Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[BDutch]

My bantams are too small to swallow an adult mouse. But I have seen a chicken catch a salamander and swallow it.

The neighbour cats are better equipped to catch mice. There is one cat who loves to hide out in the chicken run to catch sparrows. Never saw a mouse in the run. But if there is one I suppose its life will be short …

 

[fluffycrow]

Some of the neighbours use rat poison. I worry that one of the mice and rats that visit our property might have ingested some, and by getting eaten, passing it on to my birds. So far this has not happened, and they seem to avoid any rodent that seems sluggish, or has died without their intervention. Big Red has developed a taste for pigeon, although he has yet to catch one

 

[Perris]

Some of the neighbours use rat poison. I worry that one of the mice and rats that visit our property might have ingested some, and by getting eaten, passing it on to my birds.

I worry about that too, but fortunately the neighbours in the hamlet most likely to use it are also furthest from us. I also try to be stoical about it (and everything else I can't control).

 

[fluffycrow]

I worry about that too, but fortunately the neighbours in the hamlet most likely to use it are also furthest from us. I also try to be stoical about it (and everything else I can't control).

I try to do that too. Although our neighbours are significantly closer. I do trust my birds a fair bit, and I believe they can tell which rodent to eat, and which to leave alone. I remember when Cruella had her first successful hatch, one day I came down to find a dead mouse hanging on the wire of her pen. Cruella was visibly worried, taking her chicks to the other side of their pen, and would give the don't touch that/warning call to any of the chicks that approached. Once I got rid of the mouse she went back to normal. Another reason why I think hatching chicks with broodies is so important

 

[Ladies-Eight]

It's a fairly mild tea, really good for making "sun tea" which is a form of cold brewing in sunshine. That's how my mom makes her tea in the warm months. It doesn't have as much of the bitter tannins flavor.
I haven't tasted many brands of tea, but it doesn't have any of the "dusty" flavor of say, Lipton. Slightly milder than PG tips. I actually want to try Yorkshire Gold when my box of red rose is finished, I've heard it's excellent. I am very sensitive to bitter so I probably don't steep my tea as long as I should.

Tea tax (never!)
A fluffy Marans butt next to a sapphire splash.
View attachment 3731963

Twinings has a very mild tea "Lady Grey" it is delicious.

 

[16 and me]

!

I cant find anything wrong in the way you feed them. There is not a one fits all solution. What chickens eat can and may vary. Especially if you don’t try to gain a maximum number of eggs in the shortest possible time, as in commercial egg factories.
Most layer feed you can buy in the shop is designed for the commercial factory farmers. And is not what we really need for our back yard chickens. I do believe the organic layer feed is a very good choice for laying hybrids /breeds who lay 200 eggs a year or more.

The cheap layer with GMO soy and corn still contains some of the poison they use in Brazil * to kill the field weeds. The amount of poison doesn't kill a chicken who is going to be soup or cat feed anyway after a life of 18-22 months in factory farming.

* speaking of the feed we can buy in NL.

Thank you BDutch! My chickens will also be happy to hear this! I'll tell them when I go back out to lock them up. They won't mind today - it's pouring rain & all but the most serious foragers will be in the pen already. It's a long run from the pen to the nearest rain shelter across some leftover ice and snow.

 

[16 and me]

I have seen it on video.
BBC broadcast on a 60 minute video:

The private life of chickens.

And this is the part where a chicken hunts:

Thanks for posting! i hadn't seen these before.

 

[Brabra]

I wrote about Carbon's problem in some detail with pictures so readers might refer to these posts in the event they encounter a similar problem.

I have never given a chicken antibiotics for an undiagnosed problem before.
I have never given a chicken antibiotics for anything other than external injuries that have either become infected or, on the advice of a vet, stood an unacceptable risk of infection.

My experience of giving chickens antibiotics on the three occasions I have done so have been mostly disastrous and have led to extended suportive care, eating problems, crop disorders that took weeks to sort out, further weight loss and reintegration problems when they have had to be isolated while wounds have healed.

On the other hand I've dealt with some very unpleasant wounds with carefull cleaning and an application of Stokholm Hoof Tar.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-and-injuries-with-stockholm-hoof-tar.74400/

None of the birds treated as above spent more than a day away from their tribe and non of them died from their injuries and all continued to eat well and compared to those given antibiotics, recovered very quickly.

I'm not on the same page, or even reading the same book as BDutch regarding natural health products, whatever they are, and I don't really care about the effects of the overuse of antibiotics with my own species.
I do care about chickens though.
The last three occasions I've been prescribed antibiotics I didn't take them, they make me feel truly awful, and lived to write this.

I have amoxicillin on hand to give a medium dose of 125mg per day for seven days.

Whatever has caused Carbon's problem, stress, moulting, reduced immune system response, old age, it's a digestive tract problem she's dealing with leading to crop problems. These are the areas in my very limited experience that suffer badly when the chickens is given antibiotics. The last thing I want is to exacerbate the existing problems by giving antibiotics.
Getting her crop moving more freely has given positive results; still runny droppings but a much higher solid content.
I'm not in a position to give constant supportive care, or keep Carbon somewhere I can keep an eye on her adequately.
If she dies, she will have had a long life compared to the Ex Battery hens and some of the other rescues that have ended up at the allotments. Currently, as can be seen from my posts, she's eating, drinking and out foraging with the rest of her family. Should this stop, then I will reassess.


I'm going to try @L-plate chicken mum suggestion first and cross my fingers.

hi @Shadrach probably not the best plact to ask this but I have a chicken with either a sore or maybe bumble foot.....could i use the hoof tar on the bumble foot or should i do surgery first? In your experience. Thank you so much I love your very thorough knowledge of chickens

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 70s.

Have a great day!

 

[MaryJanet]

It's a fairly mild tea, really good for making "sun tea" which is a form of cold brewing in sunshine. That's how my mom makes her tea in the warm months. It doesn't have as much of the bitter tannins flavor.
I haven't tasted many brands of tea, but it doesn't have any of the "dusty" flavor of say, Lipton. Slightly milder than PG tips. I actually want to try Yorkshire Gold when my box of red rose is finished, I've heard it's excellent. I am very sensitive to bitter so I probably don't steep my tea as long as I should.

Tea tax (never!)
A fluffy Marans butt next to a sapphire splash.
View attachment 3731963

Yorkshire Gold is quite good. From the Yorkshire range, I prefer Proper Strong. I'm not sure it's available in the US though.

Tax for tea talk