Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[BDutch]

I don't know what to do for the best.
I can't quarantine. It's just not realistic at the field.
I could get a Light Sussex ccockerel from my friend and he has offered a cockerel with a Light Sussex pullet which might make Mow happier. Poor Mow stands out like a sore thumb against the predominant greys of Fret, Tull and Sylph.
I'm locked in a loop of indecision currently.

I would say: Follow your heart or wait a bit till the run is finished. With chickens you never know what the future will bring you anyway.

You have the space to add a few more with the new run. If your friend has a healthy flock and he doesn’t add new blood, quarantine is probably not necessary.

Sometimes it helps to make a decision with a list with pro’s and cons (if your heart isn’t loud enough). Give important items double points. Count the numbers and let the highest number decide.

 

[Perris]

why did this https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rescued-chickens-thread.1502267/post-28604886
get a sad rating from you Shad? Am I missing something?

 

[MaryJanet]

I don't know what to do for the best.
I can't quarantine. It's just not realistic at the field.
I could get a Light Sussex ccockerel from my friend and he has offered a cockerel with a Light Sussex pullet which might make Mow happier. Poor Mow stands out like a sore thumb against the predominant greys of Fret, Tull and Sylph.
I'm locked in a loop of indecision currently.

Have you gone off the idea of getting fertile eggs for one of the hens?

 

[Shadrach]

why did this https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rescued-chickens-thread.1502267/post-28604886
get a sad rating from you Shad? Am I missing something?

I think it's cruel.

 

[Perris]

I think it's cruel.

I respect your view. To me the birds concerned seem well-cared for and loved by their owners.

 

[RoyalChick]

I respect your view. To me the birds concerned seem well-cared for and loved by their owners.

I had both reactions. I was happy to see so many people who clearly cared for their hens, but at least one of the hens seemed scared.
Actually fewer seemed scared than I expected and many seemed chill with it.
As always, chickens surprise me. The first time I took a chicken to the vet (Maggie) I was convinced she would be terrified. In practice she seemed to relish the car ride and was even curious about the vet.

 

[Shadrach]

Have you gone off the idea of getting fertile eggs for one of the hens?

I haven't gone off the idea. I just haven't concluded what's best to do.

 

[no fly zone]

British eccentricity knows no bounds:

I think if I ran a pub I might start a rival meet, and I would expect one of my hens to win!

Skeksis would have excelled at that. All I'd have to do is stand at the finish line shaking a bag of mealworms.

 

[Perris]

Skeksis would have excelled at that. All I'd have to do is stand at the finish line shaking a bag of mealworms.

that's exactly what I was thinking for some of mine

 

[fluffycrow]

I've read a few times people saying how much more peacefull their chickens are without a rooster.

That’s because most of them, when asked, will say that their experience was with a hormonal cockerel in a group of mostly young pullets. Even more will reply that their experience is with cooped/confined birds only.

I do believe that given a small(er) space, and no way for the young pullets to get away from the cockerels (or no mature birds to get in-between), one’s cockerel experience will likely not be good.

Not that I haven’t seen female only groups working relatively well, I even tended to one here. There are even quite a few people on BYC who keep their birds in a coop and run 24/7, and who I believe have happier, healthier chickens than the chickens here.