Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

Thank you!

I’m mulling over an extension to the Nestera this summer (a Nesterannexe? Nesteratrium?) to capture some winter sun. It would be useful to extend it along the Nestera’s main axis, but with a higher roofline.

(Shh, don’t tell Perris)

Does this help?

 

[ChaosMom]

Does this help?
View attachment 4075268

Yes, it does! is the hardware cloth next to/ on the coop acting as sort of a girdle to maintain the shape of the cattle panels? (Geeze, when was the last time I thought of a girdle...)

Or is it just the first few courses of HWC meant for protection from predators?

 

[Perris]

Cold, grey and bleak and we are all sick of it.

Isn't that the truth. It's been incredibly dry the last month though - I have been neglecting the balcony thinking nothing's doing there, and discovered yesterday that some of my strawberry runners recently potted up are completely desiccated Established plants meanwhile are ready to burst: one strawberry even has small fruits already! ?!? in Mid March ??? And a borage up there is ready to explode into flower, as the forecasters are saying we have a sunny warm week in store, at last The starlings in the gables have started nest building, and I think everything's going to zoom into life when the sun finally gives some warmth.

Tax: Venka looking good for an 8 year old I think, and Janeka not bad for a 6 year old

They've both laid already this year; not a lot, but a couple each so far, weather notwithstanding.

 

[ChaosMom]

Isn't that the truth. It's been incredibly dry the last month though - I have been neglecting the balcony thinking nothing's doing there, and discovered yesterday that some of my strawberry runners recently potted up are completely desiccated Established plants meanwhile are ready to burst: one strawberry even has small fruits already! ?!? in Mid March ??? And a borage up there is ready to explode into flower, as the forecasters are saying we have a sunny warm week in store, at last The starlings in the gables have started nest building, and I think everything's going to zoom into life when the sun finally gives some warmth.

Tax: Venka looking good for an 8 year old I think, and Janeka not bad for a 6 year old
View attachment 4075394
They've both laid already this year; not a lot, but a couple each so far, weather notwithstanding.

They are beautiful! What breed is Janeka?

 

[Perris]

They are beautiful! What breed is Janeka?

Janeka is a silver duckwing welsumer. She is such a nice hen. One of last year's chicks has grown into a slimline version of Janeka, to the extent that I'm now thinking I've got the supposed inheritance lines here all wrong Anyway, I do hope some of the younger members have her genes, because she's great!

 

[ChaosMom]

Janeka is a silver duckwing welsumer. She is such a nice hen. One of last year's chicks has grown into a slimline version of Janeka, to the extent that I'm now thinking I've got the supposed inheritance lines here all wrong Anyway, I do hope some of the younger members have her genes, because she's great!

I was curious because her coloring and feather patterns look so much to an untrained eye like those of my Easter Egger. I’ve no idea which breeds went into her, so I’m intrigued when I see similar ones.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

We just love making them happy because they are so sweet and make us happy. We just ordered some of these:
View attachment 4074491
To make it more interesting to get their scratch, in the winter when the foraging options are slim. I figure the boys will figure it out first and it will become a new "pickup" spot.

Please share an update on how they like these, if you would.

If the birds have to spend any time locked in their runs, we like to give them toys as well. These are good; fill with scratch and set them in shallow pans so they roll easily and stay clean.

They do seem to work best if introduced early. Stilton's Hens didn't have them in the brooder and won't touch them as adults. On the other hand, here are the Speckles as chicks, and as adults, they love these yellow balls. It was the same with Merle's Girls.

Shad, maybe the allotment chickens would enjoy diversions left in their run for when the pop door opens in the morning? Suet holders full of veggies could give them a little something to do before you get there (you'd just need to stuff the holders with something the allotment rats won't annihilate overnight).

We use these:
https://www.chewy.com/cs-ez-fill-suet-basket-wild-bird/dp/133233

 

[MrsNorthie]

Please share an update on how they like these, if you would.

I will, with pictures.