Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Solanacae]

Yes, its getting cold all over the US i heard. Your presidents warning for the upcoming cold and snow was even on our national tv.
Hope you all be fine. And remember that safety cones first. Missing out one Christmas celebration doesn’t change the world.

Here it’s quite warm for the time of the year and we had much rain. My chickens weren’t pleased with it and didn’t want to free range.

Fortunately I’m on the west side of the continental divide, so the Rocky Mountains are basically shielding us from that polar vortex. I’ve got some friends that are right in the thick of it, and fortunately they have the sense to stay at home. I’m really grateful that one of them, who is a trucker, is on a home break and not stick on the side of the road somewhere.

 

[Shadrach]

Unruly and/or with land sufficiently rich to sustain them in small holdings ? It does look beautiful, both the landscapes and the historical heritage. I don't believe I will ever travel across the channel again unfortunately.
( this reminds me to mention to you, I got end of year postcards from this young Welsh illustrator)

I'm curious about that gorgeous black hen. Did you have her hatch at six years old or was it a broody surprise ? Do you have french people in your family to have named her Nuit ? The french "u" sound is unpronounceable for English speakers. I know about it having been called something that sounded like manure instead of Manue all my teenage years .

The laundry chickens . Who would have thought there would be chickens amongst climatic refugees ? This may be political so I'm putting it in a spoiler :

Spoiler

I wish human climatic refugees could be treated as you have taken care of the red marauders.

I don't want to sound too naïve but lack of formalized procedures, does not always amount to dishonesty. It likely does in this case, but I think sometimes it's just neglect.
I know I'm a bit thick but I cant help not wishing the worse for C.

Tax from the past last February : when the ex-batts were six with younger Théo.
View attachment 3356566

I don't know or really care if C is dishonest in their finances or not.
I'm just morbidly interested in what brought everyone to the point they are now.
I have never been particulalry interested in the allotments as a whole apart from it being a quiet and peacefull place.

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach
I wonder.
What can the allotment people actually do if there are no contracts and no payment registations?
What will become of the allotment if they go the municipality (they are owner of the grounds aren’t they?) and tell about the mismanagement.
Is it possible to make another legal construction? Are there a few people in the allotment group that wants to take over over the responsibility to organise and improve the allotment for all the allotment people?

But whatever becomes of the land is not a quick solution for the livestock and coop/run of course if there is no commitment to care for the chickens and geese. I feel sorry for all of C’s behaviour and the well-being of the livestock.

Nobody cares enough to do anything about it except leave when they've had enough.
For example, most I have spoken to mention that they've thought the chickens and geese were not getting enough food and were in general neglected. Nobody did anything about it.
It's the doing bit. That takes commitment, energy, time and in this case money.
Talk is cheap as the saying goes.

 

[Shadrach]

Chilly with 35mph wind gusts.

 

[Shadrach]

I mentioned earlier in the thread that there was condensation on the inside of the coop. More ventilation would help but I also wondered if a second layer over the coop would make a good enough air gap to seperate the cold outside surface from the warmer inside surface. I bought a small but decent tarpaulin, covered the coop with it and fixed it at the ends to the wooden coop frame.
It seems to have worked and it's not done properly yet. It took a couple of days, but the inside is dry to the touch now and we've had plenty of rain. I expect it to break down at minus centigrade temperatures, but it's been an easy inexpensive improvement.

 

[Shadrach]

You may have noticed in the roosting pictures that the majority of the hens face outwards when roosting.
I have no idea why this is?

 

[BDutch]

For the chickens who stayed it seems better that they have more space now.

Are you planning to go to the allotment again this weekend Shad? Maybe with a little help from you’re family? Busses are probably on a minimum schedule and I suppose your (healed) family loves to have you around a bit more the upcoming days too.

I have no clue why the chickens prefer this orientation.

Edited typos

 

[Shadrach]

Yes I'll be going over Christmas. Eldest is packed out with relatives so I'll still have to travel.

 

[Perris]

Yes I'll be going over Christmas. Eldest is packed out with relatives so I'll still have to travel.

I'm amazed there'll be any public transport running - or do you have a secret sleigh?

 

[Shadrach]

Buses running today but not trains. Tomorrow I get picked up and delivered back.