Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

One and a half very cold and wet hours. Freezing rain and winds from some named storm that may be making life difficult up kattabelly's way.
I fed them in the coop extension listening to the ice drops hammering against the roof. They knew things weren't going to get any better and headed off to roost early but not before Glais had made a rather clumsy grab of Mow. That's why she's in the nest box.

 

[Shadrach]

 

[notabitail]

View attachment 4279771

"Are you sure you don't want to stay? We'll give you ALL of 2026 for just $20.26, 50% off our annual rate!"

 

[kattabelly]

Freezing rain and winds from some named storm that may be making life difficult up kattabelly's way.

The French named one? Nowhere near this far north. Wind here is barely in the teens right now, when we could actually do with it to dry off some of the snow melt! Some other system coming in off the North Atlantic looks due to hit us Sunday morning though.

I hope the weather there hasn't put Sylph and Mow off their renewed interest in going out on the field.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I've often been surprised by keepers who cull their senior and often non layers. In my experience these senior hens are a huge asset, be they the parent of the juniors or not.
I have also found that the next most senior is the groups enforcer.

My Buffy has never laid an egg here! She was 6 when my friend brought her over, and she has been doing an incredible job teaching everyone. She talked my first layers through their first eggs. She taught everyone manners, she doesn't let anyone jump an unwilling pullet if they are within pecking distance. I credit her and Marble, the rooster I took care of for a while, with teaching my February 2025 chickens everything they needed to know.

 

[SimpleJenn]

More tree sitters for your pleasure. We did butcher 8 cockerels, and chose the nicest and most polite to keep. Now to add chicks in spring to give each boy their own group of hens.

 

[BDutch]

I've often been surprised by keepers who cull their senior and often non layers.

Most people think chickens is food. Not pets like cats or dogs.

In my experience these senior hens are a huge asset, be they the parent of the juniors or not.

Yes! My experience too.

I have also found that the next most senior is the groups enforcer.

This too!

 

[Molpet]

I've often been surprised by keepers who cull their senior and often non layers. In my experience these senior hens are a huge asset, be they the parent of the juniors or not.
I have also found that the next most senior is the groups enforcer.

And this is how I had over 60 hens and 2 dz eggs a day instead of 4 dz. ... well until the fox came through a few times. 30 hens and 6 pullets left.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

well until the fox came through a few times. 30 hens and 6 pullets left.

I know there is a fox near us but I haven’t seen it or had issues with it. Bobcat, yes. Raccoons I get first. But the other night I lost a big fat Orpington who decided to sleep outside on a lawn mower. I followed the feather trail until it disappeared and it went the opposite way the bobcat has taken chickens. How did you know you had a fox? Did you see it? Did it attack during the day or night? I chalked the Orpington up to a raccoon because I saw a paw print in the dirt near the lawn mower but I always thought raccoons just killed and ate in the same spot. I set a raccoon trap just in case and haven’t caught anything so now I’m wondering if it was something else and a fox would make sense. We also have a coyote roaming around but whatever it was didn’t set off the camera so I figure it had to be small and quick.

 

[RoyalChick]

I managed to repair the electric fence after the fox got in and took Mr. Chips.
I have baited the fence with bacon grease and so far I have had two foxes learn about it.
Last time I did this the foxes learned to avoid the fence for a very long time and even taught the next generation.