Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Molpet]

Oh no, i’m sorry for your loss. It's a sad experience loosing her when you were trying to help.
And it's certainly something to think about when you read all those posts saying to give a bath for eggbound hens.

Often I chicken out of physically helping skittish chickens, because i’m afraid to cause more harm than good .

I suppose in her case the outcome would have been the same anyway, if she was unwell to the point that just carrying her and running water tipped her to the other side.

Yes I always figured this would be the outcome for skiddish ones. And this is another reason why I don't name and have too many. Something happens to them it's not as traumatic to me. Still sad though.

 

[no fly zone]

Well today she was penguin walking and I figured I better try to help her or put her down. I ended up doing both at the same time, unintentionally. She was one of the calmer hens and I though a soaking would help. I carried her like an american football into the house and ran warm water over her bum. I was leaning over the basement sink holding her against me. She quit struggling and I shortly figure out I was holding a dead bird. Pre covid I would have opened her up and seen what all was wrong. She seemed egg bound but her comb wasn't red and no one in that coop had laid in a month due to molt.


And this is why I don't usually try to physically help a bird.

Sorry to hear that.

 

[Shadrach]

With winter coming and foraging options being severely limited, will you supplement that activity by scattering treats/feed around for them to find?

I do that already in a fashion. They get the mixed grains etc between the regular commercial feed. They also get fish, meat, cheese, fruit, most days which I hand feed to the adults and scatter a bit for the juveniles. Dig has tried to take from my hand, not to menton get on my lap to try to get what's in the non feeding hand. I, erm, discourage him. He's learning.
Funny how at a certain point the young drop to lowest status and become last in line for everything in chicken lives yet humans worship youth above all; at least many seem to.
However, despite the variety of food these days they get all except what I leave in the coop overnight (Perhaps 80 grams to 100 grams) in a three to four hour period in the afternoon. I don't know who gets to eat what from the overnight food.
A chickens crop can only hold so much so it would be better for them to have the feed intake spread over more hours.

 

[Shadrach]

Well today she was penguin walking and I figured I better try to help her or put her down. I ended up doing both at the same time, unintentionally. She was one of the calmer hens and I though a soaking would help. I carried her like an american football into the house and ran warm water over her bum. I was leaning over the basement sink holding her against me. She quit struggling and I shortly figure out I was holding a dead bird. Pre covid I would have opened her up and seen what all was wrong. She seemed egg bound but her comb wasn't red and no one in that coop had laid in a month due to molt.


And this is why I don't usually try to physically help a bird.

I still name them; even the ones I eat. I read a lot about how one shoudn't name livestock destined to be eaten. It hasn't made any difference to whether I can eat them or not so far.

 

[Perris]

A chickens crop can only hold so much so it would be better for them to have the feed intake spread over more hours.

I have read something about this; I shall look it up in the morning and get back to you. Bed now.

 

[Molpet]

I still name them; even the ones I eat. I read a lot about how one shoudn't name livestock destined to be eaten. It hasn't made any difference to whether I can eat them or not so far.

It shouldn't make a difference. Actually the ones I named on purpose it seemed like the kiss of death. Something bad happened to them.
One got named after she survived a hawk attack, Lucky. Another is still here she ended up being called stinker, I thought she was a cockerel because she kept jumping in my lap. Incubator baby.

 

[Shadrach]

Dry day. Cool with some sunshine.
So busy trying to get stuff done I only took one picture!

 

[RoyalChick]

A chickens crop can only hold so much so it would be better for them to have the feed intake spread over more hours.

I have tried explaining this concept to Bernie, but she makes a point of proving me wrong.

 

[Shadrach]

I have tried explaining this concept to Bernie, but she makes a point of proving me wrong. View attachment 3684664

Fudge used to look like that in profile.

 

[bruceha2000]

So does Nyx, my small Black Ameraucana (with 5 toes per foot). I just figure she has a loose crop.