Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Iluveggers]

Two of our cockerels have moved to hang out with the group of older hens. One of them roosted with them last night! I’m hopeful we will have fertile eggs from both groups this spring, although it seems like the mating attempts have been rebuked from the old gals so far any time someone sees them try. Hopefully they are learning patience and how to woo. Here he is with some of the older ladies:

They found some grass by the road. Keep in mind there are acres to wander in the other direction. I didn’t see any grass in that direction though!

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

63 sunny 94% humidity feels like 61 rain 0%.

My chickens have been laying all winter, although it has not been their usual amount.

Have a great day!

 

[Shadrach]

7C today.
No food in the tray when I arrived. I put 300grams in the tray to provide breakfast and fed them in the run where I could keep an eye on things. One minute they were eating the next they were they were as stiff as tailors dummies locked on the biggest kite I've seen.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/red-kite/
Fortunately they are primariliy scavengers rather than hunters but the chickens certainly knew it wasn't good news.

After the dialy clean out and water change I scraped out yet more crap from the run where it has been really muddy when it's rained. It's no wonder the water isn't draining away.

When I had finished Lima and Fret were standing by the gate looking longingly at the rest of the allotment. Having watched Henry digging Ella decided to have a go. She didn't dig much and it wasn't very effective.

Lima on the other hand just gets stronger.

Henry's large arse.

You can see the last of the raised scales that haven't been shed yet. The legs underneath aren't looking too bad considering the state they were in.

 

[no fly zone]

Chippy had a bit of bumblefoot. I think anyway. When i pulled away the scab, there was nothing to dig out. I plan to redo their roosting bars in case that is the source of it. Although this is only the 2nd case in my flock in the almost 4 yrs of raising chickens.

 

[BDutch]

7C today.
No food in the tray when I arrived. I put 300grams in the tray to provide breakfast and fed them in the run where I could keep an eye on things. One minute they were eating the next they were they were as stiff as tailors dummies locked on the biggest kite I've seen.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/red-kite/
Fortunately they are primariliy scavengers rather than hunters but the chickens certainly knew it wasn't good news.

These red kites (we say rode wauw) are very rare in The Netherlands, but would be a real danger for my bantams.
I have seen many in France and they seem to hunt rabbits too.

Chippy had a bit of bumblefoot. I think anyway. When i pulled away the scab, there was nothing to dig out. I plan to redo their roosting bars in case that is the source of it. Although this is only the 2nd case in my flock in the almost 4 yrs of raising chickens.

I never had a chicken with bumble foot in 8 years, with an average of 7 chickens.
Good roosts can be made of construction wood, about 3x4 cm for bantams and probably 4x5 for larger chickens with all edges taken off/ rounded. I posted a drawing a few years ago. See if I can find it again.

 

[Shadrach]

These red kites (we say rode wauw) are very rare in The Netherlands, but would be a real danger for my bantams.
I have seen many in France and they seem to hunt rabbits too.

I've been told that the Red Kites here are much like the buzzards we had in Catalonia. While high up in the air they can move very quickly on thermal currents, but when they get close to the ground they are not very agile, or particulalry fast.
The real danger from the sky are the falcons and harriers. The chickens just don't see them in time. They'll fly at 200mph a foot off the ground. Most won't bother with full sized chickens but I know people who have lost chicks and juveniles to them.

There have been a few sightings of a Goshawk in the woods on the other side of the river Avon a couple of miles away.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have been leaving feed in the tray overnight for a while now. I haven't seen a rat for some time. I've started to look at treadle feeders. Not entirely sure if they would solve the problem. Have you tried any?

I use this kind from rat-proof feeder, out of Ohio USA, a cabinet maker who does this on the side. I had mice and this stopped them. It wasn't hard to train the Buckeyes.

No parts that are chewable (plastic tops can get chewed open). The maker stresses that the distance of the treadle from the feeder is critical, as he claims that rats will learn to work as a team and gather enough of them on the treadle to weigh it down and open the feeder for them. They just then feed from the treadle. Here he claims they can't reach the feed. He also writes that sometimes other rats go in while the others are on the treadle, but they get trapped in there and the group learns it's dangerous. Not sure if I believe that.
https://ratproofchickenfeeder.net/

 

[RoyalChick]

I use this kind from rat-proof feeder, out of Ohio USA, a cabinet maker who does this on the side. I had mice and this stopped them. It wasn't hard to train the Buckeyes.

No parts that are chewable (plastic tops can get chewed open). The maker stresses that the distance of the treadle from the feeder is critical, as he claims that rats will learn to work as a team and gather enough of them on the treadle to weigh it down and open the feeder for them. They just then feed from the treadle. Here he claims they can't reach the feed. He also writes that sometimes other rats go in while the others are on the treadle, but they get trapped in there and the group learns it's dangerous. Not sure if I believe that.
https://ratproofchickenfeeder.net/

The mental image of the rats working as a team to operate the treadle is curiously disturbing.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

The mental image of the rats working as a team to operate the treadle is curiously disturbing.

Yes...I think it is true though. They are really capable animals.

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes...I think it is true though. They are really capable animals.

Yes. I think that is why it is disturbing - I have absolutely no doubt they can do that.