Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

Hooray! At last!
https://www.theguardian.com/busines...-to-deploy-80-detectives-for-criminal-inquiry

 

[Sequel]

Hooray! At last!
https://www.theguardian.com/busines...-to-deploy-80-detectives-for-criminal-inquiry

I saw Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office on PBS last month!

 

[Perris]

For those interested, I've just published an article reporting on the year and updates to my feeding regime. It's here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/wholesome-homemade-feed-2.79307/
I've been planning to do it for a while, but with yesterday's thread in mind, https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-layer-feed-with-no-treats-delivers.1625904/
I thought it better to publish now than wait for the anniversary on 5 June.

 

[Perris]

Meanwhile, @Perris recently had birds returned for being skittish, indicating those chickens had more agency to live simply as chickens, not as teaching tools or pets.

This is true. I should probably point out they're only skittish with strangers-cum-predators. They come barrelling towards me like a certain someone's avatar if they think I come bearing gifts

I have lost count of the number of photos of idyllic scenes ruined by my opening the door to take a photo, whereupon they all drop everything and come charging over!

 

[Molpet]

We made a decision today, while we were debating the positioning of the gate for the turkey 'trot' and the chicken run expansion. We want to give both the chickens and turkeys the maximum space so instead of expanding the run, we are tearing it down.

We are going to use 8 ft t-posts and chicken wire to fence in about 3 acres and divide it down the middle, chickens on one side, turkeys on the other, with little huts for them to hid under in the event of an aerial attack and this will keep them from getting near the road.

They will still have their coop and be shut in at night and we are going to build a couple of smaller, separate coops to give them options and one can be used as a broody coop if needed. The turkeys will have an open air roost that we can add panels to, if needed in a particularly cold winter.

My only concern is the pond. Has anyone had an issue free-ranging their chickens where they had access to a large-ish body of water? Should I fence off at the edge of the pond to keep the chickens from drowning themselves or, since they don't swim, will they avoid it naturally? They will have watering stations in a multiple locations so they won't need to drink out of the pond.

They can swim for short distances. If you have young chicks that might be a problem. I have a creek and so far the only problem has been the mink coming up the creek from the forest preserve. Water attracts all predators.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 70s partly cloudy.

Have a great day!

 

[no fly zone]

Almonds and blackberries

 

[SimpleJenn]

My blackberries are blooming right now. It's been a wet spring so I expect there will be a ton this year!

 

[kcan2]

times.

That chick really has an eye for great nap spots. What a nice doughnut Fret makes!
Lovely sunset photo

 

[Shadrach]

We made a decision today, while we were debating the positioning of the gate for the turkey 'trot' and the chicken run expansion. We want to give both the chickens and turkeys the maximum space so instead of expanding the run, we are tearing it down.

We are going to use 8 ft t-posts and chicken wire to fence in about 3 acres and divide it down the middle, chickens on one side, turkeys on the other, with little huts for them to hid under in the event of an aerial attack and this will keep them from getting near the road.

They will still have their coop and be shut in at night and we are going to build a couple of smaller, separate coops to give them options and one can be used as a broody coop if needed. The turkeys will have an open air roost that we can add panels to, if needed in a particularly cold winter.

My only concern is the pond. Has anyone had an issue free-ranging their chickens where they had access to a large-ish body of water? Should I fence off at the edge of the pond to keep the chickens from drowning themselves or, since they don't swim, will they avoid it naturally? They will have watering stations in a multiple locations so they won't need to drink out of the pond.

I've had two fall in a stone washing tub the ducks used. One I didn't find in time and she died the other survived once I had dried her out.