Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[RoyalChick]

You've probably got all the info already then, but it was a radio series - so you could listen again while e.g. driving or gardening

Have some distance driving coming up so will track it down to listen to.

 

[Shadrach]

I think archaeologists and art connoisseurs think otherwise. The context provides a story for why it exists and looks as it does. Neil MacGregor's History of the World in 100 Objects really shows the added value that comes with knowing the backstory of a work of art I think.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nrtd2/episodes/downloads

Yeah, I can listen to that. Some interesting topics in the series.

 

[SimpleJenn]

BlackJack and the guineabirds faced down a hawk today! It took off when I got on the porch but it was small, they could have taken it.

 

[Shadrach]

Other than one sexually frustrated gander (he already hated wheelbarrows and took his job as a guard very seriously and then it was spring and a fox ate his girlfriend), broody Muscovies are the scariest and most aggressive animals I've ever worked with.

Muscovy tax.
I walked over and squatted next to him. This was the look I got. I gave the picture a title. It's one of my favourite pictures.

"Something on your mind Bucket Boy?"

This is his partner. She's called Jenny. It was Jenny who was responsible for the strike through the rigger gloves. She bathed a lot. He didn't.

A quick look at a Muscovy ducks feet should tell one all one needs to know about why you keep gloves on. Unlike most common ducks, Muscovies go to roost, they're perching creatures.
With a better camera at that time the picture of Jenny would have come out better.

This was the launch pad. Jenny and Hannah would launch themselves off down the valley on a regular basis. Jenny has flown 3 kilometers down the valley. One had to walk back with her.

This is Phoenix the ram. He was the most dangerous domesticated creature we kept. The donkeys were petrified of him. Phoenix used to escape from time to time and his favourite day was getting a couple of donkeys wedged in a corner and stand there starring at them all day. He really liked knocking people over. He did this a lot. He is probably responsible for the heart attack I had while I was at the smallholding. He rams his head between where ones arse stops and the leg begins (that forehead is like granite) and up in the air one goes. I mean zero contact with the earth due to having all ones body parts horizontal to the ground for a moment. Then one hits the ground.
If one gets up, he'll just knock one back down again.
What one has to do is stay lying down until he loses interest. It usually doesn't take long. Once Phoenix's world was horizontal then he lost interest rather quickly. I think he really just liked knocking things over.

It became my job to deal with him. I did daily, twice a day or more usually. Every year he would put me on my back once.

I got to like Phoenix. The tipping point was watching him tread care fully around an egg one of hens had laid on the floor in his shed. I didn't really want to go in and get it while he was in there, so I left it there and went up to watch what he did when he lay down to sleep. He nudged the egg to one side. It was still intact the next morning.

A couple or few of the hens, usually point of lay pullets would lay eggs in the sheep hay racks. Phoenix had his own and Where laid an egg on top of the straw. I watched Phoenix carefully try to work has way around the hay rack taking a little bit of straw at a time in order not to disturb the egg. That egg was on a small pile of straw the nest morning, unbroken.

 

[fluffycrow]

It's a good time of year to plant woody shrubs, especially if you can find some on sale. Get a jump on cover for next year, maybe.

I tried a bit of planting this year, hopefully it helps a bit. So far, that is one bougainvillea glabra, two larger nerium oleander bushes, two lavenders bushes (not sure which exact species), one myrtus communis bush (which I’m most excited about), and although not yet bushes, but very small plants, two blackberries.
The blackberry mini bushes came with a few berries on them, which Lucia made into a five minute snack right away .

I would like to have some native flower seeds, but I’ve had a harder time locating them locally.
Privet is also at the top of the list, but all I can find around here is ligustrum japonicum.
At the same time, I’m trying to aid the bushes and shrubs that were already growing on the property.
Though not native, and possibly something that might need some regulation in the future, wonder of Peru had been a great shade and cover provider for the chickens during the summer months (as I’ve written before).
More ideas are definitely welcome, im way out of depth here; these are not the spined water reservoirs I’m used to caring for

 

[Shadrach]

Two hours, grey, damp and chilly.

Mow hadn't quite settled down when I took this. When I last looked she was next to Sylph.

From the past.
Dinner at my house.

Tribe 1 with Tribe 2 just moving in at the low right with the Muscovies overlooking; the dog of course.

Sitting at my desk.

 

[fluffycrow]

Two hours, grey, damp and chilly.

View attachment 4241766View attachment 4241767
View attachment 4241768View attachment 4241769View attachment 4241771

Mow hadn't quite settled down when I took this. When I last looked she was next to Sylph.
View attachment 4241772

From the past.
Dinner at my house.
View attachment 4241763

Tribe 1 with Tribe 2 just moving in at the low right with the Muscovies overlooking; the dog of course.View attachment 4241764

Sitting at my desk.
View attachment 4241765

Love the way the light shines through Glais’ comb in the coop photos .

Is that a young Cillin in the last photo?

 

[BDutch]

More ideas are definitely welcome, im way out of depth here; these are not the spined water reservoirs I’m used to caring for

I have several berry bushes in the run (red and white currant , gooseberry). And a portuguese laurel that provides a deep shade. Easy to prune and strong.

 

[BDutch]

The Portuguese laurel.

 

[rural mouse]

I tried a bit of planting this year, hopefully it helps a bit. So far, that is one bougainvillea glabra, two larger nerium oleander bushes, two lavenders bushes (not sure which exact species), one myrtus communis bush (which I’m most excited about), and although not yet bushes, but very small plants, two blackberries.
The blackberry mini bushes came with a few berries on them, which Lucia made into a five minute snack right away .

I would like to have some native flower seeds, but I’ve had a harder time locating them locally.
Privet is also at the top of the list, but all I can find around here is ligustrum japonicum.
At the same time, I’m trying to aid the bushes and shrubs that were already growing on the property.
Though not native, and possibly something that might need some regulation in the future, wonder of Peru had been a great shade and cover provider for the chickens during the summer months (as I’ve written before).
More ideas are definitely welcome, im way out of depth here; these are not the spined water reservoirs I’m used to caring for

Protect the blackberry starts for a few years. I've had deer eat the raspberry starts and either rip them right out or mow them off which also kills them as they've been there less than a year.

In my opinion, any shrub/tree that can double as a food source for people or chickens is a better option over one that simply looks pretty/provides some shelter. All should provide some shelter, but things they can browse on later are double duty. If you have deciduous trees/bushes, then definitely some sort of evergreen too. If you have lots of evergreens, then add some deciduous instead.

My birds like eating grass seeds. I have several different types....not sure what they all are, so a variety of grasses that WON'T be mown (until after they enjoy the seeds).