Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Mother of Chaos]

The Chicken Dad went to Trader Joe’s today (for the Brits, vaguely similar to Aldi’s in the UK, and with links in the past), so now it’s Almond Day! The one time I have anything close to lap chickens.

At one point, Trudy grabbed the bag from my hand and took off with it.

Lil isn’t shy when the almonds come out:

“Well?!”

Buffy in the background, quietly hoovering up the forgotten almonds:

Manna from heaven:

The bumble says “hi, and why are you disturbing my peaceful afternoon?”

 

[BDutch]

View attachment 4209295
Beautiful hen? Which one is this?

This is (probably) Gin. The two Amrocks are such look-a-likes that Im not sure .

 

[Mother of Chaos]

The babies under the anise hyssop, although they’re not so babyish any more. Both are pinking up, with Willow, two weeks younger, a bit more intense than Tessa:

 

[Mother of Chaos]

This is (probably) Gin. The two Amrocks are such look-a-likes that Im not sure .

Amrocks (and Barred Rocks) really are awfully similar in still photos.

 

[BDutch]

View attachment 4209295
Beautiful hen? Which one is this?

Gin.

 

[Shadrach]

Two hours today. A little rain early afternoon but otherwise dry while I was at the field.
This young and rather misshapen apple tree is providing much better shade and interest than last year.

Out on the field. It's slowly getting greener.

Front fence is done.

Eating the new green grass shoots on the patch I've kept watering over the dry spell.

 

[Perris]

Front fence is done.

Yay! That was quite a job. Looks great.

 

[Perris]

They’re all gorgeous, but Glais!!

His plumage certainly is interesting; it doesn't seem to be able to decide whether it's barred or mottled or laced . He was creamy grey as a chick and has got progressively darker through the juvenile moults.

I'm pretty sure his mum is Dyffryn, a 3 year old Swedish Flower x Partridge Penedesenca, and his dad Fforest, a 3 year old Swedish Flower x Silver Duckwing Welsumer. If so, his genes are a selection from two batches of Chirk's, and one each of Janeka's, and of Paprika, Polka or Puffin's. Looking at him now, his mottled shanks are the only obvious indication of his 50% Swedish Flower ancestry. But being a landrace, I guess there are many different possible manifestations! Otoh, chicken genetics still defeats me, so all that may be pure tosh.

 

[fuzzi]

His plumage certainly is interesting; it doesn't seem to be able to decide whether it's barred or mottled or laced . He was creamy grey as a chick and has got progressively darker through the juvenile moults. View attachment 4209797I'm pretty sure his mum is Dyffryn, a 3 year old Swedish Flower x Partridge Penedesenca, and his dad Fforest, a 3 year old Swedish Flower x Silver Duckwing Welsumer. If so, his genes are a selection from two batches of Chirk's, and one each of Janeka's, and of Paprika, Polka or Puffin's. Looking at him now, his mottled shanks are the only obvious indication of his 50% Swedish Flower ancestry. But being a landrace, I guess there are many different possible manifestations! Otoh, chicken genetics still defeats me, so all that may be pure tosh.

Stippled feathers?

 

[fluffycrow]

I don't understand how this extra protein when moulting myth has any credibility. and keeps being recommended when in the majority of cases a bit of logic shows it isn't needed.

Most hens stop laying eggs when they have their annual pre winter full moult. This means the protein that was being used to make the eggs is freed up for feather replacement. Very roughly one third of the protein a hen consumes is used to make an egg.
There may be some advantage for the Cornish CX breed but I would want to see some evidence.

I give extra protein to the birds year round. I don’t see the feed providing enough protein, and although most should be able to catch an appropriate amount of prey while ranging, I like to be sure that everyone gets enough. The girls are currently growing in feathers that were battered by the males, but they have not stopped laying for the autumn yet.

I usually go by what the girls tell me when it comes to how much protein I give them. If they don’t have enough, they go absolutely crazy over the tiniest bit of meat. When I’m on top of it, the girls are visibly less interested, or rather, don’t dive bomb for it.
The feather quality overall seems to suggest that most birds here do benefit from more protein not just during moulting season, but throughout the year. I just modify how much I give based on how the girls react