Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperaturee is in the 80s sunny.

Have a great day!

 

[notabitail]

They may still have a job. Many airports use birds of prey to keep smaller flock birds away.

We knew someone who had hawks (I think) that he would take to the rocket launchpads for that stuff. He would come by our house and trap the excessive amounts of squirrels and rabbits for food for them (we lived on a hillside. Too many rabbits. And squirrels. They were destroying the hill and the snakes and birds of prey weren't doing anything).

 

[Shadrach]

How are all the cockerels behaving with each other... and henry? What age are the chicks now?

The two boys get on well enough. The white one is boss. No signs from either of them that they are remotely interested in questioning Henry's authority.
Five monthish, I would have to look it up to be more accurate.

 

[fluffycrow]

They may still have a job. Many airports use birds of prey to keep smaller flock birds away.

I believe Harris's hawks (mainly) as well as other smaller falconry birds are more commonly used for that.

I also don't know how easily they could train the eagles out of drone catching mode (although I doubt how well that was taught in the first place, especially in an unfamiliar environment) and into bird chasing mode. Neither are what eagles naturally go for. They may have become embassador birds for their species, or less likely, gone into private companies

 

[Shadrach]

So this morning I strode out like a cowboy, toting ant powder (which contains permethrin at the same concentration as mite powder, and is probably exactly the same stuff, but without the price gouge for backyard chicken-keepers) in one hand, and a kitchen blowtorch in t'other. I got this type
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sondiko-Lighter-Refillable-Adjustable-Included/dp/B07YJMYNPS

Fits in a cargo pants pocket (though best kept out after use, until it's cooled down; ask me how I know ), adjustable flame, goes out as soon as thumb lifted, and can reach over 1,000 C, so needs to be used with care. I think it will take a few sessions until I get the right balance between incinerating mites and eggs and not setting fire to the bedding or melting the plastic.

So, the morning poo pick started with removing nest box lid, inspecting for mites, frying any found on plastic surfaces, stirring shavings, and puffing powder into any red or grey clumps. Then repeat with the main body of the coop. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat till all 4 coops done. It didn't take much longer than a normal poo pick. Greatly upset some resident spiders and earwigs. Vaporized some cobwebs in passing.

As the eggs are widely scattered and often on the poop trays - which are made of a much thinner plastic - I think I'll just wait till they hatch, and then cremate or powder them.

I've found it prudent to remove all bedding and other combustible materials prior to waving a blow torch about, YMMV.

I have yet to experience putting a hot blow torch in any pocket.

 

[BDutch]

I believe Harris's hawks (mainly) as well as other smaller falconry birds are more commonly used for that.

I also don't know how easily they could train the eagles out of drone catching mode (although I doubt how well that was taught in the first place, especially in an unfamiliar environment) and into bird chasing mode. Neither are what eagles naturally go for. They may have become embassador birds for their species, or less likely, gone into private companies

ItS easier to train a chicken than a dog for food rewards. So why do you think it would it be too difficult to train an eagle for rewards (meat).

 

[fluffycrow]

ItS easier to train a chicken than a dog for food rewards. So why do you think it would it be too difficult to train an eagle for rewards (meat).

For starters, both chickens and dogs are domesticated. More domesticated that an eagle or any sort of raptor, at least. Their instincts are very much there. To bring down the drones, the police are using the eagle's prey drive and attempt to modify it the best to their ability.

I've never heard of people being able to use a chicken's prey drive to their advantage, and we can barely manage it with dogs. Eagles, sea eagles no less, are not typicay hunters of anything avian. The parents are the ones who teach their young how and what to hunt. When a raptor is human imprinted, much of the same still applies. That's why it usually works to have falconry birds hunt prey that they would not naturally hunt, in a hunting style that they wouldn't naturally go for (Kestrels hunting birds as large as starlings, when they usually go for insects and smaller avian prey, for example).

Still, moving too far away from the original prey animal, as in the case of a drone, can understandably be both boring and confusing for a young eagle. Hence why there may be problems with this strategy in a "natural" setting, and not one like the setting where the videos were filmed. Simply put, this is not a "trick". It's an adaptation of hunting, and a drone might be a stretch too far.

I should rather stop now, as I'm sure Shad would like the conversation to return to out beloved chickens. If Shad puts his tax collector cap on and wishes a tax payment, here is an older picture of Fig, Fern, and mum Foureira

 

[Shadrach]

All a bit rushed today. Two hours spent cleaning, digging while the chickens went off foraging.
Mow is dealing with her moult better than she was. I think the worst of it is over.
Fret is still limping but getting around.
Henry is moulting.
Still hunting red mite. They are still arriving from outside the coop. I'll be interested to see what a wind change and some heavy rain does. My friend in the next county has red mite. He's struggling to keep three coops clear.

 

[Sequel]

All a bit rushed today. Two hours spent cleaning, digging while the chickens went off foraging.
Mow is dealing with her moult better than she was. I think the worst of it is over.
Fret is still limping but getting around.
Henry is moulting.
Still hunting red mite. They are still arriving from outside the coop. I'll be interested to see what a wind change and some heavy rain does. My friend in the next county has red mite. He's struggling to keep three coops clear.
View attachment 3932869

It’s so great to see your coop filling up with birds Shad! Not so great the red mites but the blowtorch is epic as my grandkids would say!

 

[Shadrach]

It’s so great to see your coop filling up with birds Shad! Not so great the red mites but the blowtorch is epic as my grandkids would say!

I tend to get more than a few raised eyebrows on BYC when I mention coop cleaning with a blow torch. Fire, under control, is a wonderfully cleanser. What's more, not a lot developed a resistance to it. There is already a problem with permethrin leaching into some rivers from intensive egg and meat factories. No doubt at some point bugs will develope resistance to permethrin. Build the right type of coop and one can achieve pesticide free chicken keeping which is what I prefer. I hope Perris keeps us updated on how they fare with their blow torch cleaning.