Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Molpet]

'there is more than one way to skin a cat' is our rather gruesome analogy!

Same in USA

 

[MrsNorthie]

OK, so here's my opinion as a multiple roo keeper.

I don't mimic how a roo behaves, so I'm not a fan of the Beekissed approach. I am not a roo and I don't think it's wise for me to behave like one. I've never been 'flogged' by one or indeed felt threatened by one, so I think my approach works. I culled 2 brothers in the early years - actually they were the first birds to hatch here, and were brooded by Maria - because I thought they were nasty to the hens and I took advice I found on BYC, but with hindsight it may have been that they were just hormonal and I was just ignorant and inexperienced.

But I don't follow Shad's practices either. I don't move their coops apart or encourage separation into 'tribes'. They remain members of one (increasingly large) flock. I don't offer them food in a mostly concealed hand. I don't do regular hands-on health checks.

I am apparently more hands-off than most; I offer food directly to chicks, juveniles, hens or roos when they are hanging about outside a door apparently looking for something extra, individually or in a small group. Most won't take directly from my hand as I am putting it out, and I don't invite it usually; I just put the food down, step back, and let them get on with it. I give food to hens every breakfast and tea, and no roo has ever taken offence over it.

Some will come close when I'm in the garden, but most keep their distance while just carrying on with their day, until I've moved on from whatever I was doing, and then they'll move in to see what goodies might have been revealed in the process, and invite the hens over to feast on what they've found. And they have indeed found it; I may have revealed it, but that's not the same thing at all

I have adapted to some combination of what you and Shad do. When we let our broodies hatch their own chicks this year, I remained mostly hands off and let the tribe raise them, but they will all still take treats out of my hands, and the girls all still like to sit on my lap, get cuddled and have a chat. The boys will let me check them and give them a stroke, but not any longer than necessary, they do like to sit on the roost next to me, in rotation as the girls come say hi.

I have been flogged by Blue (2yo), but he mostly tried to kill the Egg Thief, and for some reason, Pip (1yo) started attacking me, (always sneaky) but never the Egg Thief.

Spud (2yo), Goldie(2yo) and Squeak(1yo), who were raised the exact same way as Blue and Pip, are super friendly with us, again, not cuddly, but they enjoy sitting near and conversing.(yes, I talk to them, as one would talk to people, if people were enjoyable to talk to..lol) Our own hatched cockerels are very mellow and are learning the charming manner of Spud. Does this suggest that how a rooster behaves is really dependent, in large part, on the nature of the rooster? (Nature vs. Nurture?)

 

[fuzzi]

I have adapted to some combination of what you and Shad do. When we let our broodies hatch their own chicks this year, I remained mostly hands off and let the tribe raise them, but they will all still take treats out of my hands, and the girls all still like to sit on my lap, get cuddled and have a chat. The boys will let me check them and give them a stroke, but not any longer than necessary, they do like to sit on the roost next to me, in rotation as the girls come say hi.

I have been flogged by Blue (2yo), but he mostly tried to kill the Egg Thief, and for some reason, Pip (1yo) started attacking me, (always sneaky) but never the Egg Thief.

Spud (2yo), Goldie(2yo) and Squeak(1yo), who were raised the exact same way as Blue and Pip, are super friendly with us, again, not cuddly, but they enjoy sitting near and conversing.(yes, I talk to them, as one would talk to people, if people were enjoyable to talk to..lol) Our own hatched cockerels are very mellow and are learning the charming manner of Spud. Does this suggest that how a rooster behaves is really dependent, in large part, on the nature of the rooster? (Nature vs. Nurture?)

I have two cockerels who are well-behaved (so far!) at 9 and 7 1/2 months. Both were broody raised and older hen chastised. I didn't cuddle either, and ignored their juvenile attacks on my ankles. They are not aggressive towards or fearful of me, but do get out of my way as I walk around the run. I do talk to the flock as I go about my duties.

Both boys have a good relationship with the hens, now, but for a while I was wondering if they'd ever adapt to adult relationships.

 

[fuzzi]

...Does this suggest that how a rooster behaves is really dependent, in large part, on the nature of the rooster? (Nature vs. Nurture?)

I'd say it's both Nature and Nurture, in my limited experience.

 

[MROO]

I too am counting the days, but as someone who has lived with both, I can confidently say that English cold is colder than East Coast US cold (NJ specifically) whatever the thermometer says.
I think it is the damp that does it. Maybe also the lack of sunshine. English cold just gets in your bones somehow!

NJ cold is NASTY. Every single wisp of wind picks up moisture from the Atlantic and wet cold goes straight to the bones!

Despite my fussing, I'm pretty content with smack-in-the-middle Maryland. Any further north is too cold in the winter and not warm enough in the summer. South is nice and warm, but I never want to "do" a hurricane again. West Coast earthquakes and wildfires? No Thank You! And any further inland here (just a little bit west) is simply too far from my beloved ocean.

I guess I'll just have to stay put where I am. ...{{{ ... sigh ... }}} ... I found the cocoa, but has anybody seen my snuggies?

 

[BDutch]

while I was wondering if they'd ever adapt to adult relationships.

I'd say it's both Nature and Nurture, in my limited experience.

^^ yes. Like children/humans. A bit of both. .

 

[MROO]

The approach of @Beekissed is very different from the one @Shadrach advices.
Beekissed advices the owner to take the dominant role. Shadrach advices to give the food to the rooster and not to the hens. Bc it’s the rooster who should give the food to the ladies.

I can’t say which approach is best bc I never had older roosters. But I do like to hear Shads and other opinions on Beekissed approach.

If I had the space, I'd do it that way, too. It follows their nature and instincts. I always loved the stories and pictures of "The Tribes," as they gave me a better understanding of my own birds. That definitely helped me make changes in my practices. We're always learning. That's why these discussions are so great! .

 

[BDutch]

I guess I'll just have to stay put where I am. ...{{{ ... sigh ... }}}

Where I live is not so bad either. Climate change made the temperatures even nicer going up 1.5C.
We didn’t have a single day below 0C all day/night in the last 2 years. Spring and autumn often feels like summer with temperatures around 20-25C.

The downside of it is that the see-level is rising (which is dangerous in the Netherlands), we have more extreme rainfall/storms with river floods and on the other hand longer periods of drought.
Harvesting crops is not always possible and our water supply is not as evident as it was before.

... I found the cocoa, but has anybody seen my snuggies?

What does this mean??????

 

[MROO]

Last week we talked about the origin and complexity of the English language. I watched a few of the old BBC videos who are now on YouTube. This was very interesting and it made a lot of sense to understand more of your vast vocabulary.

Extremely short summary: the English had their own language before the French invasion and adopted the Roman/French language on top of it. Because you kept using the old words and added the new ones, the English language has a synonym for almost everything and 2x as much words than most other languages.

Tax for blabla.
Camouflage chickens:View attachment 4025942

... and then the US "melting pot" geometrically expanded the thesaurus. Add the wide expanses that still encourage local language and dialects, and I'll be the first to admit that "English" on this side of the Atlantic is beyond confusing! I'm totally impressed - and humbled - by non-English speakers who master stateside English. Heck, I'm just as impressed by those who speak only enough broken English to get by. That takes a LOT of effort. Kudos!

 

[MROO]

What does this mean??????

Just being silly! It's a figure of speech to admit that I really do NOT like the cold, but I am resigned to dealing with it. It means I'm giving in to the current weather - making hot chocolate and digging my warm pajamas out of storage to wait out the winter! Not really, of course ... but I sure wish I could!