Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Ladies-Eight]

Missed a few things.
Until our vacation I got update notifications of this thread. But this stopped for no good reasons.

The same thing happened to me.

 

[Perris]

Here are some takeaways from the book on moulting that I've been reading recently (Jenni and Winkler The biology of moult in birds 2020). There are 5 chapters, so I'll break it down to one at a time.

The functions of the plumage are (i) as a protective barrier against mechanical impact, solar radiation and water; (ii) thermal insulation and thermoregulation; (iii) to enable flight; (iv) to give a bird colour and shape; and (v) to provide tactile sensors. Additional specialised functions exist in some species. Many of these functions are in conflict, e.g. concealment to avoid predators versus conspicuousness to attract a mate.

Incidentals I didn't hitherto know that come up in this chapter include: that melanin increases durability, so dark feathers (black, brown, red-brown) wear better than light ones, and that's also why the primaries or at least the wing tips of most pale birds are black (though there are many exceptions to that generalization). Another is that irregular patterns like mottling provide the best camouflage for birds that stay still when threatened, while regular patterns like barring dazzle predators when birds run to avoid being preyed upon. Another is that the plumage needs to absorb ultraviolet light because most birds' skin is thin and translucent. (So the red patches on hens that have lost feathers on the back is sunburn, as well as or even rather than anything the roos' spurs might have done, beyond wear out the feathers there).

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 70s cloudy.

Have a great day!

When I went out to see my chickens yesterday I found one of my Barred Rocks dead and a rooster in my coop.

I do not have a rooster and do not know where he came from.

 

[Molpet]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 70s cloudy.

Have a great day!

When I went out to see my chickens yesterday I found one of my Barred Rocks dead and a rooster in my coop.

I do not have a rooster and do not know where he came from.

Sorry for your loss
How did he get in the coop?

 

[Molpet]

Here are some takeaways from the book on moulting that I've been reading recently (Jenni and Winkler The biology of moult in birds 2020). There are 5 chapters, so I'll break it down to one at a time.

The functions of the plumage are (i) as a protective barrier against mechanical impact, solar radiation and water; (ii) thermal insulation and thermoregulation; (iii) to enable flight; (iv) to give a bird colour and shape; and (v) to provide tactile sensors. Additional specialised functions exist in some species. Many of these functions are in conflict, e.g. concealment to avoid predators versus conspicuousness to attract a mate.

Incidentals I didn't hitherto know that come up in this chapter include: that melanin increases durability, so dark feathers (black, brown, red-brown) wear better than light ones, and that's also why the primaries or at least the wing tips of most pale birds are black (though there are many exceptions to that generalization). Another is that irregular patterns like mottling provide the best camouflage for birds that stay still when threatened, while regular patterns like barring dazzle predators when birds run to avoid being preyed upon. Another is that the plumage needs to absorb ultraviolet light because most birds' skin is thin and translucent. (So the red patches on hens that have lost feathers on the back is sunburn, as well as or even rather than anything the roos' spurs might have done, beyond wear out the feathers there).

I had read years ago that the oil from the preen gland on the feathers produced vitamin D.
Anything mentioned about it?

 

[notabitail]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 70s cloudy.

Have a great day!

When I went out to see my chickens yesterday I found one of my Barred Rocks dead and a rooster in my coop.

I do not have a rooster and do not know where he came from.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your chook .

 

[BDutch]

When I went out to see my chickens yesterday I found one of my Barred Rocks dead and a rooster in my coop.

I do not have a rooster and do not know where he came from.

Sorry for your loss.
Do you have roosters in the area that have been set free?
Coincidence?

 

[Perris]

I had read years ago that the oil from the preen gland on the feathers produced vitamin D.
Anything mentioned about it?

There's a lot on all aspects of preening and preen oil, but it does not say anything about vit D production.

 

[Perris]

When I went out to see my chickens yesterday I found one of my Barred Rocks dead and a rooster in my coop.

I do not have a rooster and do not know where he came from.

that's very odd - and must have been upsetting too. What are you going to do with him?

 

[fuzzi]

Here are some takeaways from the book on moulting that I've been reading recently (Jenni and Winkler The biology of moult in birds 2020). There are 5 chapters, so I'll break it down to one at a time.

The functions of the plumage are (i) as a protective barrier against mechanical impact, solar radiation and water; (ii) thermal insulation and thermoregulation; (iii) to enable flight; (iv) to give a bird colour and shape; and (v) to provide tactile sensors. Additional specialised functions exist in some species. Many of these functions are in conflict, e.g. concealment to avoid predators versus conspicuousness to attract a mate.

Incidentals I didn't hitherto know that come up in this chapter include: that melanin increases durability, so dark feathers (black, brown, red-brown) wear better than light ones, and that's also why the primaries or at least the wing tips of most pale birds are black (though there are many exceptions to that generalization). Another is that irregular patterns like mottling provide the best camouflage for birds that stay still when threatened, while regular patterns like barring dazzle predators when birds run to avoid being preyed upon. Another is that the plumage needs to absorb ultraviolet light because most birds' skin is thin and translucent. (So the red patches on hens that have lost feathers on the back is sunburn, as well as or even rather than anything the roos' spurs might have done, beyond wear out the feathers there).

Thank you for sharing information.

Abigail is having a difficult molt, her first full one. I'm making sure she's getting plenty of protein.

Corn!

Zacchaeus is being a Good Boy, letting his gals eat first.