Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[BDutch]

Here the frost is gone again.
2-4C during the day and at night as well.

The chickens font mind the warmer weather. I’m not sure. Because it was sunny when it froze, and now we have dull but still cold weather.

One of the regular visitors:

 

[Shadrach]

Here the frost is gone again.
2-4C during the day and at night as well.

The chickens font mind the warmer weather. I’m not sure. Because it was sunny when it froze, and now we have dull but still cold weather.

View attachment 3725045

One of the regular visitors:
View attachment 3725057

You only get a like because that thing in the second picture isn't a chicken.

 

[Shadrach]

Colder today with some sunshine.
Everyone got out for a couple of hours.
Dig made a neck grab on Fret, his mother today and almost got his feet in position to mate. Fret got him unbalanced and then Henry intervened. It was just a couple of pecks and it was all over. Fret was a bit put out and got under Henry and later they went off foragng together. No signs from Dig that he was going to protest.

Out and about and eating. Mow is a long way from the rest. Not all that good.

Henry used to do this but on top of the fence poles.

Fret having trouble dislodging Carbon from her spot next to Henry.

 

[BDutch]

Cozy with those new curtains Shad. Do you have more plans to make the run like home?

 

[MrsNorthie]

Mow is a long way from the rest. Not all that good.

That is the benefit of having so many and 5 boys, nobody ever gets too far apart. It is also beneficial that if someone gets annoyed with someone in one group, they can wander of and join one of the other groups for foraging. I have actually noticed that if one of the girls wanders off by herself, either one of the boys leaves his group of girls with one of the other boys and his group of girls, and runs after the wanderer or he will lead his entire group over to the her. So no one is ever left on their own. The boys are truly amazing and highly organized. It is fun watching them work independently and together. If Blue is distracted Goldie and Spud just step in and fill the gap.

Poor Mow just has a mind of her own and sometimes needs a little alone time. She has no idea of the potential dangers. They are growing so big!

 

[Iluveggers]

The snow on the grass melted a bit today before we hit single digits (F) here next week. The run & garden were still snow covered, so I let the ladies out into some grassy areas under supervision as to not visit the neighbors yard. It was about 40F here today, so we stayed out with them for over an hour. After getting them all back behind the fence, I noticed a bunch of them foraging in the garden and uncovered run, something they’ve been hesitant to do w all the snow. Maybe the grass digging let them know there are still good findings underneath it.

 

[Shadrach]

Cozy with those new curtains Shad. Do you have more plans to make the run like home?

That is my home!

 

[Shadrach]

A bit warmer today with sunshine. Got a couple of hours of eating and ranging in.
@MrsNorthie Neither Henry or Dig are much cop at this herding business. I think it's because of how they've been kept. Not a lot of call for herding in a 6m x 6m run.
This is something that may be instinctive but I have a feeling that the finer points may be learned from a senior rooster. Will Dig learn from the short amount of time he has out and about remains to be seen.

Dig cracks me up. The eldest came to the allotments and brought Spoko, a 13 year old husky with her; on the lead of course. Dig eyed up Spoko from a safe distance for a while then sort of sidled up closer and closer, eyeing up Spoko as he advanced. Henry and the hens headed for the relative safety of the allotment run while Bucket Boy dealt with the intruder. I had to move Dig on a couple of times, he managed to sidle round the other side of Spoko and get on a nearby raised bed making him higher then Spoko. I don't think he would go for the poor dog but one never knows.

Looks like Fret got her spot.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 50s mostly cloudy.

Have a great day!

 

[Molpet]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 50s mostly cloudy.

Have a great day!

I have warmed up to -6f
Was -13f wind-chill-30f, same tonight and tomorrow.
Not a chicken went out of a coop yesterday or today. Silly turkeys slept in the trees. Some did go into coops this morning to get out of the wind and when the sun came out so did they.