Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

Warmish with occasional bursts of sunshine. 14C when I left this evening.
I keep thinking the juvemiles aren't growing much and then I see them all together on the roost bar and realize they are getting close to adult size.

Pulled the last of the onions; 62 in total. I've given 10 away but this year, given how well last years lasted I'll keep the rest.

Four more courgettes; that makes the running total 42 now. There are still plenty to come.
I thought I planted 20 beetroot but I pulled 24.

 

[kcan2]

Warmish with occasional bursts of sunshine. 14C when I left this evening.
I keep thinking the juvemiles aren't growing much and then I see them all together on the roost bar and realize they are getting close to adult size.

Pulled the last of the onions; 62 in total. I've given 10 away but this year, given how well last years lasted I'll keep the rest.
View attachment 3932097

Four more courgettes; that makes the running total 42 now. There are still plenty to come.
I thought I planted 20 beetroot but I pulled 24.
View attachment 3932141

View attachment 3932095View attachment 3932096View attachment 3932098

Congratulations on the beginnings of a promising harvest and finding a prospective chicken helper. Your courgettes reminded me to make some zucchini bread soon before the season is gone. The juvvies look very cozy there roosting like big kids. Night night, chickens!

 

[Companihen]

Warmish with occasional bursts of sunshine. 14C when I left this evening.
I keep thinking the juvemiles aren't growing much and then I see them all together on the roost bar and realize they are getting close to adult size.

Pulled the last of the onions; 62 in total. I've given 10 away but this year, given how well last years lasted I'll keep the rest.
View attachment 3932097

Four more courgettes; that makes the running total 42 now. There are still plenty to come.
I thought I planted 20 beetroot but I pulled 24.
View attachment 3932141

View attachment 3932095View attachment 3932096View attachment 3932098

How are all the cockerels behaving with each other... and henry? What age are the chicks now?

 

[Perris]

It should work well for you given the type of coops you have.
I highly recommend the gas torch I linked to above. It's small enough to not be cumbersome in confined spaces and let go of the trigger knob and the falme goes out unlike many of the plumber style torches.
I did the inside again today in the rain. Easy and quick.

I'll give it a go and report back.

So this morning I strode out like a cowboy, toting ant powder (which contains permethrin at the same concentration as mite powder, and is probably exactly the same stuff, but without the price gouge for backyard chicken-keepers) in one hand, and a kitchen blowtorch in t'other. I got this type
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sondiko-Lighter-Refillable-Adjustable-Included/dp/B07YJMYNPS

Fits in a cargo pants pocket (though best kept out after use, until it's cooled down; ask me how I know ), adjustable flame, goes out as soon as thumb lifted, and can reach over 1,000 C, so needs to be used with care. I think it will take a few sessions until I get the right balance between incinerating mites and eggs and not setting fire to the bedding or melting the plastic.

So, the morning poo pick started with removing nest box lid, inspecting for mites, frying any found on plastic surfaces, stirring shavings, and puffing powder into any red or grey clumps. Then repeat with the main body of the coop. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat till all 4 coops done. It didn't take much longer than a normal poo pick. Greatly upset some resident spiders and earwigs. Vaporized some cobwebs in passing.

As the eggs are widely scattered and often on the poop trays - which are made of a much thinner plastic - I think I'll just wait till they hatch, and then cremate or powder them.

 

[Shadrach]

 

[RoyalChick]

I remember reading about this a while ago. I guess it must have been during the trial period.
I love they are getting talon protectors. Hilarious!

 

[BDutch]

They stopped this programme in 2017 because people were concerned about the eagles welfare.
After that they developed some kind of shotgun drone to take down the illegal drones.

https://www.digifotopro.nl/shotgun-drone-haalt-andere-drones-neer

Translated from the article:
Trained Eagles to Take Drones Out of the Sky

Previously, the Dutch police used trained eagles to take drones out of the sky, as you can see in the video below. However, this program was taken down by people who were concerned about the welfare of the animals, even though the birds had no contact with the drones' propellers. Instead, a leather strap was used with which the birds could defuse the drones.

 

[Molpet]

They stopped this programme in 2017 because people were concerned about the eagles welfare.
After that they developed some kind of shotgun drone to take down the illegal drones.

https://www.digifotopro.nl/shotgun-drone-haalt-andere-drones-neer

Translated from the article:
Trained Eagles to Take Drones Out of the Sky

Previously, the Dutch police used trained eagles to take drones out of the sky, as you can see in the video below. However, this program was taken down by people who were concerned about the welfare of the animals, even though the birds had no contact with the drones' propellers. Instead, a leather strap was used with which the birds could defuse the drones.

so now the eagles are out of a job

 

[RoyalChick]

so now the eagles are out of a job

They may still have a job. Many airports use birds of prey to keep smaller flock birds away.

 

[Perris]

a red-legged partridge was on the terrace just now - that's a first here. Very pretty bird, bantam-size. Sadly, it flew off before I could even get hold of a camera.