Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

Exactly one guest arrived for today's open day. One of the allotment holders came as he usually does and myself and C. I've never been to one of these allotment days before and I've had conflicting reports as to how they went. I wanted to see for myself which is the main reason I went today and will go again tomorrow.

Henry and getting a couple of things done that I've been wanting to finish for some time made the day.
One of the Golden Comets is pretty unpleasant to a couple of the other hens. A fight broke out between the Golden Comet and another hen less than two metres from where I was sitting. Henry barreled in from nowhere right between both hens knocking them backward and just stood in the way. Both hens moved away. Henry. Henry obviously knows what he should be doing in this regard and does it quickly with minimum violence.

There are a couple of doves that bother the chickens. One hen went for the pair and they sort of stood their ground then dive bombed the hen. The hen made some sounds of distress and Henry was there like a shot and went for the doves and drove them off. What is interesting is these doves are there a lot and Henry doens't bother with them. It;'s only two or three hens that drive the doves off on sight. However, if when this hen called Henry was on it.
I need to spend more time there.
Matilda got on the chair again when the sun started to go behind the trees.

There are 4 rectangluarish bits of plastic just below the adjustable vents. These are now covering the holes where the plastic roost bars that came with the coop went.

With these closed off the ventilation, apart from the pop door is now above the chickens when they roost.
I've got one more piece of plastic to shape to fit behind the aluminium vent in the second picture which will block the slot in the roof and support the top of the aluminium vent.

 

[Shadrach]

It was a lovely afternoon and I didn't even have to cook when I got home because the eldest made me supper.

Moulting and feather plucked.

Pre roost gathering.

The recalcitrants.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Great for you to be close to them again.
Imagine you missed them in Spain a bit?

 

[bruceha2000]

Yes. It's a project I started in 2016.

Wow, and there are only THREE? I suppose you are mating one "type" of ball snake to another?

Exactly one guest arrived for today's open day.

To be fair half the population is in line to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth

 

[no fly zone]

Wow, and there are only THREE? I suppose you are mating one "type" of ball snake to another?

Started by pairing a clown to a superstripe. Out of 10 eggs, i got 2 specter females het for clown. Raised them up and bought a butter yellowbelly clown male. Paired him with both females, and out of 15 total eggs, all the genes lined up for those 3.

Here is one of the two clutches:

 

[Perris]

Will you change anything regarding free ranging or not ?

All I can do really is up my vigilance with regard to my flock's health (especially their water sources) and isolate any with symptoms immediately; not go to the beach; and discourage visitors to the house for now. It is more often spread on the bottom of people's shoes and on vehicle treads than by free ranging chickens eating infected wild birds' poo where it fell.

Today was the yearly wine grape harvest at our 95 year old neighbor's vines, so all the chickens were locked in for the whole day. They were very happy to be let out when I came home at 5. We had almost twice the amount of grapes we usually get, so we are going to have to drink a lot this year .

That looks like a wonderful community affair, and harvest! How long does it take to turn those grapes into juice/wine/vinegar?

 

[Perris]

There are 4 rectangluarish bits of plastic just below the adjustable vents. These are now covering the holes where the plastic roost bars that came with the coop went.

With these closed off the ventilation, apart from the pop door is now above the chickens when they roost.
I've got one more piece of plastic to shape to fit behind the aluminium vent in the second picture which will block the slot in the roof and support the top of the aluminium vent.

Did you ever get in touch with Solway about your improvements and how they could tweak their design to make it better?

I see there's another company now offering a similar product, Shaneco, so with Nestera and Arkus that's 4. I think recycled plastic coops must be catching on

 

[Perris]

Tax due - 2 roos should settle it - and a pullet for free
Amadeo, Ida and Phoenix enjoying some September sunshine in a gap in a border

 

[BDutch]

Did you ever get in touch with Solway about your improvements and how they could tweak their design to make it better?

I see there's another company now offering a similar product, Shaneco, so with Nestera and Arkus that's 4. I think recycled plastic coops must be catching on

Yes. Feed back to the sales department/factories would be something we all should do buying ready made coops. They sell the same stupid wooden prefab I bought 10 years ago without him any significant changes. Maybe this could be something for the BYC project managers to initiate on the whole forum.

And maybe there are more products from recycled plastics in the shop soon. Because the oil got so expensive, recycled plastic could be a ‘cheaper’ alternative. Better for the environment too.

P.S. I have send a mail to the byc managers.

 

[ManueB]

I can't be sure. I would need to see for myself. But if he runs up and pecks you at lower leg height he's not being aggressive. That's being friendly and pleased to see you. They do much the same to the hens.
He won't be on the ground when he's being aggressive. He wont be pecking you either. He'll be in the air, both feet forward, head well back and if he gets a good jump it will feel like his 300grams just got multiplied.

I am certain he is not being friendly, due to his attitude, the fact that he growls as he does for a threat, and the circumstances in which this is done. It's mostly when we feed the hens, especially in the morning if we're interrupting his morning ritual to take them out of the coop, or during the day if they come rushing to us away from him. It also happens when my partner picks up a hen. But I think agression is too strong a word. Maybe it's more like a warning that we should keep our distances.

Never had a rooster as nice as Smudge is.
Respectful of people, He has never challenged us in any way. He is not afraid of us and I can lift him off the roost no fight or flight. He turns 3 this year.
TaxView attachment 3263416

He sounds like a wonderful rooster both to his hens and to you. You sound very found of him!

Exactly one guest arrived for today's open day. One of the allotment holders came as he usually does and myself and C. I've never been to one of these allotment days before and I've had conflicting reports as to how they went. I wanted to see for myself which is the main reason I went today and will go again tomorrow.

Henry and getting a couple of things done that I've been wanting to finish for some time made the day.
One of the Golden Comets is pretty unpleasant to a couple of the other hens. A fight broke out between the Golden Comet and another hen less than two metres from where I was sitting. Henry barreled in from nowhere right between both hens knocking them backward and just stood in the way. Both hens moved away. Henry. Henry obviously knows what he should be doing in this regard and does it quickly with minimum violence.

There are a couple of doves that bother the chickens. One hen went for the pair and they sort of stood their ground then dive bombed the hen. The hen made some sounds of distress and Henry was there like a shot and went for the doves and drove them off. What is interesting is these doves are there a lot and Henry doens't bother with them. It;'s only two or three hens that drive the doves off on sight. However, if when this hen called Henry was on it.
I need to spend more time there.

Well, I suppose you wouldn't enjoy hordes of new gardeners anyway .

Henry sounds like he really knows his job. I'm very relieved he hasn't shown other health issue for the time being. I can't help wonder what his life was like before he arrived at the allotments and if he had a chance to learn all this stuff or if he was born with an innate talent for the job!

All I can do really is up my vigilance with regard to my flock's health (especially their water sources) and isolate any with symptoms immediately; not go to the beach; and discourage visitors to the house for now. It is more often spread on the bottom of people's shoes and on vehicle treads than by free ranging chickens eating infected wild birds' poo where it fell.

You're probably right. You could ask people to change shoes, or keep boots for visitors I suppose ? I hope all will be well.

That looks like a wonderful community affair, and harvest! How long does it take to turn those grapes into juice/wine/vinegar?

It is a very festive event ! Caring for the vines has been complicated this year as our elder neighbour, even though he's still incredibly in shape, has had to give up on doing most of it, but he still wants to be in control of everything my partner and the other friend who helps do. The wine will take 15 days to be ready, then Robert, our elder neighbour, will need another month to make the brandy as there are administrative forms to fill out.
This is him at it last year :