Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

@Perris I've read your article on homemade chicken feed a few times now and taken notes. I'm very much in support of your findings and ready to get my chickens off commercial feed asap. I've been wanting to do this for a while and the time feels right to do it already.

I have some questions. Would you prefer I asked you here, on the thread where you posted the article, or sent you a message? And I should ask what @Shadrach would prefer as well.

If Perris is agreeable I would be happy to have discussions on feed and the article here. It's chicken related. The article is excellent. All chicken topics that might upend the status quo are of interest to me, and the chickens, because somewhere we took a wrong turning and lost a lot of knowledge that needs bringing back into the general chicken keeping guidance.

 

[TropicalChickies]

If Perris is agreeable I would be happy to have discussions on feed and the article here. It's chicken related. The article is excellent. All chicken topics that might upend the status quo are of interest to me, and the chickens, because somewhere we took a wrong turning and lost a lot of knowledge that needs bringing back into the general chicken keeping guidance.

Ok, cool, I'll just wait for Perris to respond too. Thanks

 

[TropicalChickies]

So true.

Fly high and free, lovely, beautiful Cleo.

Thank you!

 

[Molpet]

Some tax
I was trying to catch him crowing, phone was too slow

 

[Shadrach]

Warm and sunny. Five hours today. Fret was off the nest when I arrived and her eggs were cold. I can't fault her. She sat until the time when she should feel movement in the eggs and when she didn't, she quit. Well done Fret you did all anyone could ask of you.
I've got mixed feelings about the final outcome, partly relief and partly sad for Fret. My relationship with Fret has undergone a massive change. She knows I've looked after her and she is no longer wary of me to the point where she sat quietly on my lap as I checked her over. I can reach down and touch her now without any hysterics. She no longer bustles away tutting if I pass close by her. I carried some wood out of the coop run and stepped right over her as she napped on the ground, She didn't move and only opened her eyes for a moment.

One egg was fertile but didn't develop past about day four I would say. I don't know why. Henry is an old man and while willing still he isn't going to be a father again as far as I can see. He's been excellent with Fret when she's been off the nest. Gave her space, didn't hustle her away from the food, let her bathe in peace and didn't bug her when she was sitting.

I'll get a few more Ex Battery hens which is where my heart is now to keep Henry company in his senior years. I will probably do it soon so they can learn from what is essentially a dying group, even a proper tribe now in my view.

Using the shade box on my arrival.

Fret's first call for the berries and bugs when I opened them up.

Resting with Lima next to my chair.

Henry.

Fret being Fret and Henry putting up with her odd behaviour.

Good night all.

 

[Perris]

@Perris I've read your article on homemade chicken feed a few times now and taken notes. I'm very much in support of your findings and ready to get my chickens off commercial feed asap. I've been wanting to do this for a while and the time feels right to do it already.

I have some questions. Would you prefer I asked you here, on the thread where you posted the article, or sent you a message? And I should ask what @Shadrach would prefer as well.

chances are, if you've got questions prompted by the article, others who read it have the same ones, so asking in comments there is probably the best place, then any who wish can get the answers too. And it avoids cluttering up Shad's thread on rescues and ex-batts with other stuff (though I realize I do that all the time )

 

[BDutch]

Warm and sunny. Five hours today. Fret was off the nest when I arrived and her eggs were cold. I can't fault her. She sat until the time when she should feel movement in the eggs and when she didn't, she quit. Well done Fret you did all anyone could ask of you.
I've got mixed feelings about the final outcome, partly relief and partly sad for Fret. My relationship with Fret has undergone a massive change. She knows I've looked after her and she is no longer wary of me to the point where she sat quietly on my lap as I checked her over. I can reach down and touch her now without any hysterics. She no longer bustles away tutting if I pass close by her. I carried some wood out of the coop run and stepped right over her as she napped on the ground, She didn't move and only opened her eyes for a moment.

One egg was fertile but didn't develop past about day four I would say. I don't know why. Henry is an old man and while willing still he isn't going to be a father again as far as I can see. He's been excellent with Fret when she's been off the nest. Gave her space, didn't hustle her away from the food, let her bathe in peace and didn't bug her when she was sitting.

I'll get a few more Ex Battery hens which is where my heart is now to keep Henry company in his senior years. I will probably do it soon so they can learn from what is essentially a dying group, even a proper tribe now in my view.

Using the shade box on my arrival.
View attachment 3534505

Fret's first call for the berries and bugs when I opened them up.
View attachment 3534509View attachment 3534510

Resting with Lima next to my chair.
View attachment 3534508

Henry.
View attachment 3534507

Fret being Fret and Henry putting up with her odd behaviour.
View attachment 3534506

Good night

So sorry to hear none of the eggs weren’t a succes.

Do you have an address for a few new ex-batts?

And thanks again for all the photos with explanations.

 

[Perris]

If Perris is agreeable I would be happy to have discussions on feed and the article here. It's chicken related. The article is excellent. All chicken topics that might upend the status quo are of interest to me, and the chickens, because somewhere we took a wrong turning and lost a lot of knowledge that needs bringing back into the general chicken keeping guidance.

I'm sure I can find other topics to upend the status quo!
There are several bits of hearsay which pop up every now and then, and for which I can find no good evidence or support.

 

[Perris]

Fret is so lucky to have you

 

[TropicalChickies]

chances are, if you've got questions prompted by the article, others who read it have the same ones, so asking in comments there is probably the best place, then any who wish can get the answers too. And it avoids cluttering up Shad's thread on rescues and ex-batts with other stuff (though I realize I do that all the time )

Ok, well, @Shadrach said he would actually like to have a discussion here in support of "anything that upends the status quo" regarding chickens. But you're the author and you make a good point. I'll post the questions over in the comments on the article and then reference my questions and your thoughts from here as well.