Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[TropicalChickies]

I had a couple that just would not accept new pullets. I finally had to move them to the crock pot! I give my tribe the best life I can and the only thing I insist on is no murder. I couldn’t believe it! They screamed at the top of their lungs for a week! Then when I started to let them out to forage together they hid around corners and jumped on the young ones, viciously pecking and pulling feathers out. I had them separate but visible to each other for weeks, they had me fooled because they would stand next to the fence calmly, the young ones would approach and get a peck through the wire but not bad. Let them together and the war was on!
Up until that point they were lots of fun, talkative and people friendly. I have 5 laying hybrids and one brown leghorn now, one of the hybrids bites me at every opportunity so I wonder how that group will go. They sure are spunky! Sorry for going yada yada on your comment!

Wow. Reading this makes me realize how fortunate I've been. I've introduced new pullets (just two or three at a time) into my flock twice in the past year and had very little friction. I didn't even bother with the separate but visible part. I just would let the new pullets go to the coop first and get settled in. Then I'd keep my others busy until it was nearly dark before letting them in. Because the light was falling, they didn't even see or ignored the new ones, and in the morning, no big deal. The new ones would generally stay very close to the coop area the first two days, then slowly integrate themselves, getting a little closer to the general "hang out" area each day.

I attribute my luck with integrating new members to my senior hen Cleo. She's my rock. Totally bombproof, this hen. She has this nonchalant authority about her, total confidence, like she knows that she's the boss, so no need to bully. She gives a little peck here and there to put everyone in their place, but that's it. She tolerates everyone, but takes no shit. And I guess she sets the tone for everyone else to follow. I doubt I would have had it so good without her.

Cleo, the naked neck on the left, keeping everyone in line.

 

[Perris]

I prefer to have the senior hens sit and hatch. It's not that the juniors can't make a good job of it but when it comes time for the chicks to join the tribe there are less problems if the hen is senior.

yes I do too, though I've not had problems with chicks joining, whoever brooded them. But I obviously didn't make it clear, this broody is sitting on fake eggs; I thought I might just let her go through the motions until she gives up, rather than speed it up by breaking her. Did you break broodies in Catalonia?

 

[Perris]

There are perhaps half a dozen breeds I would keep. Four of those would need to be free range and the other two I might consider if I could build a large enough run and get them out for half a day every day.
Given a choice now and the land to do it I would take in Ex Battery hens, ideally with a Red Sex Link rooster should there be any left.

This suggests you believe in breed characteristics... didn't we have a discussion about that back near the beginning? Maybe time to revisit it now that you have so much more experience with rescue hens?

 

[Perris]

Well, when you pick a hen up, that's what she thinks is happening. That's why some crouch when you reach for them and why they do the after mating shake when you put them down. Apparently the shake is to move the sperm into the oviduct.
This also why people who pick up their hens and are new to chicken keeping get problems with their roosters. The rooster knows exactly what that shake means.
Interestingly, if you can get a hen to stand on your hand without you putting your hands on her she doesn't do the shake.

she doesn't if she flies or jumps down either. I also suspect the shake is more like a knee jerk reaction than a result of conscious thought.

 

[Perris]

The bees are busy getting the sugar from the nettle flowers.
Anybody else pick these and suck the ends?

is that white dead nettle (no sting) - lucky you! all the benefits of nettles with none of the pain!

I don't know why Henry puts up with it.

Because it's his job silly

 

[Perris]

I think I see what you're doing there; very nice! great idea!

 

[Perris]

some of my chickens just wanted to point out the survival potential of their crests. They said

 

[Perris]

Talking of multi-tasking chickens, I just rediscovered this brilliant poster

 

[Shadrach]

One of the two is downright nasty, while the one that might have eyp is aggressively assertive.

Ella was pretty unpleasant for a few weeks after the other three she came with got rehomed. She took a serious dislike to Lima and went for her at almost every opportunity. That's mostly stopped from what I can see, but beat in mind their behaviour is completely different when out of the coop and run environment. Fortunately Lima is quick and alert and is quite capable of taking care of herself.

 

[Shadrach]

How is Lima doing?

She's doing remarkably well considering. She's super fit generally by contained chicken standards and I'm hoping her drive will keep her going until she just drops dead one day.