Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

RIP Uppsala. She was absolutely fine this morning - as it happens I got a photo of her dustbathing while I was stalking the cockerels to get photos of them for the current compo - and she just now had a seizure at tea, and died within a minute in my arms. 3 years 4 months old.
View attachment 4247005
Edited to add some more photos of her: she was 2nd in the large fowl non-APA competition just 2 months ago
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/non-apa-aba-large-fowl-hen-show—2025-byc-summer-fair.1670297/post-28797991

 

[BDutch]

Do you have any reliable source that gives them their Latin/Greek name? That’s probably the only way to get an accurate match.

I don’t know which river lobsters they put in the insect mix for chickens. The ingredients doesn’t specify and only says river lobsters. Its probably a small invasive lobster.

In this pdf they gathered all the
https://rivierkreeft.nl/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rivierkreeftenwijzer-lageres.pdf

 

[Vulpes vulpes]

I do think we are more harmful than any other species on this planet.

No arguing with that

 

[Vulpes vulpes]

The holiday season is coming soon, I've been meaning to ask people here for chicken books they recommend. I've read a good chunk of this thread, but there's undoubtedly some good reads that I've missed

Clogging up the thread tax:

 

[HiEverybirdy]

It was probably to do with Guy Fawkes night, although these days there seems to be more of a fireworks season that starts at Halloween (or Diwali, in some places, in years that comes first) and pretty much carries on until Hogmanay / New Year.

No event at the field. November the fifth is Guy Fawks night and that is celebrated with fire works and bonfires.
I don't think anyone was aiming to set out to frighten the chickens, just some kids probably. It doesn't look like they ventured far into the field given the box was close to the road gate.

Ah, makes sense. I just get excited about a mystery.

Interestingly, loud noises don't seem to bother our chickens. Maybe birds don't get gun shy? I've also wondered if they've simply become accustomed by growing up where gunshots, fireworks, tannerite explosions, etc. are so common

But they're spooked about something this week. When they do venture out, they're watching the sky.

I wondered if the falling autumn leaves were spooking them. Then a neighbor said they saw the golden eagle yesterday! This huge bird is a rare visitor. I've only seen it once in 8 years. It's gorgeous and mythic but probably terrifying to chickens and possibly what's been keeping them under cover.

Tax: Raisin watching the sky from her *damp soil* bath. Hens have been opting for soil baths over dry dust baths lately. Is it the molt?

 

[kattabelly]

Interestingly, loud noises don't seem to bother our chickens. Maybe birds don't get gun shy? I've also wondered if they've simply become accustomed by growing up where gunshots, fireworks, tannerite explosions, etc. are so common

Mine are still terrified of the ferry horn that they've heard their entire lives, sometimes up to maybe half a dozen times a day Helicopters are also scary but they've never been bothered by the mail drone which flies much lower overhead. Whenever I'm using power tools they want to help.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Mine are still terrified of the ferry horn that they've heard their entire lives, sometimes up to maybe half a dozen times a day Helicopters are also scary but they've never been bothered by the mail drone which flies much lower overhead. Whenever I'm using power tools they want to help.

I was surprised that ours weren’t freaked out on Halloween, but then they’re exposed to the side street, not to the main street where the crowds were.

But they definitely heard the people noise from the side street, and they seemed quite disapproving when I locked them up.

 

[L-plate chicken mum]

RIP Uppsala. She was absolutely fine this morning - as it happens I got a photo of her dustbathing while I was stalking the cockerels to get photos of them for the current compo - and she just now had a seizure at tea, and died within a minute in my arms. 3 years 4 months old.
View attachment 4247005
Edited to add some more photos of her: she was 2nd in the large fowl non-APA competition just 2 months ago
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/non-apa-aba-large-fowl-hen-show—2025-byc-summer-fair.1670297/post-28797991

Nest in peace beautiful Uppsala

 

[Perris]

Thanks to all for the condolences; it was quite a shock yesterday, as although I have lost birds suddenly before, it has not happened right in front of me and completely out of the blue like that.

 

[L-plate chicken mum]

The holiday season is coming soon, I've been meaning to ask people here for chicken books they recommend. I've read a good chunk of this thread, but there's undoubtedly some good reads that I've missed

Clogging up the thread tax:
View attachment 4247344

I will leave the serious books to Perris and others. A really easy read is the chicken chronicles by Alice Walker, read it in one sitting and good account of her realising that chickens are sentient beings. Chicken boy: my life with chickens is interesting although there are a number of the usual bits of misinformation about chooks (eg egg song and others) also a bit of an insight into the duchess of devonshire’s love of chickens.

An oft posted picture that kind of sums her up here: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f5/76/95/f576953df00bf1f6754b6783ee1d29cd.jpg
What else would one wear to feed the chickens?
Edited to add link