Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MROO]

I see the newest brood of young roosters going through the motions of crowing. Can't wait for them to do so as when they chime in with the others it will be a real boys' chorus.

I have two young cockerels testing their voices at the moment, too - and I agree, it's fun! I've never fully understood people who find a rooster's voice so annoying, I LOVE to hear my boys. They start about 20 minutes before the sun comes up and go off sporadically throughout the day. To me, the HENS make more noise with their regular midafternoon caucus-ruckus. If I was going to complain about noise, THAT's what I'd fuss about!

 

[Nomadicus]

I have two young cockerels testing their voices at the moment, too - and I agree, it's fun! I've never fully understood people who find a rooster's voice so annoying, I LOVE to hear my boys. They start about 20 minutes before the sun comes up and go off sporadically throughout the day. To me, the HENS make more noise with their regular midafternoon caucus-ruckus. If I was going to complain about noise, THAT's what I'd fuss about!

And then the hens get real rowdy at roosting time.

 

[MROO]

View attachment 3563178

At 13, Spoko has earned the right to be a bit grumpy. He certainly is a beautiful doggo. I have an "Old Man" at my house, too. Indy was a stray. When he "found" us, two vets put him at 3-5 years. Another said 5-7. That was FIFTEEN years ago! He's nearly deaf, can only see light/dark/deep shadows and has the world's smallest bladder .. but he's the sweetest little dog ever and doesn't owe us a thing. As long as he's not suffering, he has a home and my support. That doesn't seem to be an issue at the moment. After treating for his chronic ear infections (There's GOT to be cocker spaniel in there, somewhere!) he' back to climbing stairs and stealing the cats' food and hidey-boxes!
Puppy Tax:

I love my sweet old man!

 

[BDutch]

This roof... well, think the lauae fern is holding it together lol. A shake roof that the fern got ahold of many, many years ago. That roof is at least 40 years old... I'd guess older, like 50 +. I am not sure how it has not grown a tree, the forest is thick with many a willing growers. Or why it has not caved in, other than the framing is nice and still appears fairly solid. I'll know more when i install the solar lights.View attachment 3561028Koke'e gets a average of 70" of rain per year. Kauai is home to Waialeale coming in with 450" average rainfall per year one of the wettest spots in the world, and this last winter was a soggy one all around. Also, the first time I noticed this roof showing some failure. Think the floral and fauna soak most all moisture. The tar paper underlayment is shot, I would not stand on this roof for nothing but we are gunna let it ride for now- though, have tin roofing waiting. Secrete? I have no idea, don't think I could replicate this if I tried. This cabin was largely ignored by humans for decades, so no human interference is probably the answer

Here they make green roofs with EPDM.
Attached with special glue.
We have a bike/tool shed with a sedum roof on top of a EPDM layer with a minor slope (<10%). But with so much rain that probably wouldn’t work for you. Its 17 years old and we never had trees or nasty weeds growing on it.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

On the “ranging” topic from a few pages back: The instructor at a chicken class at our farmers co-op 3 years ago included a few presentation slides on terminology. Not sure where his definitions were from, but he said, under no uncertain terms, free ranging means roaming with zero fences.

He would've called my setup "pastured": there's significantly more freedom than a coop run (8K sq ft) but with fences. In that case, I suppose people ranging without pasture could call their chickens forested, or jungled.

In reality, as I swing open the wide gate to their electric-protected yard each morning, I'm reminded of the work camps in Grapes of Wrath (or maybe their little dust bowls keep bringing up this imagery). While I'd prefer not to be responsible for setting their boundaries, I know they still get a ton of exercise. Not to mention a healthy degree of existential excitement, ducking raptors and dodging copperheads and other wildlife not deterred by fencing.

And hunting June bugs! I pity the beetles who cross Donna's path. She lives for this time of year. Tax. Pardon her dustbath booty and the shaggy grass. I asked DH not to mow this area until the baby bunnies are big enough to hop away (2 rabbit families take advantage of chicken-yard protections as well).

Donna hunts rain or shine. The others enjoy beetles but also the shade of the coop run on hot afternoons, so I went beetle hunting with a spare waterer and made a "treat" dispenser. I do feel kinda bad for the June bugs and Japanese beetles, but they’re invasive and sucking the life out of our fruit trees.

 

[MaryJanet]

On the “ranging” topic from a few pages back: The instructor at a chicken class at our farmers co-op 3 years ago included a few presentation slides on terminology. Not sure where his definitions were from, but he said, under no uncertain terms, free ranging means roaming with zero fences.

He would've called my setup "pastured": there's significantly more freedom than a coop run (8K sq ft) but with fences. In that case, I suppose people ranging without pasture could call their chickens forested, or jungled.

In reality, as I swing open the wide gate to their electric-protected yard each morning, I'm reminded of the work camps in Grapes of Wrath (or maybe their little dust bowls keep bringing up this imagery). While I'd prefer not to be responsible for setting their boundaries, I know they still get a ton of exercise. Not to mention a healthy degree of existential excitement, ducking raptors and dodging copperheads and other wildlife not deterred by fencing.

And hunting June bugs! I pity the beetles who cross Donna's path. She lives for this time of year. Tax. Pardon her dustbath booty and the shaggy grass. I asked DH not to mow this area until the baby bunnies are big enough to hop away (2 rabbit families take advantage of chicken-yard protections as well).

Donna hunts rain or shine. The others enjoy beetles but also the shade of the coop run on hot afternoons, so I went beetle hunting with a spare waterer and made a "treat" dispenser. I do feel kinda bad for the June bugs and Japanese beetles, but they’re invasive and sucking the life out of our fruit trees.

Hmm I suppose that means the chickens in suburban backyards are either cooped, runned, or yarded. Or some combo of all three.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Shad sounds like you could pitch a tent and call it a temp coop and put a cot and a cooler for beverage in it so you could catch a nap with those feathered kids to keep you company and you will be keeping them company. I need more chairs in my coops so I can take sit down breaks and have serious discussions with mine. They act like they are listening but they are not fooling me. They just want to hear one word. TREAT.

Seriously, just when I thought my frizzle was really getting deep with me conversation wise, she tried to eat a strand of my hair.

"Closer... closer... I want to tell you a secret...right there..." Peck!

 

[Nomadicus]

I'm got to find a way to get at least one of my Dark Cornish roos to pose for a photo. They are handsome fellows to be from Cornwall.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Shad is indeed wondering if it's for him. When can I move in?

Had my heart drop yesterday as no sign of Shad for hours. I called and looked high and low. Thought the big roo did him in. To my relief, when I went looking for the body, he mysteriously showed up behind me.
I stuffed his crop with game cock feed and some bread pieces. Glad he was well. Don't know about Shad moving in, but I think he will be tolerated. The big roo I am worried about as I am sure there will be some territory issues with him and my flock. These gamefowl are vicious and I expect problems.

Speaking of Shad... @Shadrach moving in congratulations! It sounds like a good move and a nicer life. I hope you get some good news soon. Your small flock looks wonderful. I know I have missed many pages and don't have the time or patience to read back that far... any thoughts of chicken addition? You worked so hard to give them a functioning and happy life. Just checking.

@pennyJo1960 sorry to hear about your dh. Glad he is on the upswing and has good help and loving family to see him through his illness. Keeping you in my good thoughts ♡

Long winded tax of my yard rangers.

I don't think I've shared these on this thread.... have not been out with my phone much so not up on my taxes.

 

[Perris]

Is chick behaviour a reliable guide to gender? Here's Fez at tea tonight.
View attachment 3540497
Dining with 3 aunties (and next to Maria the head hen here, but they all move round a lot during mealtime so I put no store by that); mum was at one of the other bowls. I'm gonna stick my neck out and guess that this behaviour at 14 days old indicates male. There's no comb or wattle development or colour yet btw.

Fez popped his wattles last night (at 1 day short of 5 weeks old) so fwiw, that's confirmation in this single case.