Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

How is C on biosecurity Shad? Somehow I can't imagine them using a bootwash...
but at least the requirement (as of yesterday, nationwide) to fence (not house) free range poultry is met already at the allotments. And the hygiene standard is a lot better in the new coop than the old, which also means the old is better than it was for those few birds who still choose to roost there.

Bio what Perris?

 

[Ladies-Eight]

The coop extension is looking great!

I agree.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

68 mostly sunny 80% humidity feels like 67 rain 12%.

Have to go to town --- lots to do.

Have a great day!

 

[Shadrach]

And the hygiene standard is a lot better in the new coop than the old, which also means the old is better than it was for those few birds who still choose to roost there.

I think I've mismanged the coop arrangements by not having the small old coop ready for inhabitation sooner. It's too late now but having a spare coop during the transition from old main to new coop. 3 Ex Battery hens seemed happy enough in there and sometimes 4. No doubt you can imagine from the new coop pictures when the hens are roosting what an impact on space Henry and Matilda would make.

 

[Shadrach]

Dry and not cold this afternoon. Chatted to C for a bit and suggested that we could dispense with the two lage buckets for the geese in the allotment run and just keep one in the goose run and another small bucket to be emptied daily in the allotment run. I also suggested that some lightweight bird netting over the chicken coop run might be sensible.

The picture below illustrates my point about the size of Henry compared to the Legbars and Ex Battery hen. Henry could almost tep over the hen on his left and yes he does have a big arse.

I don't know. It wasn't windy, or cold and they do this.

Matilda is moulting and prefers to lie in the nest box at night currently. Lime got on the outisde roost bar on her own. Henry had already gone in. Matilda arrived and went into join Henry and Lima hopped off the perch and went in to join them.

 

[Shadrach]

I'm going to be busy again from Thursday and over the weekend. C is doing the chickens Saturday. I'll still be doing Friday and Sunday but may not be at home to post.

 

[Perris]

and yes he does have a big arse

I should say; that's enormous!

I don't know. It wasn't windy, or cold and they do this.

maybe a different sort of wind blew from one of the girls on the left

 

[Perris]

I am changing the name of one of this year's pullets; this one just has to be called Frida - not just because of the unibrow, but also a good Swedish name

I'll try to get a better photo tomorrow; the camera seems to have focussed on the bird behind, but I think you can see the unibrow clearly enough anyway

 

[BDutch]

I am changing the name of one of this year's pullets; this one just has to be called Frida - not just because of the unibrow, but also a good Swedish name
View attachment 3295751
I'll try to get a better photo tomorrow; the camera seems to have focussed on the bird behind, but I think you can see the unibrow clearly enough anyway

Are you referring to Frida Kahlo?

I suppose they must be some kind of twins.

 

[Ribh]

Chickens do ‘talk’ to each other. There was a research with somekind of bird (I forgot the species, but not chickens) and the researchers could distinct a set of sounds , that were meaningful. And the birds repeted these too.

Chickens make sounds that are meaningful to the other chickens. And chickens tend to cooperate. So they probably, simply know whats going on.

There are articles written by chicken keepers who clain that certain sounds belong to certain chicken behaviour. Like the hen clucking after laying an egg. Not to tell she laid an egg, but to call the other chickens. This way she knows where the flock is, or at least in which direction she has to go to accompany them.

I was witnessing an extraordinary conversation between my Ini mini snd the other chickens once. I try to find the story I wrote. For me this made it certain that chickens communicate with chicken sounds.

Lovely! I agree that chickens *talk* to each other. Mine will also *talk* to me though I don't think I'm so good @ communicating back. The exception is the evening purr...If my girls seem a tad unsettled @ roosting I will start the *purr* & eventually everyone will join in & settle down.