RIP henbit 
Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.
- Thread starter Shadrach
- Start date
Gosh, I'm having so much chicken envy now that it's springtime! Everyone's birds look so happy in the sun with everything leafing outFREEEEEEEE BIIIRRRRDDD!!! Erebody flick on your cigarette lighters and wave them back and forth!
(Note: I’m not much of a fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd, although I’ll take a bullet for Allman Brothers Band.)
We let the girls out today into the area immediately adjacent to the run. The “walls” are black plastic aviary mesh, nearly invisible. No mesh on top this time. We figured three noisy adults would intimidate aerial predators this time, and indeed, even the crows didn’t fly over.
We humans were eaten up with nerves, fearing escape attempts, but they didn’t even test the netting except for Trudy (Barred Rock), who checked to see if it could be eaten.
Buffy found the open door quickly and sailed on out, which was a surprise, as she has always seemed a few ants short of a picnic. Lil, her bestie, my skyhawk who has always seemed so ferocious, panicked when on the opposite side of the run’s hardware cloth, running back and forth anxiously until accidentally finding the open door. They went in and out several times, learning how to get to their home ground in the run. A loud motorcycle just went by, and they shot to the open run door but didn’t go in.
The plant so beloved by Lil, commonly called cranesbill, is Geranium maculatum, a distant relative of the geraniums grown in pots and window boxes (Pelargoniun spp.)
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That must mean, Rest In Poop, right? Because that's where it will end up!
After the recent passing of one of the senior hens, I wasn’t expecting, or at the very least, hoping there to be another death in the groups for some time.
On Wednesday, I found Kolovos in terrible condition. His comb was pale and droopy, he was not standing, eyes shut and generally unresponsive. Looked him over for potential injuries, large scabs, and fluids coming out of his mouth, beak or eyes, anything I could have missed the past few days, as I had not seen the chickens on Tuesday. Nothing. He was just shutting down. Completely unresponsive to food and water. Sure enough, by Thursday he was gone. I can’t say what killed him. Possibly something internal that was going on long before it was noticeable. Maybe it was me who killed him (indirectly), by continuing to keep them on a commercial feed diet.
He was never particularly fond of me, as I’ve written many times before on this thread and many more. Still, I respected him very much. He was the rooster that accomplished a lot of the firsts on this property. He and his girls were the ones to teach me what a proper, (semi) well-structured group looks like, as well as all the natural behaviours that accompany it. He was for the most part, excellent with his hens. The first time I’d clearly seen hens picking their male. I could go on and on about what Kolovos had brought to his group, and this property. Most importantly though, I am saddened beyond words that he won’t get to continue his wonderful journey; gone before reaching five years old, much too soon.
I can’t imagine what his hens are going through. They seem completely normal, but I haven’t heard a peep in days; I think that says enough.
I have no clue what the future holds for the Tsouloufati group now. Any future plans or hopes I had (not smart on my part, I know), all included Kolovos. He has left behind quite the legacy, many daughters and granddaughters, and two sons and/or grandsons. It remains to be seen if any of them step up to claim the spot left by their (grand)sire. They’ve got big shoes to fill, and I don’t think the senior hens, which are very much bonded and loyal to Kolovos, will give them said spot easily.
One of my favourite photos of him, durst bathing with his hens. The ISA brown in the photo was the previous matriarch, who died almost two years ago at a normal (for an ISA brown) age. The other two are still doing good; hen on the right is the current head hen. Not sure if someone will attempt to take her rank, now that she does not have Kolovos for support
On Wednesday, I found Kolovos in terrible condition. His comb was pale and droopy, he was not standing, eyes shut and generally unresponsive. Looked him over for potential injuries, large scabs, and fluids coming out of his mouth, beak or eyes, anything I could have missed the past few days, as I had not seen the chickens on Tuesday. Nothing. He was just shutting down. Completely unresponsive to food and water. Sure enough, by Thursday he was gone. I can’t say what killed him. Possibly something internal that was going on long before it was noticeable. Maybe it was me who killed him (indirectly), by continuing to keep them on a commercial feed diet.
He was never particularly fond of me, as I’ve written many times before on this thread and many more. Still, I respected him very much. He was the rooster that accomplished a lot of the firsts on this property. He and his girls were the ones to teach me what a proper, (semi) well-structured group looks like, as well as all the natural behaviours that accompany it. He was for the most part, excellent with his hens. The first time I’d clearly seen hens picking their male. I could go on and on about what Kolovos had brought to his group, and this property. Most importantly though, I am saddened beyond words that he won’t get to continue his wonderful journey; gone before reaching five years old, much too soon.
I can’t imagine what his hens are going through. They seem completely normal, but I haven’t heard a peep in days; I think that says enough.
I have no clue what the future holds for the Tsouloufati group now. Any future plans or hopes I had (not smart on my part, I know), all included Kolovos. He has left behind quite the legacy, many daughters and granddaughters, and two sons and/or grandsons. It remains to be seen if any of them step up to claim the spot left by their (grand)sire. They’ve got big shoes to fill, and I don’t think the senior hens, which are very much bonded and loyal to Kolovos, will give them said spot easily.
- Thread starter
- #27,607
Three hours today. Warmish at 14C with light rain arriving around 7pm. Dusk at 8.15 pm at the field now.
A sad day. It is now quite apparent that the hens are missing Henry. I think the fact that Henry isn't coming back has sunk in all round. Sylph jumped onto my lap this afternoon and tried to tell me something, then settled on my lap for a few mintues and I felt tears running down my cheek.
Fret is all over the place. She's been very vocal recently, She's part broody, part trying to be head hen. The restriction to the extended run between the chicken run and the goose run isn't helping although it may prove to be a good thing in the long run.
If I went to the coop run to get or do something the hens followed. When I went outside the run to work on the fence, the hens followed so they were opposite me on the other side of the fence. When I moved a bit more of the rubbish (scrap wood and fence mesh) from the plile that can be seen in one of the pictures below, the hens followed. Fret has taken over Henry's role of telling me it's treat time. She pecked my trousers today, something she's never done in the past. Tull and Mow are becoming closer and Fret and Sylph the same.
For those of you who aren't clear about what the extended run is, the picture posted by BDutch of the field layout earlier in the thread shows the area. If one clicks on the picture and expands it one can see a thin red line drawn around the the chicken coop run, the extended run and the goose run. That's the area I will be working on and that's the area the new fence lines are going to encompass. I plan to clear out the ground in the large wire cage that can be seen in many of the pictures I've posted and transplant some of the fruit bushes from my plot into it. I'm going to make a small vegetable plot between the coop run and the wire cage, a small compost bin somewhere in there and a small raised bed for the herb plants that have done well on my plot. The smaller of the two goose coops on their sides in the pictures I'm going to salvage and turn into a shelter for the chickens placed somewhere in the run. The goose run will once the fencing is finished will no longer open into the chicken run but into the field instead.
I'm going to replant the rosemary bush from my herb plot in this area somewhere. It has grown well and will give at least some cover in the run.
I'm on the lookout for other bushes that will survive transplanting to provide further cover and shade.
I'm already knackered and I haven't finished the new front fence yet! However, I have plans and I'm coping with the work and this arrangement will suit me better than the old vegetable plot which while it has been very productive these last couple of years, isn't really what I'm interested in. Most of what I've grown got given away because I don't have any practical means of storing the produce.
Looking at Perris's garden I think I caan with some management make an area that will support the current residents and maybe three more chickens if I decide to get some hatching eggs for one of the hens when they are broody at some point.
Overall I'm looking foreward to the challenge and the work will help improve my fitness level and It will be work for me and the chickens rather than for the rest of the group which I'm getting very pissed off with doing. They can clean up their own crap from here on. or not as is more likely.
Two people from the houses that back onto the field have offered to help. One has a decent petrol brush cutter and has offered to cut the worst area at the far end of the extended run which the chickens don't venture into often.
View showing the wire cage.
Posts set on the new fence line.
A sad day. It is now quite apparent that the hens are missing Henry. I think the fact that Henry isn't coming back has sunk in all round. Sylph jumped onto my lap this afternoon and tried to tell me something, then settled on my lap for a few mintues and I felt tears running down my cheek.
Fret is all over the place. She's been very vocal recently, She's part broody, part trying to be head hen. The restriction to the extended run between the chicken run and the goose run isn't helping although it may prove to be a good thing in the long run.
If I went to the coop run to get or do something the hens followed. When I went outside the run to work on the fence, the hens followed so they were opposite me on the other side of the fence. When I moved a bit more of the rubbish (scrap wood and fence mesh) from the plile that can be seen in one of the pictures below, the hens followed. Fret has taken over Henry's role of telling me it's treat time. She pecked my trousers today, something she's never done in the past. Tull and Mow are becoming closer and Fret and Sylph the same.
For those of you who aren't clear about what the extended run is, the picture posted by BDutch of the field layout earlier in the thread shows the area. If one clicks on the picture and expands it one can see a thin red line drawn around the the chicken coop run, the extended run and the goose run. That's the area I will be working on and that's the area the new fence lines are going to encompass. I plan to clear out the ground in the large wire cage that can be seen in many of the pictures I've posted and transplant some of the fruit bushes from my plot into it. I'm going to make a small vegetable plot between the coop run and the wire cage, a small compost bin somewhere in there and a small raised bed for the herb plants that have done well on my plot. The smaller of the two goose coops on their sides in the pictures I'm going to salvage and turn into a shelter for the chickens placed somewhere in the run. The goose run will once the fencing is finished will no longer open into the chicken run but into the field instead.
I'm going to replant the rosemary bush from my herb plot in this area somewhere. It has grown well and will give at least some cover in the run.
I'm on the lookout for other bushes that will survive transplanting to provide further cover and shade.
I'm already knackered and I haven't finished the new front fence yet! However, I have plans and I'm coping with the work and this arrangement will suit me better than the old vegetable plot which while it has been very productive these last couple of years, isn't really what I'm interested in. Most of what I've grown got given away because I don't have any practical means of storing the produce.
Looking at Perris's garden I think I caan with some management make an area that will support the current residents and maybe three more chickens if I decide to get some hatching eggs for one of the hens when they are broody at some point.
Overall I'm looking foreward to the challenge and the work will help improve my fitness level and It will be work for me and the chickens rather than for the rest of the group which I'm getting very pissed off with doing. They can clean up their own crap from here on. or not as is more likely.
Two people from the houses that back onto the field have offered to help. One has a decent petrol brush cutter and has offered to cut the worst area at the far end of the extended run which the chickens don't venture into often.
View showing the wire cage.
Posts set on the new fence line.
I’m glad the hens have you to boss around with Henry gone. 
That sounds like you accomplished a lot of work today!
That sounds like you accomplished a lot of work today!
Well, it appears that our groundhog (=woochuck) is back. For those of you fortunate enough to not have groundhogs, they’re a lot like a marmot. Basically, a 6 kg rodent that mows down anything planted, flowers, fruits, vegs, you name it. Our next door neighbor just lost all his blooming bulbs today.
So anyway, the girls had put themselves back in the run after about 2.5 hours of semi-freedom and had slept in the coop most of that time. They were are the far end of the run when Buffy exploded into flight (not a common sight with a Buff Orp) and flew screaming into the coop, making loud hen squawks for several minutes until she calmed down. The others had followed her, and all refused to come out. Our guess is that she saw the groundhog and freaked out.
I brought some asparagus trimmings to the run while fixing dinner in hopes of luring them back out. They did come out and pecked at the asparagus, and then glared at me accusingly and went back in, where they stayed until I closed the coop. An adventurous day for the three-month-old young ladies!
So anyway, the girls had put themselves back in the run after about 2.5 hours of semi-freedom and had slept in the coop most of that time. They were are the far end of the run when Buffy exploded into flight (not a common sight with a Buff Orp) and flew screaming into the coop, making loud hen squawks for several minutes until she calmed down. The others had followed her, and all refused to come out. Our guess is that she saw the groundhog and freaked out.
I brought some asparagus trimmings to the run while fixing dinner in hopes of luring them back out. They did come out and pecked at the asparagus, and then glared at me accusingly and went back in, where they stayed until I closed the coop. An adventurous day for the three-month-old young ladies!
I'm hoping for a cockerel from the hatching eggs when the time comes. Your friend has Sussexes - is that a breed you'd consider? I mention it because it would carry on Henry's tradition and the Sussex cockerel rehomed from my place was a gentleman, and continues to be a gentleman in his new home.
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