Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[fuzzi]

I saw something today that warmed my heart.

I open the brooder door about 5:45am, when I leave for work. Naomi and the chicks roam the coop until roosting time, when I shut them in their brooder for the night. I have not seen much pecking of the chicks by the adults, just a little "wait your turn" stuff.

Today I brought them some mashed tuna fish. The chickens love it, and the chicks were darting in and grabbing specks as the adults were eating. Silas picked up a piece, hesitated, then offered it to a chick!!!


What a GOOD ROO!

(or is he building a relationship with a future pullet?)

 

[Shadrach]

(or is he building a relationship with a future pullet?)

That does seem to be how it works.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I haven’t paid taxes since probably the beginning of this thread so I should do that…here is my actual cockerel with the bird that was supposed to be a cockerel. I guess they’re on a date.

 

[Shadrach]

Dry day. Dry ground. Most of what got planted on other peoples plots has bolted.
Watching Mow and Sylph learning to deal with the fact that they are on their own. They're doing pretty well. They need to stick together when out on the field; four eyes better than two and each can show the other what they know about the field. Sylph for example knows a good spot behind a water barrel that gets hardly any sunlight and the ground has bugs in. I don't believe Mow had been there before. Sylph knows because Tull discovered it and she followed Tull. They go right to the bottom of the field these days. On let out it's straight on to my plot for some rocket, and berries on the fruit bushes that the pigeons haven't had and then a dust bath between the onions and the fruit bushes and general jungle.
Mow knows and likes the area behind the coop run where the grass is short and she can comb both sides for spiders and bugs. She's been showing Sylph. Chickens taste s varies from bird to bird, even with treats. Mow isn't keen on meat in general, Sylph loves it. Can't go wrong with blueberries, prawns, small pieces of Brazil nut plus a few seeds. Mow will eat leaves that Sylph won't.
Good green eating grass is in short supply due to the heat and lack of rain but there are lots of plants producing seeds at the moment.

 

[fuzzi]

That does seem to be how it works.

I should have noted the leg ring color for future reference!

 

[Sally PB]

Watching Mow and Sylph learning to deal with the fact that they are on their own. They're doing pretty well.

Their coop looks so empty now. I hope you get more birds to fill the bare spots.

 

[fuzzi]

Their coop looks so empty now. I hope you get more birds to fill the bare spots.

I was thinking the same

 

[Skyeknight]

My tiny (and currently broody) silkie pullet is a big talker too!
View attachment 4168359
She's always chattering or making velociraptor noises at me.

Just want to say that the pullet in the picture is not a Silkie. Silkies have the following traits: Walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, 5 toes, fibromelanosis and above all the silkie feathering. Sometimes Silkies can have a beard but that depends on the type.

Feet aren't visible so can't say anything about that. The comb seems to be a rose type, which could be possible in a Silkie as the walnut comb is the result of a combination between genes for rose comb and pea comb. If this pullet is fibromelanistic then it's of incredible bad quality as the comb and wattles are basically all red. The face is darker but this could be a result of other melanizers. The Sumatra is an example of a breed with a darker face but no fibro. You can check for fibro by looking at the skin colour underneath the wings, in the vent or tongue.

The crest and defining trait of silkie feathering completely lack in this pullet. Silkies with normal feathering exist and are called "satin Silkies" but those are either F1 crossbreds or once outbred Silkies where the breeder didn't bother to keep the Silkie feathering bred in (I assume this name was basically made up to sell F1 crossbreds for high prices, like Americana's who are also just mutts). Silkie feathering a recessive trait is even named so because Silkies are always supposed to have it and no other breed.

I made this post mainly to educate about your pullet as it is in no way a Silkie. I do however absolutely love the way she looks! She has a beautifull colour scheme and comb in my opinion.

 

[Perris]

Still not sure what's communicated by wearing a rooster on your head.

It's wasn't just Fret then...

I saw this for the first time yesterday; Ipo did it with Edfu. I wonder, is it a chicken equivalent of the foetal position?

 

[Perris]

Silas picked up a piece, hesitated, then offered it to a chick

is he building a relationship with a future pullet

That does seem to be how it works.

I see that a lot here.

Very occasionally I see a mature roo do it even to a pretty much grown cockerel, e.g. about 2 weeks ago Gwynedd (who's 2 in September) tid-bitted for Hensol (who's 1 next month). I wish all those people who think that you can't keep more than 1 roo had seen it.