Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MrsNorthie]

Any new male introduced now has to compete with me and on one particular issue no new male stands a chance when it comes to providing food, which is possibly the main method a chicken male tries to attract females.

I am sure you will make this transition easy, with your practice of giving food and treats to the rooster/cockerel first.

Not that our ladies seem to pay any attention to the fact that I am offering the treats to the boys (Spud, first, always.) and will bowl them over to get to the treats but the boys are quite clever and have learned to start tidbitting as soon as I offer them the treats, to let the ladies know, "Look, I made the treat lady appear with treats!" The boys are always the first ones to run to me to legitimize their claim that they made this treat or feed event happen and I encourage and support this by always greeting them first and always make sure the feed or treats are at the feet of each of the roosters and there is no question that boys are in charge.

 

[thistlewick]

You might be surprised. I've collected 1471 eggs so far this year, and that excludes those laid off base e.g. Janeka's 3 secret nests.
Edited to add: they don't live just on forage of course. But you wouldn't leave your birds just to forage either would you?

I'd be curious to see what happened, to be honest. Not all my birds eat much of the feed at all, some absolutely spend all day foraging and seem to exult in it and come back with fat crops at the end of the day.


Then I have some lazy turds who just sit in the hen house and run all day, with the doors WIDE OPEN to just be right by the feeder at all times LOLOL they aren't even laying yet!!


I have growing babies, and since they aren't in fact, wild birds and have been genetically modified, whilst growing, the 20% all flock benefits them.

 

[Shadrach]

that works for the macro nutrients, but not essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). They have to be consumed because the animal cannot synthesize them from other components in the diet.

It works for both providing the required content is in the foodstuffs be that supplied or foraged.

 

[Perris]

It works for both providing the required content is in the foodstuffs be that supplied or foraged.

yes, an important provision.

 

[Shadrach]

Er... try 9... The 'more roos in early broods' maxim fitted. I'm hoping I may get a few more pullets with Paprika's late offering.

@Shadrach would be very welcome to one or more if he wants to rescue one. I am postponing culling until they actually start fighting, but I am sure that time will come.

I am interested. Thank you for the offer.

 

[Molpet]

I've been wondering if it's possible to feed too much protein? I bought a local feed, milled one hour away and shipped in every Monday morning. The lysine and methionine are at the levels recommended. The first ingredient is "wheat middlings", whatever that is, and corn is not the first ingredient like most feeds. It seems good. I supplement with lots of fresh vegetables and some fruit. I've pulled back on supplemental protein since using this food because I don't want to overload them. There have also been runny poops and I don't know why. I'm hoping just the heat, and them drinking more, but could it be higher protein?
I spend more time worrying about their diet than my own, for sure.

I feed gamebirds feed when I have poults. Chickens might have bigger feathers that stick out, looks like Angel wing, but it's not.

 

[Perris]

I am interested. Thank you for the offer.

PM me your desiderata, and I'll send you a shortlist of males that might fit your bill from the many on offer here (older roos included, if they are of any interest).

 

[Mother of Chaos]

PM me your desiderata, and I'll send you a shortlist of males that might fit your bill from the many on offer here (older roos included, if they are of any interest).

Ooo, a choice between cockerels and mature roos!!

 

[kattabelly]

I could offer an idiot who thinks tidbitting when I fill their feeder counts as finding food for his flock, if I was a bit closer

Neither of us are brave enough to try and stop the pullet in his group from barging in to eat everything before he's even had a chance to announce it.

 

[Labsandchickens8]

PM me your desiderata, and I'll send you a shortlist of males that might fit your bill from the many on offer here (older roos included, if they are of any interest).

And Perris has beautiful roosters! This is exciting