Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[fluffycrow]

So Glais finally flew this coop and has landed safely in Bristol I'm sure Shad will have more to say about the introductions and first impressions, but it seemed to go very well while I was there and I sincerely hope they will all get along famously.

Very very exciting! Hopefully Glais gets to flourish in his new home.

Pretty historic meeting, between you and Shad.
One could be tempted to ask for photos, but I think we all know the answer to that .

I know, I read that and I felt like a kid on Christmas morning waiting to hear all about it

Same here!

Mad how we can feel so invested in the love lives of some chickens hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Like love island, but for chickens. And instead of an exotic paradise, it’s happening in a Bristol allotment (much better, if you ask me)

 

[Vulpes vulpes]

So Glais finally flew this coop and has landed safely in Bristol I'm sure Shad will have more to say about the introductions and first impressions, but it seemed to go very well while I was there and I sincerely hope they will all get along famously.

So exciting! Glad all the work you two have put in has come to fruition

 

[kattabelly]

Did you pull Glais off the roost early this morning or catch him easily later @Perris or were there shenanigans?

 

[Vulpes vulpes]

I figure I probably owe tax on something. Here's yet another nosy cockerel. He followed me around for a while, interested in whatever I was doing. The other chickens got the message that I didn't have treats quite quickly, but this dude and an old Brahma rooster remained hopeful. He's quite a beautiful fellow

Also, Gregg has begun moulting. My boy's been massacred

 

[kattabelly]

He's managing to look very sad and hungry and good and deserving of treats all at once there

 

[Perris]

Did you pull Glais off the roost early this morning or catch him easily later @Perris or were there shenanigans?

I whisked him up at breakfast while he had his attention completely on the food in front of him, and since he's never been held before, he was taken completely by surprise. After a spell in the utility room to finish his breakfast, he didn't make too much fuss about going into a largish box for the journey to Bristol, most of which he spent quietly resting and digesting it.

 

[Shadrach]

Eight hours today,
Great to meet Perris after all these years of internet friendship. They arrived on time, in the right place with Glais. Can't ask for more than that.

We went for the deep end introduction. Got Mow and Sylph in the coop run, unboxed Glais in the run and stood back with fingers crossed. It went very well. No fuss or drama, unless one counts Sylph going "ohhh, he's gorgeous." I thought she would be a push over.

I put food down as usual and they all ate together. No fuss there either unless one counts Glais insisting he stood in the tray to eat.

I sat in the extended run chair and let them get on with it. Glais did a minimal amount of the herding shuffle, niether Mow or Sylph objected and off they went to explore, Mow and Sylph following Glais with poor old me more or less forgotten about.

They did the extended run first. They moved as a group and Glais didn't have to do any herding, meaning Mow and Sylph were more than happy to follow his lead; both moving in close when Glais found something edible. I think Glais encouraged them to try plants they may not have tried before.

A really big plus for Glais is once out of the extended run and in the field he led them to cover, the only close cover in that part of the field in fact. Major points for Glais here and he kept them there, or reasonably close for much of the day.

A bit of exploring at the far end of the extended run still keeping close to each other.
Half an hour before roost time they headed back to just outside the coop run for a preen and more food.

The hour or so before roosting time has been in my experience a peak time for mating attempts. I was lucky enough to in the coop run when Glais chest bumped Sylph and she crouched and Glais obliged. What's more, he chest bumped Mow a bit later and Mow didn't crouch and Glais moved away.

I thought there might have been a problem at roost time. In an established group the rooster usually goes to roost first. Mow and Sylph hung around outside for longer than usual. possibly waiting for Glais to inspect the coop, but once I had encouraged Sylph and Mow to go in, Glais followed up the ramp, made those friendly nesting calls a rooster does and followed them in.
There was a bit of shuffling around and I left them to sort themselves out for ten minutes or so and then took this picture quickly and shut them all in.
Looks like they've got it sorted.

 

[RoyalChick]

Eight hours today,
Great to meet Perris after all these years of internet friendship. They arrived on time, in the right place with Glais. Can't ask for more than that.

We went for the deep end introduction. Got Mow and Sylph in the coop run, unboxed Glais in the run and stood back with fingers crossed. It went very well. No fuss or drama, unless one counts Sylph going "ohhh, he's gorgeous." I thought she would be a push over.

I put food down as usual and they all ate together. No fuss there either unless one counts Glais insisting he stood in the tray to eat.

I sat in the extended run chair and let them get on with it. Glais did a minimal amount of the herding shuffle, niether Mow or Sylph objected and off they went to explore, Mow and Sylph following Glais with poor old me more or less forgotten about.

They did the extended run first. They moved as a group and Glais didn't have to do any herding, meaning Mow and Sylph were more than happy to follow his lead; both moving in close when Glais found something edible. I think Glais encouraged them to try plants they may not have tried before.
View attachment 4235295
View attachment 4235296
View attachment 4235297

A really big plus for Glais is once out of the extended run and in the field he led them to cover, the only close cover in that part of the field in fact. Major points for Glais here and he kept them there, or reasonably close for much of the day.
View attachment 4235299View attachment 4235298View attachment 4235300

View attachment 4235301
A bit of exploring at the far end of the extended run still keeping close to each other.
Half an hour before roost time they headed back to just outside the coop run for a preen and more food.
View attachment 4235303

The hour or so before roosting time has been in my experience a peak time for mating attempts. I was lucky enough to in the coop run when Glais chest bumped Sylph and she crouched and Glais obliged. What's more, he chest bumped Mow a bit later and Mow didn't crouch and Glais moved away.

I thought there might have been a problem at roost time. In an established group the rooster usually goes to roost first. Mow and Sylph hung around outside for longer than usual. possibly waiting for Glais to inspect the coop, but once I had encouraged Sylph and Mow to go in, Glais followed up the ramp, made those friendly nesting calls a rooster does and followed them in.
There was a bit of shuffling around and I left them to sort themselves out for ten minutes or so and then took this picture quickly and shut them all in.
Looks like they've got it sorted.
View attachment 4235304

How incredibly wonderful!

 

[Vulpes vulpes]

Eight hours today,
Great to meet Perris after all these years of internet friendship. They arrived on time, in the right place with Glais. Can't ask for more than that.

We went for the deep end introduction. Got Mow and Sylph in the coop run, unboxed Glais in the run and stood back with fingers crossed. It went very well. No fuss or drama, unless one counts Sylph going "ohhh, he's gorgeous." I thought she would be a push over.

I put food down as usual and they all ate together. No fuss there either unless one counts Glais insisting he stood in the tray to eat.

I sat in the extended run chair and let them get on with it. Glais did a minimal amount of the herding shuffle, niether Mow or Sylph objected and off they went to explore, Mow and Sylph following Glais with poor old me more or less forgotten about.

They did the extended run first. They moved as a group and Glais didn't have to do any herding, meaning Mow and Sylph were more than happy to follow his lead; both moving in close when Glais found something edible. I think Glais encouraged them to try plants they may not have tried before.
View attachment 4235295
View attachment 4235296
View attachment 4235297

A really big plus for Glais is once out of the extended run and in the field he led them to cover, the only close cover in that part of the field in fact. Major points for Glais here and he kept them there, or reasonably close for much of the day.
View attachment 4235299View attachment 4235298View attachment 4235300

View attachment 4235301
A bit of exploring at the far end of the extended run still keeping close to each other.
Half an hour before roost time they headed back to just outside the coop run for a preen and more food.
View attachment 4235303

The hour or so before roosting time has been in my experience a peak time for mating attempts. I was lucky enough to in the coop run when Glais chest bumped Sylph and she crouched and Glais obliged. What's more, he chest bumped Mow a bit later and Mow didn't crouch and Glais moved away.

I thought there might have been a problem at roost time. In an established group the rooster usually goes to roost first. Mow and Sylph hung around outside for longer than usual. possibly waiting for Glais to inspect the coop, but once I had encouraged Sylph and Mow to go in, Glais followed up the ramp, made those friendly nesting calls a rooster does and followed them in.
There was a bit of shuffling around and I left them to sort themselves out for ten minutes or so and then took this picture quickly and shut them all in.
Looks like they've got it sorted.
View attachment 4235304

that's wonderful! Sounds like the girls took a liking to him right away, and Glais is a gentleman from the start! Glad it went well, and I'm sure it feels nice to have a rooster at the field again