Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[RoyalChick]

Until he got the bottom corner, whence he could fly down without risk of entanglement in the washing line wires
View attachment 4252474

Wonderful series of pictures.

 

[RoyalChick]

It must be the season for it! Abney made his first attempt today as well - he didn't repeat it so no video evidence, but he looked very pleased with himself. The girls all looked very surprised!View attachment 4252580
rubbish photo sorry, it looked so picturesque in real life but I couldn't get closer without disturbing them... I must take a camera when I go to clean the coop!

Mr. Chips did not try to crow again this morning. I suspect the ladies ridiculed him. Girls can be mean!

 

[kattabelly]

Until he got the bottom corner, whence he could fly down without risk of entanglement in the washing line wires
View attachment 4252474

Sensible. This used to be a regular sight (and sound!) when I was staying at the farm

 

[Shadrach]

Is Glais trying to train the Jackdaw?

He's getting his own back. When a jackdaw flew too close in the past, Glais would run.

 

[Shadrach]

Until he got the bottom corner, whence he could fly down without risk of entanglement in the washing line wires
View attachment 4252474

Great series.

 

[Shadrach]

Mr. Chips did not try to crow again this morning. I suspect the ladies ridiculed him. Girls can be mean!

Are you going to keep him RC?

 

[Shadrach]

Sensible. This used to be a regular sight (and sound!) when I was staying at the farm
View attachment 4252629

They are perching birds after all...

 

[RoyalChick]

Are you going to keep him RC?

I do hope so.
I have read everything you have written and I am hoping you and others here will give me coaching and advice.
@rural mouse has already signed up to the ‘keep RC calm’ club and has me constructing all sorts of fun things for the little pullets to be able to dodge behind or up on to when he becomes an hormonal idiot.
I have two main concerns at the moment. One is how big he may be relative to my smallest hens. He is a big breed and I have three hens that are very small breeds (not bantams).
My other concern is that he bites. Some of my hens bite too (no manners). I mean when I hand feed - not all are very discriminating about the fingers versus the blueberry. He is already big enough that it can be quite painful!
On the plus side, he already knows where the blueberries come from and follows me around like a little dog, and he is absolutely terrified of three of my older hens (including one of the small ones). They don’t have to do more than look up for him to be fleeing for his life! Hopefully they will school him to be a gentleman.
Oh, and also on the plus side I think he is rather good looking!

 

[kattabelly]

They are perching birds after all...

Don't think I ever saw one manage to stay balanced there without flapping for long enough to really count as perching!

There were a few big (by local standards) trees there but I never saw any of them even look like they were thinking of trying to get on a branch. Buggers used to like to fly up and perch on top of the polytunnel though. Claws and polytunnel skins aren't a great combination.

 

[Shadrach]

Two and a half hours this afternoon. Dry, chilly with lots of sunshine and mostly winter blue skies.

Steak, about a half inch cubed for each, a few bits of cheese, maybe one one sixteenth of an inch cubed and a quarter of a Brazil nut each. Waiting for more, off food moult or not.

Glais ventured to the compost heap without me being there and then up the path between the coop and old fruit tree plot. This is where they used to go with Henry. Not quite full cover but usually in the shade with three exits.

They also like the top end of the field more now. The fence has made a difference, as has the die back of the grasses that were growing around the old fence.

I did Mow's feet and legs again. I took her off the roost bar from the gap between Glais and Sylph in the picture below using the pressure point between ankle and knee; not a murmur. Lifted her righ past Glais and carried her to the box in the extended run. The box is very useful for such things, almost as good as a table but a bit on the low side. Anyway, it's a lot less messy and awkward than trying to such things on my lap.
I did put Mow back on the roost bar but as she has before, she went into the nest box.