock, it's the home bred birds that will show it, not the rare breed hatching eggs brought in to improve that same gene pool. Plus, since they all lay different colours/shades, I should be able to tell who's whose if any don't hatch. We can play the who's whose game with the chicks as they grow, as I'm doing now with the July clutch

Think some tax must be due for all those nested brackets, if nothing else: Maria emerging from a dustbath (about 3 years ago! must get more photos of her!) View attachment 3219120

Not wishing to offend (I've forgotton if you do or you don't) do you plan to eat those you can't keep?

 

[Shadrach]

I hated moving them, but I was afraid I would step on them! Literally, piled in the walkway of the human door…these crazy girls! If it was the back corner, would have left them alone.

This was part of the reason for wanting a mixed flock. Would love to monitor who is laying and who stopped, as I know this can be a sign of health problems (aside from molting & seasonal breaks). 3 dark/speckled layers, 3 blue/green, & 4 cream/light brown/tan. Fingers crossed they are all slightly different in size or shade!

I'm having a similar problem with the Ex Battery hens.
I've got the two Golden Comets sorted; similar colour but different shape. Matilda and Fret are easy. I can't work out the Legbars yet. I think I might be able to identify 3 out of the remaining Ex Battery hens.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey X Batt's I am back on the rat hunt as of yesterday..
ordered six more rat traps for plants in the garden.
Had one take my best roma green take a bit bite drop it!
War is on?
tax

 

[Shadrach]

Hey X Batt's I am back on the rat hunt as of yesterday..
ordered six more rat traps for plants in the garden.
Had one take my best roma green take a bit bite drop it!
War is on?
tax
View attachment 3219832

Go get them Penny!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Thanks Shadrach. If we are allowed to hate something let it be rats !

 

[Sequel]

Thanks Shadrach. If we are allowed to hate something let it be rats !

We’ll be waiting for the daily rat report!

 

[Shadrach]

Supposedly one of the advantages of living in the UK is what the weather people call a temperate climate. My understanding of the term is one is unlikely to suffer from climatic extremes. It was 34C in partial shade at the allotments and was similar yesterday and will be the normal until Monday.

It's not just me that thinks it's a bit warm.

There is something wrong with Matilda. She stayed close to me while I was in the allotment run and when I went to clean up, she went under my chair.
She's had off spells before. She hasn't been eating like she normal does. The last couple of evenings her crop has only been half full if that.
Both the Ex Battery hens continue to improve. I did both for SLM again this evening. In the new coop I can get at them much to their disgust so I can crop check all without major dramas. The two sick notes had bulging crops.

Nobody was in a hurry to go to roost. A lot of sitting down in the cooler patches of ground and relaxing.
15 in the new coop. One of the hens that roosts in the small coop just moved hersel in while the other went into the old main coop. Nobody else in there and she looked a bit confused. I don't want anyone in the old coop. It's infested with mites and despite it is due to come down soon I sprayed the inside with Permethrin this evening. This will reduce them but I don't think one could ever get the coop mite free.

 

[Ribh]

Supposedly one of the advantages of living in the UK is what the weather people call a temperate climate. My understanding of the term is one is unlikely to suffer from climatic extremes. It was 34C in partial shade at the allotments and was similar yesterday and will be the normal until Monday.

It's not just me that thinks it's a bit warm.
View attachment 3219866
View attachment 3219867
There is something wrong with Matilda. She stayed close to me while I was in the allotment run and when I went to clean up, she went under my chair.
She's had off spells before. She hasn't been eating like she normal does. The last couple of evenings her crop has only been half full if that.
Both the Ex Battery hens continue to improve. I did both for SLM again this evening. In the new coop I can get at them much to their disgust so I can crop check all without major dramas. The two sick notes had bulging crops.
View attachment 3219868
Nobody was in a hurry to go to roost. A lot of sitting down in the cooler patches of ground and relaxing.
15 in the new coop. One of the hens that roosts in the small coop just moved hersel in while the other went into the old main coop. Nobody else in there and she looked a bit confused. I don't want anyone in the old coop. It's infested with mites and despite it is due to come down soon I sprayed the inside with Permethrin this evening. This will reduce them but I don't think one could ever get the coop mite free.
View attachment 3219869

Is it the heat affecting Matilda, do you think? She's quite a big hen.