Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[fuzzi]

Yesterday was the last good weather day for the rest of the week, where "good" means 40F/4C, no sun, but no wind or snow either. I made extra time to sit with the birds in the evening. Good time for tax photos.

Just as my legs were starting to feel like ice sticks, warm blanket Bebe jumped up to nap on my lap. She stayed 30 minutes, with a short break to fly off and see what the other hens were scratching up. She's a big, tall muppet of a Langshan. I love her dearly.

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Younger hens (like Miss Nugs, in the background) orbited to see when they might have a turn on Beakwipe's Footwarming Service. Lil Nugs has been extra cuddly since I started warming her feet with my hands on frigid days this winter.

We were eventually joined by Bebe's peers, Stilton and The Unquestioned and Most Esteemed Highest Head Hen Brahma Donna. It got a little crowded, but nice and warm.

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Lastly, in solidarity with Fret: the Easter Eggers are all about hiding their heads in each other's fluff. It's a bed-time thing, though. They don't do this out in the open like Fret.
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I love the way Bebe's feathers cascade.

And that third photo should be a POW!

 

[Shadrach]

A big and probably unrealistic part of me hopes that some of them just went feral and are hiding and thriving in the trees and undergrowth.

I would like to believe that and maybe one or two made a run for it.

 

[tranquiliti]

I would like to believe that and maybe one or two made a run for it.

 

[MrsNorthie]

This is definitely me, and maybe a few others here.

 

[Sally PB]

We need that on a T-shirt.

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks for all the good wishes everyone. I'm okay, just angry more than anything else. I had ten unbelievable years with the tribes so things like this are a small price to pay; there's always a price isn't there...

As one might expect, I didn't get to the field with the most positive of attitudes. The bus journey didn't help. Lots of African and Asian people travel on the first leg of my journey to the allotments. The bus was full of mums with kids, pushchairs, toodlers (it's half term here) mostly from Somalia from what I could gather. Someone got on the bus with a large rottweiler which they couldn't control. The Somalians were terrified to the point of leaving their seats and crowding at the back of the bus. Dogs of any description are feared by many Asians and Africans. Should one have seen a pack of dogs in these coutries it's easy to understand why. My view is the bus driver shouldn't have let the dog on the bus.


This is what I saw when I got to the run.

No Henry. He wasn't in the run either. I opened the back of the coop half expecting to find him dead on the floor. He was in the coop on a roost bar. He didn't look happy.
I got him of the bar and carried him out to the hens. He perked up a bit but as you can see fro his stance, all is not well.

After half an hour I picked him up and did another inspection. Nothing untoward apart from his legs. I did his legs. He doesn't like having his legs done poor chap. I got some Rooster Booster into him. He was on my lap quite a while and I didn't think he was generating enough heat for a large chap. He waslooking a bit better a while later out with the hens.

 

[fuzzi]

Poor Henry

 

[MrsNorthie]

He was on my lap quite a while and I didn't think he was generating enough heat for a large chap. He waslooking a bit better a while later out with the hens.

I think they are ready for warmer weather and hopefully a lot of sunshine! I know they don't live forever, but I hope that he starts feeling better and hangs in for as long as he is comfortable. He is such a perfect rooster.

We are in our grey rainy phase, as we are getting hit with what should be (*touch wood) the last cold spell before things start getting nice. Even our lot all went in early and the turkeys all happily went in to their coops tonight. We are starting to get a little freezing rain with the threat of snow overnight.

 

[MrsNorthie]

We need that on a T-shirt.

I was actually searching for one, I will let you know if I find it.

 

[fuzzi]