Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

Three hours today. A bit of rain in the morning, dry for the time I was at the field.
There is a Red Kite that has flown over the past couple of days. Today it flew over again high enough to appear and disappear in the clouds. Mow and Sylph saw it long before I did and I had two chickens trying to stand on my boots until I gave the reassurance call.
Mow and Sylph are learning to get on. They haven't been particularly friendly towards each other in the past. Having these two consolidate an arrangement if not quite friendship makes the introduction of newcomers a lot easier. They know the ropes so one ideal wants to make sure they lead the tribe.
Mow caught a tiny field mouse today and swallowed it whole after bashing it around for a bit.

 

[Sally PB]

I had two chickens trying to stand on my boots until I gave the reassurance call.

What is the reassurance call?

I try to mimic chicken noises, and they look at me like I'm speaking gibberish.

 

[Shadrach]

What is the reassurance call?

Relax.
I have a number of calls all in English, plus a few sound calls. If one is consistent the chickens soon work out what they mean.
The reverse is also true apart from we aren't as good at language as the chicken is.

 

[notabitail]

Relax.
I have a number of calls all in English, plus a few sound calls. If one is consistent the chickens soon work out what they mean.
The reverse is also true apart from we aren't as good at language as the chicken is.

Mine have learned "Bad bird. Tree, now" means to go to the tree and stop trying to jump into the forbidden areas. As to whether or not they listen, that's a different story.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Mine definitely know the food call. And Trudy seems to understand shhhh!!! when she’s braying - for about five seconds.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Condolences for all the losses.

 

[Ribh]

ha'penny knows her name because it usually means, Hey, you. Get back here. FAST.

 

[BDutch]

Sorry for everyone's losses. It's an epidemic.
I found a 4 year old hen dead under the roost. She was the youngest in that coop. Very active and no sign of illness.

Add me too. So many losses
@SimpleJenn , @Molpet , @tranquiliti and all the readers who lost a chicken recently .

 

[BDutch]

Yes I'm sure. I know the Ex Battery hens don't live long and that is in part why I'm leaning towards keeping them. I'm 70 and probably won't manage another ten years at the field.
For Ex Battery hens just the coop and run would be a vast improvement on their past keeping circumstances. Out in the extended run will be paradise compared to before.
Another advantage with Ex Battery hens is they are usually disease free so quarantine doesn't need to be as strict.
I really enjoyed looking after the Ex Battery hens that were at the field; When they die it's usually fast which is easier on my heart.

Lot’s of love and good thinking went into this. I hope you can bring in a few newcomers very soon to fill the gap.
How many do you want to add?

 

[BDutch]

Did you ever notice that chickens tell a different story if they experienced a scary adventure?

I noticed this especially with Ini mini. The first time after she escaped from a dog and flew over a few hedges to a neighbour a couple of gardens from ours where she was trapped when the adrenaline flush was over. This neighbour had a high fence around his garden and Ini mini ok obviously didnt know how to get back. A neighbour groupsapp was a great help to be able to bring her home. When I put her in the run with the other chickens she started to vent about her ‘scary adventure’. The other hens gathered around her and reacted with a reassuring sound. Ini mini repeated about her feeling/adventure a couple of times. The other chickens did the same.

She performed this typical 'chicken-chorus-' a second time after a scary adventure when she was lost and not able to come home again to roost.

Yesterday I lured Ini mini into the humans house to trim her beak and to treat the area around the gland. She was not amused and scared when I grabbed her and took her to the bathroom. Cleaning and disinfecting the gland. Cutting a tip and sanding the beak was undoubtedly scary for her.

After the treatment I gave Ini mini her freedom back, outside on the terrace. She started to search her family, friends and competitors to vent about her scary story, which sounded much the same as previous totally different scary adventures. This time she went back to her normal behaviour quickly and didn’t repeating it endlessly.