Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[SimpleJenn]

I have a new layer who had a couple soft shells and now...either she isn't laying after a week of eggs or someone has discovered her eggs are tasty. I'll be keeping an eye out for sure!
I'm willing to mark it up as new egg layer problems though.

The second new layer today's egg was untouched and perfect!

 

[SimpleJenn]

Breezy is shaping up to be a good rooster.

 

[Molpet]

I have eggs that break or no shell. They clean those up so predators aren't attracted I believe. I feed 20% and oyster shells. So far no one breaks eggs on purpose.

 

[Shadrach]

Some pictures from the last few days.
Fret is broody. Tull is very empathetic and sort of does the broody thing with Fret including making chick calls sometimes when she finds something nice. It's a bit of a problem under the keeping circumstances. It's not like I can take her home and keep her at the flat until the hormone rage passes.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Some pictures from the last few days.
Fret is broody. Tull is very empathetic and sort of does the broody thing with Fret including making chick calls sometimes when she finds something nice. It's a bit of a problem under the keeping circumstances. It's not like I can take her home and keep her at the flat until the hormone rage passes.
View attachment 4145605

Full floof! So much rage!

Is it perhaps time to get some eggs from your friend with the Sussexes? <- is that even a word? Looks like a terrible Scrabble tray

 

[Molpet]

Now I am going to think about how long the can of salmon felt pain.
Spoiler 10 to 25 minutes

https://www.earth.com/news/fish-like-rainbow-trout-suffer-extreme-pain-when-killed-by-air/

 

[Skyeknight]

View attachment 4145043
Trying to catch, and possibly dissuade an egg-eater. I'm hoping the strong mustard inside this egg will teach them not to eat eggs.

Since a few days at least one of my hens started eating eggs, including her own. I don't currently eat that many eggs so not that big of bother. Except that means they will ingest more PFAS and makes it harder to count how many eggs they lay in year. Might try this mustard trick.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Now I am going to think about how long the can of salmon felt pain.
Spoiler 10 to 25 minutes

https://www.earth.com/news/fish-like-rainbow-trout-suffer-extreme-pain-when-killed-by-air/

"killed by air asphyxiation." When I used to fish, we NEVER let a fish just suffocate, they were always dispatched quickly. I can't imagine how anyone could stand to watch a fish gasp for air! :-(

 

[Perris]

I think one of my greatest fears at this stage was that an egg would get (accidentally) broken, they’d discover the delicious contents, and off we’d go.

That, I believe, is a myth that haunts newby chicken-keeping territory

The EE had a few shell-less eggs while getting up to speed, but they hadn’t been disturbed.

so it didn't happen to you, and it doesn't happen to Molpet (post above), and it hasn't happened here over the entire 8+ years I've been keeping them.

Chickens eating broken or shell-less eggs when delivered accidentally does not lead to deliberate egg-eating in the small sample on offer here.

Good to see you and your flock back @Shadrach !

 

[Mother of Chaos]

That, I believe, is a myth that haunts newby chicken-keeping territory

so it didn't happen to you, and it doesn't happen to Molpet (post above), and it hasn't happened here over the entire 8+ years I've been keeping them.

Chickens eating broken or shell-less eggs when delivered accidentally does not lead to deliberate egg-eating in the small sample on offer here.

Good to see you and your flock back @Shad!

How do egg-eaters get started, then? (serious question)

I think the reason that it haunts us newbies is because we have seen our chickens tap everything with their beaks while trying to figure out what something is, and more importantly, if it's edible. My always-dying-of-starvation Barred Rock broke the tip of her beak soon after I put ceramic eggs in the nest boxes as they approached 16 weeks old. I can easily imagine a scenario of a young chicken seeing a real egg for the first time, wondering "What's this?", peck PECK, broken egg. And now "What's THIS?" when seeing the white and yolk.