Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MaryJanet]

Chilly and windy again.
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The empty food container is concerning in that weather.

 

[MaryJanet]

Christmas & chickens memories and thoughts

Now that I'm sick (mainly tired) in bed I had to think back to my mother, who kept chickens for a large part of her life. First, she explained, as a lucrative livelihood. Later after I was born she stopped doing that commercially because it was no longer profitable. But we still had some chickens . Because my sister was scared or attacked by a rooster we had free range bantam chickens, during my childhood, for ourselves and for family.

When my brother took over the farm we moved next door and she retired, A chicken coop and a large run were build brand new for about 6 chickens.

Years later when she moved to a retirement home in the center of the village, she continued to visit the piece of land where she had the chickens and a vegetable garden. She went there every day as long as she had chickens. First on the bicycle and later on the mobility scooter, when she started to suffer from pain in her knees.

I suppose this history of myself is why I was attracted and followed Shadrach's perseverance all along. Because it is so dear to my heart that he takes care of chickens that are not even his own, almost every day, through weather and wind (a Dutch saying),.

I hope Shadrach that when this story of the ex batts is closed in a few months, you will find a place close to your flat like my mother had. One with a real shed and nice owners where you can shelter in bad weather.

This is such a lovely post.

You've got me wondering how your mother came to be interested in chickens. Was it something her mother did?

 

[bruceha2000]

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 .

All of my girls have come from hatcheries as day olds. The original 12 (the last one died this past March) from 2012 came from Ideal in Texas. All the rest have come from Meyer in Ohio. So far they have mis-sexed only one bird. If I have a broody hen I give the chicks to her after a day in the Momma Heating Pad Brooder. If there is no broody hen, they get to keep the MHP in the brooder area of the coop.

DD1 has named all the chicks, not sure what I'll do with future chicks since DD has moved to Virginia with the fiancé. Nuit because she is a Black Australorp, the other from that same batch (2015) is Mellori. The first 2 BAs were from Ideal: Echo and Zorra (who raised 3 batches). All Easter Eggers have been named after Greek Goddesses. Queen Victoria was the "silver queen" and Queen Elizabeth the "gold queen" so the silver laced Wyandotte is Victoria, the gold is Elizabeth. The Columbian Wyandottes (different generation) are Ana and Sofia (no idea why) etc

No French ancestry that I know of, 3 of my grandparents were born in the 1890s in Spain, immigrated to the US in the early 1900s. I think I can properly pronounce Manue but I have no idea how I would do that in text. Kinda like ma-nu-eh? The "nu" would be more like 1 letter than 2 and more linked to the "eh" than the "ma". Or not

apart from it being a quiet and peaceful place.

with chickens

 

[kcan2]

Merry Christmas Eve ex-batts!
Here is a tax photo of the Christmas my chickens spent in my dad's workshop during our relocation. My rooster was suspicious of his red stocking.
Tonight they are getting some Christmas Eve cucumbers! Hope everybody stays warm and has a wonderful holiday!

 

[lightm]

Christmas & chickens memories and thoughts

Now that I'm sick (mainly tired) in bed I had to think back to my mother, who kept chickens for a large part of her life. First, she explained, as a lucrative livelihood. Later after I was born she stopped doing that commercially because it was no longer profitable. But we still had some chickens . Because my sister was scared or attacked by a rooster we had free range bantam chickens, during my childhood, for ourselves and for family.

When my brother took over the farm we moved next door and she retired, A chicken coop and a large run were build brand new for about 6 chickens.

Years later when she moved to a retirement home in the center of the village, she continued to visit the piece of land where she had the chickens and a vegetable garden. She went there every day as long as she had chickens. First on the bicycle and later on the mobility scooter, when she started to suffer from pain in her knees.

I suppose this history of myself is why I was attracted and followed Shadrach's perseverance all along. Because it is so dear to my heart that he takes care of chickens that are not even his own, almost every day, through weather and wind (a Dutch saying),.

I hope Shadrach that when this story of the ex batts is closed in a few months, you will find a place close to your flat like my mother had. One with a real shed and nice owners where you can shelter in bad weather.

Thank you for sharing the stories and memories. I enjoyed it very much.

 

[BDutch]

This is such a lovely post.

You've got me wondering how your mother came to be interested in chickens. Was it something her mother did?

I honestly don’t know for sure. But my grandparents (on both sides) were farmers too. And like 100 years ago it was normal to have a farm with all kind of animals in the south of the Netherlands. Like chickens, cows, pigs and a horse for the plough, carriage and flat car. So probably there were chickens at the farms where she and my father lived as a child.

 

[Shadrach]

Wishing you all a peacefull Christmas.

 

[BDutch]

Merry Christmas

 

[Ladies-Eight]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

25 sunny 65% humidity feels like 20 rain 0%.

Have a great day!

 

[ManueB]

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?

I saw mentioned in another thread that some chickens will rather face the wall when it's a possibility. Mine that roost next to a wall chose to face it when they are on a defensive mode- not wanting to be pecked by a neighbor, or to be seen by some of the more agressive hens.
I also relate it to humans sleeping in a night train. When you've got six people sleeping in a cabin that don't know each other with little personal space, it feels more polite to face the blind side.

Christmas & chickens memories and thoughts

Now that I'm sick (mainly tired) in bed I had to think back to my mother, who kept chickens for a large part of her life. First, she explained, as a lucrative livelihood. Later after I was born she stopped doing that commercially because it was no longer profitable. But we still had some chickens . Because my sister was scared or attacked by a rooster we had free range bantam chickens, during my childhood, for ourselves and for family.

When my brother took over the farm we moved next door and she retired, A chicken coop and a large run were build brand new for about 6 chickens.

Years later when she moved to a retirement home in the center of the village, she continued to visit the piece of land where she had the chickens and a vegetable garden. She went there every day as long as she had chickens. First on the bicycle and later on the mobility scooter, when she started to suffer from pain in her knees.

I suppose this history of myself is why I was attracted and followed Shadrach's perseverance all along. Because it is so dear to my heart that he takes care of chickens that are not even his own, almost every day, through weather and wind (a Dutch saying),.

I hope Shadrach that when this story of the ex batts is closed in a few months, you will find a place close to your flat like my mother had. One with a real shed and nice owners where you can shelter in bad weather.

A wonderful story for Christmas I'm sure this had a positive effect on your aging mother's health and spirit.

All of my girls have come from hatcheries as day olds. The original 12 (the last one died this past March) from 2012 came from Ideal in Texas. All the rest have come from Meyer in Ohio. So far they have mis-sexed only one bird. If I have a broody hen I give the chicks to her after a day in the Momma Heating Pad Brooder. If there is no broody hen, they get to keep the MHP in the brooder area of the coop.

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand right : the chicks come from hatcheries but if you have a broody you give them to her to raise ? If I understood correctly, what made you get chicks from hatcheries, rather than hatch your own ?

DD1 has named all the chicks, not sure what I'll do with future chicks since DD has moved to Virginia with the fiancé. Nuit because she is a Black Australorp, the other from that same batch (2015) is Mellori.

Love the names you daughter picked, especially Mellori. I chose Merle for my black chick because she looked so much like one (blackbird). My cats were obsessed with her.

No French ancestry that I know of, 3 of my grandparents were born in the 1890s in Spain, immigrated to the US in the early 1900s. I think I can properly pronounce Manue but I have no idea how I would do that in text. Kinda like ma-nu-eh? The "nu" would be more like 1 letter than 2 and more linked to the "eh" than the "ma". Or not

The German language that has two sounds for u, uses the umlaut to mark the "u" similar to the french "u" sound, as in über (whereas the u without the umlaut sounds like the spanish one). Rational language for a rational people. In English I don't know how any foreign speakers would be able to tell the difference between the u in turn, and in pure .

Wishing you all a peacefull Christmas.
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Thank you, and the same to all of you. That's an interesting version of the nativity, ecumenical and all-inclusive (except for chickens haters ).