Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

This question is not too chicken related, but it's something I've been wondering for some time. Shad, I'm quite certain you had/kept muscovies while in Catalonia. What did you feed them, if at all (self sustaining perhaps)? While I don't have ducks, I realised that I've never seen duck feed being sold here. From my very limited search, I couldn't find a single feed store (even online) that sold duck feed. It seems that the diet most ducks are on over here consists of chicken feed, and mostly table scraps.



That seems quite the opposite from the typical "ducks must be fed duck feed, because otherwise they might be niacin deficient and suffer" I've read on BYC. Then again, it's not like the same isn't said for chickens



Tax for the duck talk: a serama chick, and a Tsouloufati chick from my latest batchView attachment 3836159View attachment 3836160

The Muscovies got fed the same feed as the chickens but with the addition of a vitamin B complex.
It's a problem that crops up over and over on most of the backyard type poultry sites. The assumption is often that the birds are contained and contained birds have different nutrient requirements to a ranging bird.
The Muscovies in Catalonia were ranging birds; almost down to the nearest village when Jenny used to fancy a bit of a fly about. Strange thing is, when I went to look for her I would find her walking home along the track or waiting by the side for a lift I assume. I used to walk her back and always wondered why she would fly away but not fly back.

 

[fluffycrow]

The Muscovies got fed the same feed as the chickens but with the addition of a vitamin B complex.
It's a problem that crops up over and over on most of the backyard type poultry sites. The assumption is often that the birds are contained and contained birds have different nutrient requirements to a ranging bird.
The Muscovies in Catalonia were ranging birds; almost down to the nearest village when Jenny used to fancy a bit of a fly about. Strange thing is, when I went to look for her I would find her walking home along the track or waiting by the side for a lift I assume. I used to walk her back and always wondered why she would fly away but not fly back.

I see. I guess that's where the food scraps come into play. Some foods are high in vitamin B.

It's possible that Jenny enjoyed your walks. Or maybe she liked having a bodyguard escort her back home

 

[Shadrach]

Warm, dry with sunny spells.
Fret had seven eggs and you may notice the sums dont add up.
Fret hatched five out of the seven. Somehow an egg got added over the last two days. All the original eggs were marked and one in the nest box wasn't. It could be one of Mow's.
Fret was in the coop extension with three chicks when I got there. In the nest box were two others abandoned. One wasn't fully out of its shell and had a badly deformed beak and an underdeveloped foot on one leg. I uthanized that one.
The chick in the picture wasn't able to stand but was fighting to live. I got a ver small amount of water into it and by smearing wet rooster booster in the beak side gap managed to get a very small amount of food into it.
I left it in the nest while I did the main chores and then tucked it into my base layer above my trouser belt, taking it out from time to time to make it drink and eat a ver small quantity of food. After an hour or some I could hold it in one hand and dig its beak into some Rooster Booster slush and then I could see it open and close its beak as it ingested some of the slush.
I treid a few times to interest Fret in taking the chick on but she either pecked at it, or moved away.
Funny how things turn out. I was pretty naughty. One of the field members had a couple of hens, one of which had recently died. I walked over and started talking to her giving mid baselayer an occasional gentle prod. Of course the chick peeped a bit. Just hearing the peepwas enough to make this persons eyes go misty and when I pulled the chick out and held on my palm in front of this person, the empathic/love sparks flew. I said if she didn't take the chick I would kill it and maternal instincts did the rest. Vegetables forgotton and of she went straight home with the chick.
I am pleased to write that I had a picture sent earlier and the chick is standing, eating and looks to be normal.
I don't as a rule try to raise chicks that the mother abandons and in my current circumstances it's a definite no. Lucky chick. Lucky me and I hope one delighted keeper.
This is the lucky one.

These are the ones Fret had out of the nest and coop very quickly. The yellow one is the youngest and is struggling a bit to keep up but it should be okay in a day or two.

Mow sampling the chick feed while Fret grumbles.

Mow knows better than to push her luck with mum.

Henry taking a well earned rest believing he's done his bit.

Mow and Carbon are giving Fret a wide berth at the moment but Henry is allowed to get very close to the chicks and I saw two of them standing underneath him at one point.

I was sitting watch the chicks with my camera in my hand about to take a picture when Fret suddenly took off in full battle order. A rat had turned up to try and grabe some chicken food as they do in the evening before roost time. Fret got it. I just got my head around the doorway in time to see Fret jumping up and down on the rat as she pecked its head. It did get away but I think it's injured.
Funny thing is Carbon shot out straight after Fret and stood close as a sort of backup I guess; either that, or knowing Carbon, she though Fret had got something edible.

Interesting to note that while Fret encourages them to eat the chick feed, she is also encouraging them to try the small seeds in the adult mix I make.

Roost time is usually difficult for the first few days when ramps are involved.
I don't like wearing gloves when handling chickens and particulalry when helping mum to get the chicks into the coop. I usually get a few pecks. This evening they were easy to catch and I had all three in the coop very quickly with Fret hovering at the door. Not a peep from the chicks and no pecks from Fret.

 

[fuzzi]

Warm, dry with sunny spells.
Fret had seven eggs and you may notice the sums dont add up.
Fret hatched five out of the seven. Somehow an egg got added over the last two days. All the original eggs were marked and one in the nest box wasn't. It could be one of Mow's.
Fret was in the coop extension with three chicks when I got there. In the nest box were two others abandoned. One wasn't fully out of its shell and had a badly deformed beak and an underdeveloped foot on one leg. I uthanized that one.
The chick in the picture wasn't able to stand but was fighting to live. I got a ver small amount of water into it and by smearing wet rooster booster in the beak side gap managed to get a very small amount of food into it.
I left it in the nest while I did the main chores and then tucked it into my base layer above my trouser belt, taking it out from time to time to make it drink and eat a ver small quantity of food. After an hour or some I could hold it in one hand and dig its beak into some Rooster Booster slush and then I could see it open and close its beak as it ingested some of the slush.
I treid a few times to interest Fret in taking the chick on but she either pecked at it, or moved away.
Funny how things turn out. I was pretty naughty. One of the field members had a couple of hens, one of which had recently died. I walked over and started talking to her giving mid baselayer an occasional gentle prod. Of course the chick peeped a bit. Just hearing the peepwas enough to make this persons eyes go misty and when I pulled the chick out and held on my palm in front of this person, the empathic/love sparks flew. I said if she didn't take the chick I would kill it and maternal instincts did the rest. Vegetables forgotton and of she went straight home with the chick.
I am pleased to write that I had a picture sent earlier and the chick is standing, eating and looks to be normal.
I don't as a rule try to raise chicks that the mother abandons and in my current circumstances it's a definite no. Lucky chick. Lucky me and I hope one delighted keeper.
This is the lucky one.
View attachment 3836402

These are the ones Fret had out of the nest and coop very quickly. The yellow one is the youngest and is struggling a bit to keep up but it should be okay in a day or two.
View attachment 3836401

Mow sampling the chick feed while Fret grumbles.
View attachment 3836404

Mow knows better than to push her luck with mum.
View attachment 3836405

Henry taking a well earned rest believing he's done his bit.
View attachment 3836403

Mow and Carbon are giving Fret a wide berth at the moment but Henry is allowed to get very close to the chicks and I saw two of them standing underneath him at one point.
View attachment 3836407

I was sitting watch the chicks with my camera in my hand about to take a picture when Fret suddenly took off in full battle order. A rat had turned up to try and grabe some chicken food as they do in the evening before roost time. Fret got it. I just got my head around the doorway in time to see Fret jumping up and down on the rat as she pecked its head. It did get away but I think it's injured.
Funny thing is Carbon shot out straight after Fret and stood close as a sort of backup I guess; either that, or knowing Carbon, she though Fret had got something edible.
View attachment 3836408

Interesting to note that while Fret encourages them to eat the chick feed, she is also encouraging them to try the small seeds in the adult mix I make.


View attachment 3836406


Roost time is usually difficult for the first few days when ramps are involved.
I don't like wearing gloves when handling chickens and particulalry when helping mum to get the chicks into the coop. I usually get a few pecks. This evening they were easy to catch and I had all three in the coop very quickly with Fret hovering at the door. Not a peep from the chicks and no pecks from Fret.
View attachment 3836409
View attachment 3836410

I'm glad you were able to find a home for the rejected chick.

 

[RoyalChick]

Warm, dry with sunny spells.
Fret had seven eggs and you may notice the sums dont add up.
Fret hatched five out of the seven. Somehow an egg got added over the last two days. All the original eggs were marked and one in the nest box wasn't. It could be one of Mow's.
Fret was in the coop extension with three chicks when I got there. In the nest box were two others abandoned. One wasn't fully out of its shell and had a badly deformed beak and an underdeveloped foot on one leg. I uthanized that one.
The chick in the picture wasn't able to stand but was fighting to live. I got a ver small amount of water into it and by smearing wet rooster booster in the beak side gap managed to get a very small amount of food into it.
I left it in the nest while I did the main chores and then tucked it into my base layer above my trouser belt, taking it out from time to time to make it drink and eat a ver small quantity of food. After an hour or some I could hold it in one hand and dig its beak into some Rooster Booster slush and then I could see it open and close its beak as it ingested some of the slush.
I treid a few times to interest Fret in taking the chick on but she either pecked at it, or moved away.
Funny how things turn out. I was pretty naughty. One of the field members had a couple of hens, one of which had recently died. I walked over and started talking to her giving mid baselayer an occasional gentle prod. Of course the chick peeped a bit. Just hearing the peepwas enough to make this persons eyes go misty and when I pulled the chick out and held on my palm in front of this person, the empathic/love sparks flew. I said if she didn't take the chick I would kill it and maternal instincts did the rest. Vegetables forgotton and of she went straight home with the chick.
I am pleased to write that I had a picture sent earlier and the chick is standing, eating and looks to be normal.
I don't as a rule try to raise chicks that the mother abandons and in my current circumstances it's a definite no. Lucky chick. Lucky me and I hope one delighted keeper.
This is the lucky one.
View attachment 3836402

These are the ones Fret had out of the nest and coop very quickly. The yellow one is the youngest and is struggling a bit to keep up but it should be okay in a day or two.
View attachment 3836401

Mow sampling the chick feed while Fret grumbles.
View attachment 3836404

Mow knows better than to push her luck with mum.
View attachment 3836405

Henry taking a well earned rest believing he's done his bit.
View attachment 3836403

Mow and Carbon are giving Fret a wide berth at the moment but Henry is allowed to get very close to the chicks and I saw two of them standing underneath him at one point.
View attachment 3836407

I was sitting watch the chicks with my camera in my hand about to take a picture when Fret suddenly took off in full battle order. A rat had turned up to try and grabe some chicken food as they do in the evening before roost time. Fret got it. I just got my head around the doorway in time to see Fret jumping up and down on the rat as she pecked its head. It did get away but I think it's injured.
Funny thing is Carbon shot out straight after Fret and stood close as a sort of backup I guess; either that, or knowing Carbon, she though Fret had got something edible.
View attachment 3836408

Interesting to note that while Fret encourages them to eat the chick feed, she is also encouraging them to try the small seeds in the adult mix I make.


View attachment 3836406


Roost time is usually difficult for the first few days when ramps are involved.
I don't like wearing gloves when handling chickens and particulalry when helping mum to get the chicks into the coop. I usually get a few pecks. This evening they were easy to catch and I had all three in the coop very quickly with Fret hovering at the door. Not a peep from the chicks and no pecks from Fret.
View attachment 3836409
View attachment 3836410

COngratulations to all involved!

 

[Perris]

I was pretty naughty.

yes you were. But all in a good cause
Congrats on the new chicks; they look adorable

 

[ManueB]

What an eventful day. Five new chicks ! Will make a huge shift for the allotment small crew.
I wonder if you saved the little late chick because you are getting softer with time, or if you feel that the circumstances in which you are now keeping chickens are so different, that they require shift of habit ?

It turns out phone cameras with "night mode" do an extraordinary job capturing the northern lights. I'm not convinced my Sony A7III did better than neighbors' phones

Your photos are really impressive, whether you take pictures of chickens or skies !
Yes, some phones do very well. I have a friend who takes incredible night sky pictures combining a magnifying lens and a Huawei phone. But, a phone on average lasts about three or four years, ( especially if you use it in chicken surroundings ) whereas a good camera can last at least twice that time.
I would like to have a phone that takes good pics but I don't agree with spending that amount of money for something so short lasting ...and so polluting .

 

[Perris]

Just got some news on Skomer, two weeks into his new gig: "he is getting on just fine, has his own little flock of about 10 girls. Had a bit of trouble with the other cockerel at first for 3 or 4 days but now all sorted. He is a hard worker and seems to like the old birds

Thanks again"
yay!

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Funny how things turn out. I was pretty naughty. One of the field members had a couple of hens, one of which had recently died. I walked over and started talking to her giving mid baselayer an occasional gentle prod. Of course the chick peeped a bit. Just hearing the peepwas enough to make this persons eyes go misty and when I pulled the chick out and held on my palm in front of this person, the empathic/love sparks flew. I said if she didn't take the chick I would kill it and maternal instincts did the rest. Vegetables forgotton and of she went straight home with the chick.
I am pleased to write that I had a picture sent earlier and the chick is standing, eating and looks to be normal.
I don't as a rule try to raise chicks that the mother abandons and in my current circumstances it's a definite no. Lucky chick. Lucky me and I hope one delighted keeper.
This is the lucky one.
View attachment 3836402

These are the ones Fret had out of the nest and coop very quickly. The yellow one is the youngest and is struggling a bit to keep up but it should be okay in a day or two.
View attachment 3836401

Mow sampling the chick feed while Fret grumbles.
View attachment 3836404

Mow knows better than to push her luck with mum.
View attachment 3836405

Henry taking a well earned rest believing he's done his bit.
View attachment 3836403

Mow and Carbon are giving Fret a wide berth at the moment but Henry is allowed to get very close to the chicks and I saw two of them standing underneath him at one point.
View attachment 3836407

I was sitting watch the chicks with my camera in my hand about to take a picture when Fret suddenly took off in full battle order. A rat had turned up to try and grabe some chicken food as they do in the evening before roost time. Fret got it. I just got my head around the doorway in time to see Fret jumping up and down on the rat as she pecked its head. It did get away but I think it's injured.
Funny thing is Carbon shot out straight after Fret and stood close as a sort of backup I guess; either that, or knowing Carbon, she though Fret had got something edible.
View attachment 3836408

Interesting to note that while Fret encourages them to eat the chick feed, she is also encouraging them to try the small seeds in the adult mix I make.


View attachment 3836406


Roost time is usually difficult for the first few days when ramps are involved.
I don't like wearing gloves when handling chickens and particulalry when helping mum to get the chicks into the coop. I usually get a few pecks. This evening they were easy to catch and I had all three in the coop very quickly with Fret hovering at the door. Not a peep from the chicks and no pecks from Fret.
View attachment 3836409
View attachment 3836410

Great update. I'd've been your wisty-eyed victim in that story.

Rules are meant to be broken. Unless you're a rat breaking Fret's Zero Rodent policy, which she's evidently serious about.

Interesting diversity of color. Seems like 2 of the chicks got looks from the Legbar-mix side this time.

 

[fluffycrow]

Warm, dry with sunny spells.
Fret had seven eggs and you may notice the sums dont add up.
Fret hatched five out of the seven. Somehow an egg got added over the last two days. All the original eggs were marked and one in the nest box wasn't. It could be one of Mow's.
Fret was in the coop extension with three chicks when I got there. In the nest box were two others abandoned. One wasn't fully out of its shell and had a badly deformed beak and an underdeveloped foot on one leg. I uthanized that one.
The chick in the picture wasn't able to stand but was fighting to live. I got a ver small amount of water into it and by smearing wet rooster booster in the beak side gap managed to get a very small amount of food into it.
I left it in the nest while I did the main chores and then tucked it into my base layer above my trouser belt, taking it out from time to time to make it drink and eat a ver small quantity of food. After an hour or some I could hold it in one hand and dig its beak into some Rooster Booster slush and then I could see it open and close its beak as it ingested some of the slush.
I treid a few times to interest Fret in taking the chick on but she either pecked at it, or moved away.
Funny how things turn out. I was pretty naughty. One of the field members had a couple of hens, one of which had recently died. I walked over and started talking to her giving mid baselayer an occasional gentle prod. Of course the chick peeped a bit. Just hearing the peepwas enough to make this persons eyes go misty and when I pulled the chick out and held on my palm in front of this person, the empathic/love sparks flew. I said if she didn't take the chick I would kill it and maternal instincts did the rest. Vegetables forgotton and of she went straight home with the chick.
I am pleased to write that I had a picture sent earlier and the chick is standing, eating and looks to be normal.
I don't as a rule try to raise chicks that the mother abandons and in my current circumstances it's a definite no. Lucky chick. Lucky me and I hope one delighted keeper.
This is the lucky one.
View attachment 3836402

These are the ones Fret had out of the nest and coop very quickly. The yellow one is the youngest and is struggling a bit to keep up but it should be okay in a day or two.
View attachment 3836401

Mow sampling the chick feed while Fret grumbles.
View attachment 3836404

Mow knows better than to push her luck with mum.
View attachment 3836405

Henry taking a well earned rest believing he's done his bit.
View attachment 3836403

Mow and Carbon are giving Fret a wide berth at the moment but Henry is allowed to get very close to the chicks and I saw two of them standing underneath him at one point.
View attachment 3836407

I was sitting watch the chicks with my camera in my hand about to take a picture when Fret suddenly took off in full battle order. A rat had turned up to try and grabe some chicken food as they do in the evening before roost time. Fret got it. I just got my head around the doorway in time to see Fret jumping up and down on the rat as she pecked its head. It did get away but I think it's injured.
Funny thing is Carbon shot out straight after Fret and stood close as a sort of backup I guess; either that, or knowing Carbon, she though Fret had got something edible.
View attachment 3836408

Interesting to note that while Fret encourages them to eat the chick feed, she is also encouraging them to try the small seeds in the adult mix I make.


View attachment 3836406


Roost time is usually difficult for the first few days when ramps are involved.
I don't like wearing gloves when handling chickens and particulalry when helping mum to get the chicks into the coop. I usually get a few pecks. This evening they were easy to catch and I had all three in the coop very quickly with Fret hovering at the door. Not a peep from the chicks and no pecks from Fret.
View attachment 3836409
View attachment 3836410

Congrats on the new little chicks! Fret looks very happy.

Be it a miracle, be it luck, I'm glad the other chick found a mum. Quite a story to tell, too!