Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[fluffycrow]

I find that they 'rest' areas instinctively, I guess driven simply by supply or lack thereof of whatever they've been foraging in that area until it has chance to reproduce and become worth foraging again

I have seen the same.

Spring as usual is a time of plenty, and they love this spot; it has clover, but also the non-clumping grass that Shad talked (typed?) about a few weeks ago.

Right now, the area looks much worse. Our hot, dry summers, along with the frequent visits from the chickens have left the grasses looking quite miserable. Come mid-late August, the grass bounces back, and is ready to be enjoyed once again.
Interestingly enough, the adults don’t seem to frequent the area again until autumn. They leave a small window for the juveniles (that are usually around at that point) to feed on the grasses there, while they stick to their forage spots closer to the top of the property

 

[fluffycrow]

Our first trifecta! Three birds, three eggs. 22 weeks tomorrow.

The perspective in the photo is skewed. The EE egg is largest, the BO egg marked B is next, and the BR egg marked T is the smallest, so far.

View attachment 4149637

Gorgeous eggs

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I have been looking at ways to improve the quality of forage materials for the birds and also increase the food sources for pollinators to enhance the food forest plans, I came across this:

https://hancockseed.com/products/hancocks-happy-hen-forage-seed-mix

I think I can use that list to source local varieties from the Farm Bureau grain elevator. I would love to get more crimson clover.

Here’s an option for crimson clover from a NC seed supplier (they have a lot of other options too):

https://sowtrueseed.com/products/crimson-clover?_pos=1&_sid=4d29b26e1&_ss=r

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Gorgeous eggs

Thanks! I’m ridiculously excited!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Very interesting indeed.

Does this mean giving Calcium pills are not very useful for hens laying soft-shelled eggs in most cases?

I still think that either can be the cause, or even both, with one making the other worse.

For the “needs calcium” argument, my anecdata is that on the first day the EE started laying, she laid twice. The first was mostly shelled, with one leathery soft spot. The second was no-shell, not even much of a membrane. I hadn’t expected anyone to start laying that soon and hadn’t noticed that they weren’t eating the oyster shell.

I crushed up a calcium/D3 caplet to add to their ferment, plus crushed a bunch of eggshells, which they devoured, especially the EE.

There’s only been one more oddball egg (no shell, heavy membrane), and she certainly isn’t fat or worn out with a floppy repro tract. I’m betting inadequate calcium on this one.

Older birds that have been laying longer, and go in and out of problem egg cycles - these I wonder about body issues.

 

[Perris]

Older birds that have been laying longer, and go in and out of problem egg cycles - these I wonder about body issues.

According to Damerow Chicken Health Handbook p. 29 a cycle of normal eggs followed by soft shelled followed by a drop in production followed by a return to normal is a typical sign of vit D deficiency, and it can be fixed by adding cod liver oil at 2% (not more).

 

[Perris]

further to the last, here's what she says about it in full

 

[Molpet]

some of mine get those pimples that make a hole

further to the last, here's what she says about it in full
View attachment 4149799

 

[MrsNorthie]

Here’s an option for crimson clover from a NC seed supplier (they have a lot of other options too):

https://sowtrueseed.com/products/crimson-clover?_pos=1&_sid=4d29b26e1&_ss=r

OOOOH! Thank you! I am filling up, yet another cart..haha I have over $2000.00 in a cart for some ISO trees. (I am too old to just start with seedlings..) Then there is the cart that has more berry bushes and grapvines.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Thanks! I’m ridiculously excited!

It never gets old.