Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[ManueB]

My plan, based on everything that I have read here, (a lot from you, @Perris and @TropicalChickies and others in other threads.) is to encourage the chickens natural immunity.

• Provide proper feed.
• Provide a clean, natural (as possible) living environment.
• Supply natural immunity boosters, such as oregano, rosemary, turmeric, that they can eat as needed.
• Observe proper quarantine procedures, if we ever add any more members, from outside the flock.

If the backyard flocks build their immunity, naturally, they will be stronger and pass that on to their chicks and over generations, that natural immunity should become stronger than anything they could get from a vaccine.

It's good to have a plan, or a vision, for your chickens. But I think it's important to remain open minded, and accept that things may go differently than planned. I haven't had antibiotics myself for longer than I can remember, probably more than 20 years, and if you had asked me when I got my chickens, I would have said I was never ever going to use them for the chickens. Things did not turn out like this. It may come to a choice between saving a loved pet and staying with your vision, it's not always an easy choice. Immunity, as far as I know, develops with exposure. I don't think a flock, however excellent their living conditions, will be completely immune when first exposed to a virus, bacteria, parasite or strain.

Piou-piou the runt was my first chicken to be given antibiotics for a wound. When she had a growth and mobility problem as a chick, I was certain she wouldn't survive free ranging, but she had a will of iron and she loved her freedom, so she did. This and the fact that we have become very attached to her, means that although we know she likely won't live long, we will try to help her enjoy life for a little longer than she would under nature’s reign.

 

[bruceha2000]

I could never trust a gov't that has disarmed its citizens.

As an American, I certainly do not trust ours.

Interesting that there was a piece on NPR just today about the 2nd amendment. Turns out it isn't in the Constitution so people can protect themselves but to keep the southern states from torpedoing the whole thing. They needed the guns to keep the slaves controlled. Way more slaves on the land than white folks.

I managed to get a couple of pictures of the Matthew from the bus as it drove by.

Seems overcrowded, I hope they don't plan to go to sea

I know there was a push to try to require citizens to report their gardens and what they are growing, to the USDA. I also know that they were pushing mandatory vaccines for farm animals and backyard chickens

Do you have a source for this? I've not heard of it at all. I'm pretty sure the USDA wouldn't be all that interested in my paltry garden.

The flat I was informed about was not the flat I was offered finally.

BAIT AND SWITCH!!!
Is there some authority you can turn to and get the other flat or one similar?

The living room in the flat they finally offered me was 2.6 metres by 2.1 metres

My chickens have a bigger coop (3.05 m x 3.7m) than that!!! Hell, my BATHROOM is bigger than that living room.

 

[BDutch]

threads.) is to encourage the chickens natural immunity.

With Covid natural immunity was not the key. The first 2 years Covid was quite lethal for elderly and vulnerable and many healthy young people did not recover well (long covid).

The avian flu H5N1 is similar or even worse for birds. Millions of wild birds got killed by the bird flu. Some bird populations lost about 90%* of the population.

You can be lucky not getting sick, but I don’t believe in natural immunity for a whole population with viruses like Covid, and this avian flu. I do believe vaccination can help to get less sick from the virus.

Correction: A few bird populations like the big sterns lost about 50% of the population in one breeding season.

 

[Perris]

Millions of wild birds got killed by the bird flu. Some bird populations lost about 90% of the population.

It is important not to exaggerate this. What you say is true, but there are many millions more that are not impacted by H5N1 - it does not infect all bird species, in fact, it seems to hurt relatively few - even among waterfowl and coastal species which are apparently most at risk. For example, there are more puffins and shearwaters on Lundy this year than at any time since the 1930s: see
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...abirds-on-island-of-lundy-at-nine-decade-high

So comparisons with covid and humans are very misleading.

 

[bruceha2000]

You can be lucky not getting sick, but I don’t believe in natural immunity for a whole population with viruses like Covid

Agreed. DD2 never got it even though she was definitely exposed, twice. She had the vaccination. So did DW and I but we both got mild cases June last year, never were in contact with anyone known to have it or showing symptoms. Covid Mary? Seems DD2 might be one of the few with natural immunity.

Tax - Zeus today at 5.5 months.

 

[MaryJanet]

Agreed. DD2 never got it even though she was definitely exposed, twice. She had the vaccination. So did DW and I but we both got mild cases June last year, never were in contact with anyone known to have it or showing symptoms. Covid Mary? Seems DD2 might be one of the few with natural immunity.

Tax - Zeus today at 5.5 months.
View attachment 3658166

I've never had a positive test for COVID and I've been exposed and tested more times than I recall - I come into contact with 100s of people a week. I'm fully vaccinated, so it's been brilliant for me.

Taxes for straying off the thread's topic.

 

[BDutch]

It is important not to exaggerate this. What you say is true, but there are many millions more that are not impacted by H5N1 - it does not infect all bird species, in fact, it seems to hurt relatively few - even among waterfowl and coastal species which are apparently most at risk. For example, there are more puffins and shearwaters on Lundy this year than at any time since the 1930s: see
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...abirds-on-island-of-lundy-at-nine-decade-high

So comparisons with covid and humans are very misleading.

You are right, I remembered a catastrophe amongst Cranes and Big Sterns, but the mortality rate was not that high. Thanks for your reaction Perris.

 

[Shadrach]

That's a shame; I completely understand why though, given its size and position.

Will they offer you another better one in the same complex in due course, or having rejected the first offered will you be removed from the waiting list there?

All the flats apart from the doubles are of that size. I will look around at other options but it won't be there and probably not with my current housing provider.
I asked to be removed from the list at that site. A shame, because the site is good but the flats are not.

 

[Shadrach]

BAIT AND SWITCH!!!
Is there some authority you can turn to and get the other flat or one similar?

My chickens have a bigger coop (3.05 m x 3.7m) than that!!! Hell, my BATHROOM is bigger than that living room.

There are other housing providers and I will look into them.

It's interesting. It would seem that being a sheltered housing complex for people over 55 years old, some assumptions have been made about their lifestyles.
The bathrooms are quite large and this is because some people who will choose this type of accomodation need some help with bathing so the space is needed for that.
The living rooms it seems have been designed on the assumption that the occupant leads a solitary life, probably watches TV a lot and would want a comode and perhaps a fridge within easy reach and a comfortable chair to sit in and not much else. There are people like this where I currently live. However, not only do I invite people for lunches and supper, I have furniture, don't watch or even have a TV and have had six people in my flat at one time.
The housing providers perception/knowledge of how older people live may well have been different in the 1970's when the flats were built. I think around half the people who live in the complex I live in (all over 60 years old from what I gather) are very active, some with large families. Even those with limited mobility wish to go out and have family visit. The complaint I hear most often is the living space in the flats here is not big enough. The rest of the flats are fine most think. Some, and I agree with them think the bedrooms could have been made smaller. Lets face it after 50 years or so of sex, should the oportunity arrise some extra space in the living room might come in handy. After all, those walking frames take up a lot of space and one has probably got very bored of being in bed.
I like my flat. I get sun through large windows in the living room and bedroom and I look directly onto a tree out of my kitchen window where I watch the birds come and go. The soundproofing is above average and that means I can play music at a reasonable level without disturbing others, which given the amount of time I spend listening to music is important. I'm also fond of the things I've accumulated over the years and I've been through the thinning out process quite a few times and I'm at minimum now.
I have a friend who lives in a similar complex but built within the last five years. His bedroom is very slightly smaller than mine but his living room is perhaps a third bigger again and the place is light and airy.

 

[fuzzi]

I won't be moving. The flat I was informed about was not the flat I was offered finally.
The living room in the flat I'm currently living in is quite small measuring 4.2 metres by 2.9 metres. That's quite small but I've managed to get my things arranged in it so it doesn't feel overly cramped. The living room in the flat they finally offered me was 2.6 metres by 2.1 metres.
I would have to dispose of half my furniture which I've had for years.
Add to this the offered flat's location changed from first floor to ground floor and both the bedroom and the living room window faced the road (albeit a very quiet road) that leads to the flat complex.
I get lots of light in my current flat but would need a torch to see my way around the new flat. The windows are much smaller and being on the ground floor there is less light.


Yes. Perhaps when the dust has settled a bit I'll explain why. It's a major step forward.

Bait and switch... sorry to hear it.