Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[SimpleJenn]

Some observations.
The run-dwellers have instantly accepted the new chicks, today is their third day in the run and first day with the integration pen opened. The big birds had no aggression to them, the other chicks love having playmates.
Navy still knows her children, of course. She can still call her 4 over easily.
Navy's babies are significantly larger than the ones I raised, even though they're silkie mixes and should all be relatively small. That shows to me how important it is to have a hen raise them if possible.
Riddick is over the moon with all six of his new children. I have one for sure male in the group and he doesn't seem to be treating him differently.

Lastly, the free rangers are still interested in the chicks, they did spend a lot of time with them while they were in the heated brooder coop, browsing around the run and laying next to them.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Oh me too. And I am so sensitive to the guillotine thing I refuse to have an automatic door for them!

Same, we are up before sunrise, ready to let them out and out there again as soon as they go in for the night, we also take head counts.

 

[Shadrach]

Clear blue skies, 14C, no rain.
Two hours of freedom. Five hours of my day providing it.

 

[kattabelly]

Five hours of my day providing it.

Bus strike still? Or is that your travel time when buses are running?

 

[Shadrach]

Bus strike still? Or is that your travel time when buses are running?

Buses aren't on strike but there are a lot of cancellations. It's usually an hour and a bit each way.

 

[kattabelly]

Buses aren't on strike but there are a lot of cancellations. It's usually an hour and a bit each way.

Bugger. Is this post-strike disruption / some other issue, you think, or does it happen often?

 

[Labsandchickens8]

Buses aren't on strike but there are a lot of cancellations. It's usually an hour and a bit each way.

That's a lot of dedication!

 

[fluffycrow]

That's a lot of dedication!

Indeed. I think we can all agree how important it is to give the chickens under our care the best life we can.

At the same time, now that you are burdened with Covid, please don’t put too much of a strain on your health, Shad.
Your care and expertise is what makes the allotment chicken’s life better; they need you healthy, or at least as healthy as possible

 

[SimpleJenn]

Delft is locked down and ready to hatch some babies.



Set this up when I went to collect eggs yesterday. I hope it's a calm and comfortable place for them.

 

[BDutch]

Delft is locked down and ready to hatch some babies.
View attachment 4221075
View attachment 4221074

Set this up when I went to collect eggs yesterday. I hope it's a calm and comfortable place for them.

I never locked up a broody in such a small space. Imho Delft needs to go out to exercise and poop if she feels the urge. My broodies go out to eat, drink and poop till the last day, only shorter. Maybe 5 minutes.

And maybe another future problem: Are you sure the chicks can’t go through the wire fence? You don’t want to lock up mama Delft while the chicks wander to great big open. Chicks are all fluff, almost no body.