Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

The females and one of the males in my birth family are ship jumpers. They don't leave the ship they're on until another ship pulls alongside. This means they've never been in the water and if you've never been in the water you don't know if you can swim.
They also describe themselves as awfully competitive but none have ever competed in anything that has a body outside ones own opinion that dictates the position one reached.
What this means is one never has to face up to public failure and that can lead to some strange delusions about what one is capable of.
They are also the worst hole diggers I've come accross. Once in the hole and still digging one can't get back out without some help.
I am usually that help.
They also go dark; as in one day they're communicating and then suddenly not.
Nobody knows why they've gone dark so nothing gets resolved and that means they fester in a single perspective.

 

[MaryJanet]

The females and one of the males in my birth family are ship jumpers. They don't leave the ship they're on until another ship pulls alongside. This means they've never been in the water and if you've never been in the water you don't know if you can swim.
They also describe themselves as awfully competitive but none have ever competed in anything that has a body outside ones own opinion that dictates the position one reached.
What this means is one never has to face up to public failure and that can lead to some strange delusions about what one is capable of.
They are also the worst hole diggers I've come accross. Once in the hole and still digging one can't get back out without some help.
I am usually that help.
They also go dark; as in one day they're communicating and then suddenly not.
Nobody knows why they've gone dark so nothing gets resolved and that means they fester in a single perspective.

Yikes.

 

[MrsNorthie]

My eldests dog Spoko had to be euthanized. He was almost 15 years old. I thought he was 13. Needless to write she and her husband are upset.

My sympathies and commiseration. These animals we love, never live long enough and they leave a huge hole in our lives, when they are gone.

On top of this, some family dramas filtered up from the past over Christmas which a couple of my family have had festering since childhood.

This is why I prefer very limited human contact and the company of animals.

 

[16 and me]

Two and a half hours today. 10C no less!

It was about the same here in the Pacific Northwest! 12C and little to no rain! The flock was out from sunup to sundown for the first time in over a month.

Little man Samuel seems to be adjusting to his new role well.

Dolores

 

[HiEverybirdy]

We went from this 2 weeks ago (sub-freezing for 8 solid days)...

...to not freezing at all last week. Nights in the 50s/10-13C. Highs to 70F/21C.

Two of these 10-month pullets laid through the whole sub-freezing week, but older birds who had started laying at or after solstice completely stopped since the cold. We haven't had weather stop hens from laying before.

Another interesting note: these Speckled Sussex pullets molted at 8 months. It was a light molt, though molts here are typically light/slow.

Nugs, in the front, is only now finishing growing her tail while the other 2 restarted laying a month ago. I've read chickens only molt at over a year old, but at least 8 chickens here have proved that wrong by molting as juveniles. And then Plumbus and AGC didn't molt until 2.5 years old

 

[MrsNorthie]

Our first 12 also started moulting at 8 Months. Like with a lot of milestone recordings, it likely has 'acceptable variations.'

 

[16 and me]

We went from this 2 weeks ago (sub-freezing for 8 solid days)...

View attachment 3735492

...to not freezing at all last week. Nights in the 50s/10-13C. Highs to 70F/21C.

Two of these 10-month pullets laid through the whole sub-freezing week, but older birds who had started laying at or after solstice completely stopped since the cold. We haven't had weather stop hens from laying before.

Another interesting note: these Speckled Sussex pullets molted at 8 months. It was a light molt, though molts here are typically light/slow.

Nugs, in the front, is only now finishing growing her tail while the other 2 restarted laying a month ago. I've read chickens only molt at over a year old, but at least 8 chickens here have proved that wrong by molting as juveniles. And then Plumbus and AGC didn't molt until 2.5 years old

Beautiful photo! Yours don't seem to mind the snow. Mine are so unaccustomed to it I guess, they don't venture out past where I've laid straw for them! We had the same frigid -20's, then strong winds, then a snow dump that stuck around for a week or so, then heavy rains that seemd to never end.

 

[Shadrach]

Two and a half hours today. Grey, chilly despite the predicted 10C with occasional drizzle and windy.

Dig had just made a grab for Carbon. That's Henry chasing him off.

Mow avoiding Dig.

Sheltering from the wind.

Quite a peacfull roosting this evening.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good evening one and all!

Tea is ready.

I've spent the morning on the telephone and the afternoon doing housework.

Temperature is in the 50s and clear.

Have a great day!

 

[lightm]

We went from this 2 weeks ago (sub-freezing for 8 solid days)...

View attachment 3735492

...to not freezing at all last week. Nights in the 50s/10-13C. Highs to 70F/21C.

Two of these 10-month pullets laid through the whole sub-freezing week, but older birds who had started laying at or after solstice completely stopped since the cold. We haven't had weather stop hens from laying before.

Another interesting note: these Speckled Sussex pullets molted at 8 months. It was a light molt, though molts here are typically light/slow.

Nugs, in the front, is only now finishing growing her tail while the other 2 restarted laying a month ago. I've read chickens only molt at over a year old, but at least 8 chickens here have proved that wrong by molting as juveniles. And then Plumbus and AGC didn't molt until 2.5 years old

Pretty birds!

We have a hen (almost 3 years old) started molting after the sub-freezing week. She last molted in June/July 2023. I wonder if the cold triggered it. It appears to be a light molt so far.

Our youngsters (1y8m) laid through the sub-freezing week and are still going strong. For the record I believe our region was still warmer than your area during that week.