Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MrsNorthie]

Pretty much what I have going on now.
I used to move hens in the spring and when I was done hatching I would open up the division so the 4 coops could go wherever they wanted. A few went back to the coop they came from. One coop seems to attract more than it's share though. Its packed. The biggest is almost empty so the turkeys have pretty much taken it over.

Ours have a huge space, but they don't seem to spread out too far from each other, and they all seem to choose to all huddle together on the same roost at night. Every once in awhile, during the day, a few of the girls wander off to the far reaches of the run, in opposite directions, so the 3 cockerels split up and pick a group to escort. LOL

 

[TropicalChickies]

Ours have a huge space, but they don't seem to spread out too far from each other, and they all seem to choose to all huddle together on the same roost at night. Every once in awhile, during the day, a few of the girls wander off to the far reaches of the run, in opposite directions, so the 3 cockerels split up and pick a group to escort. LOL

It's so interesting how they (the cockerels) feel a "call to duty" even when it's really not necessary. Gallant, even.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I've experienced it for 35 years in the Carolinas. I'm spoiled.

It used to be the same in Vermont, at least in farm country, when I was growing up, but a lot of the big city escapees from Mass and NY have kind of ruined it up there. The Carolinas are still very strongly community minded. It is very nice here, except the heat..lol

 

[MrsNorthie]

It's so interesting how they (the cockerels) feel a "call to duty" even when it's really not necessary. Gallant, even.

I just love them. They have worked out their individual responsibilities and work together to protect their young ladies. When they mature, (and stop being so clumsy with their attempts to mate... *sigh) I think they will be perfect gentlemen.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Chirk is recovering slowly and steadily, so we went out for a bit of fresh air, sunshine, and physio on the grass earlier this morning. In due course Puffin appeared from under a tree nearby, and after a cautious few minutes (that included disappearing round a corner) and my retreat she came right up to him; he was chattering enthusiastically and pretending he had something tasty in the dirt box (though he can't put his head down in front when he's standing yet; he goes heels over head if he tries it) to such an extent I thought she was going to jump in with him Then in his excitement he capsized the box, found himself floundering around on the grass, and frightened her away But things are improving, that's the point.

I'm starting to think about how I can create a safe space for him to recuperate outside. He hunkers down when he hears the other roos and I don't want to cause him fear, but he needs to get out on the grass to build up his strength and mobility again. There is no secure pen here and I'm looking to improvise for this short-term need. Any suggestions anyone?

Glad Chirk is on the mend! Maybe use chicken wire to make a little recovery yard for him, or even a really large wire dog kennel/crate with some plywood on top for shade. I used one for a wounded hen, so she wasn't removed from the group during the day and then brought her in at night until she was ready to roost with her tribe again.

 

[Perris]

open on top so he can get sunshine and so he can see and feel his friends around him.

2 of the 3 other roos are good fliers, so I don't think open on top will work, but I like the idea of plenty of sun and air.

I think I may try to drape scaffolding netting over the top of the preloved pen frame I got last year and turn that into a sort of run, and then watch carefully to see that Killay in particular does not attempt to land on and thereby collapse it. (The whole point about flimsy flappy netting is to deter animals from trying to get through or on it for fear of getting trapped in it, so I guess this would be a real test of that hypothesis!) Chirk will need somewhere to hide out of sight in there too - the coop he'll sleep in being the obvious answer. So by collective and out loud thinking, we've got to what is effectively an enclosed broody coop and pen, but for an invalid! Thanks all!

 

[Nomadicus]

I managed morning chores without any new wounds. A close call or too from friendly fire. While moving a feeder a pulled flew up and perched on my arm so she would be first in line.

 

[Perris]

It's amazing -- she's been feeling ill for almost ten months, and even though I was only feeding her scrambled egg before, she wasn't getting better, she just wasn't dying. Now her poop is more solid, her energy is much better, her comb is standing up and she's a healthy red color for the first time in a long time.

Of course it's not a scientific conclusion, but I haven't changed anything but her feed...

I'm so pleased to read this, for her and for you. If it's gone on for 10 months, I think your (both your) perseverance deserves a medal! Most people would have given up and culled long since I suspect.

 

[bruceha2000]

Since we have brought in the chickens, all the area wild birds seem to be friendlier with us.

The parents this year went really wild any time I was down there. In prior years they (not necessarily the same birds!) got used to seeing me and weren't too panicky. One would think they might notice the 20 chickens are all very happy to see me.

I dunno. What have I come to?

Uh oh, SOCIALIZING???? We might need to mount an intervention!!

 

[ManueB]

I read about this scheme or similar during the transition from Spain to the UK and didn't keep a link to the relevant net page. If you have any more details I would like to have them please.
One hundred and twenty Euros isn't a lot of money to pay for a pet. The ridiculous thing is it's an awful lot of money to pay for a pet that will help pay its way with eggs. I'll leave this to others to work out the logic in this.View attachment 3568777
What I would like to know is by how long is the life expectancy of an implanted hen extended.

Fret seems to be doing okay. Muolting and laying eggs, plus recovering from an unproductive sit, plus losing her foraging friend is bound to take a toll on her. These and other factors are in part what is making me delay any attempt to introduce any newcomers. The truth is the trio seem quite settled.

It's odd. My least favourite breed that have been at the allotments is the Crested Cream Legbar, but for the sake of an easier integration it looks as if for the short term at least, these are what I'm most likely to get.
Life trying to teach me a lesson possibly...

Good for Fret. She has been through a lot , certainly.

I searched through my emails but seems I threw away the relevant one from the ASPAS federation calling for adoption. I did find the update from the shelter that collected the hens and kept eight of those remaining. They explained that the actual rescue operation was led by another association that operates in a more classical manner, rescuing thousand of hens, and they took out of those 20. Then they took care of organizing vet visits and care when necessary, implants, and adoptions. So there was indeed an intermediate, which would as you mentioned pose a biosecurity problem, hens being moved twice.

They also said that even with the implant and vet care, one of the hens they kept died about a month after, of infection.
It's not only paying initially, but also about being able to maintain the hen on the implant if she's doing well with it both financially and taking her to the vet every four to six months.

As for having an idea of the life span gained by suprelorin/ deslorin implants.... not sure there is enough data yet to know. @RoyalChick did some research and could maybe say. I have been following rescues who use them, with the impression that most of the time they are used once a hen already has reproductive issues, so they will extend life for a year, maybe two, but not "save" it. The person I asked about it said although there could be secondary effects in some cases, it was worth giving them a try, and sometimes it could help a hen through a difficult pass and then the reproductive system seems to get back on track and she can get off it.
For those associations that are operated by "anti-specists" (sorry, I lack the vocabulary to express exactly my meaning) I believe using implants is done systematically, almost as an animal right gesture, to allow the hens to lead a life without having to lay.