Guest Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 On Saturday the Essex rescue rescued about 700 girls from a farm in Norfolk. Helen was there - and new-girl Kim (from the forum here) - who was a total natural - as if she has been doing it all her life. 700 was way more than we have ever rescued in one go before - we needed a horse box and an extended transit van to get them all in... kim was thrown in at the deep end - coming with us to pull the chooks from the farm cages (setting off at 6am) - and then crawling back to rescue base - as the A12 was closed with a tanker crash! the girls were all (relatively speaking) in good condition... we had to rescue so many cos of the huge backlog of people wanting rescue hens after recent TV publicity... (there are orders for 1500 birds!!) anyway - Me and Carys brought two home - after the sad demise of Windle Pooms who dropped dead suddenly, Mrs Miggins has been on her own... not anymore: here's Miggins fixing the new girls with a stern stare.... here's both batts together: here's Mrs Goggins (with lovely white-tinged feathers and floppy comb) and here's Miss Marple (slightly scrawnier - but still in good condition as Batts go..) Mrs Miggins has welcomed them with open arms - her bok-bok is worse than her bite! Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooner.girl Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Phil - they're lovely - great pictures! I especially like Mrs Goggins neck! Very pretty feathering (Postman Pat rocks BTW - i think you should name all your chooks in the future after Postman Pat characters ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totty Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Well done for to everyone who helped in the rescue. Your hard work is so worthwhile . The pictures are really good. I am sooo looking forward to getting my ex-batts and giving them a better life.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 went out into garden and thought i'd lost Mrs Goggins - searched for 20mins - no sign of her... then I found her - having walked into a plastic sack down the side of the house and (presumably) given up trying to work out how to get out! glad u like her, Helen - here's a photo that shows off her neck to its best effect... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooner.girl Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Awww. shes getting into trouble already! You know Phil - when i pulled her out of the cage in the pitch dark i immediately thought 'this one should be for Phil - he'll like the pretty feathering round her neck!' Sure it was that one! Could have been one of 699 others but i'm sure it was that one!: D See - aren't i thoughtful?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Great pictures....and super names as always! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonie Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 You're right, just like my new girls, phew i was starting to get the impression no one believed mine were ex batts!! Lovely pics btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky1 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 They already look lovely. It's just great that they have a 'mummy' to love and care for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Well done everyone involved in the rescue Phil your new girls look so at home with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 What lovely photos It's always lovely to see rescue girls having a lovely new life Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I love Mrs Miggins evil stare photo! Not bad condition for ex batts phil, they will be back to full feathered glory in no time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayflower Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hi Looove the pics of your new girls. One of them has beautiful feathers. It makes me feel both excited and nervous when we collect our ex bats in Dorset second week in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 great news, great girls, great photos Phil Whenever I help at the Sussex rescues I always want to take home a few more - running out of space (even with a cube in order) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 What lovely girls. What a great job all you rescuers are doing! I hope your poor little girl was none the worse for her encounter with the black bag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut12 Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 the girls look great. Well done you. One question, when you get ex-batts - do you clip their wings? and if so, I presume you ve to wait until fully feathered before doing so??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chili pepper Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 They look great, Mrs Miggins is a real stunner!! It was so lovely to wake up on Sunday morning to glorious sunshine and think of all the girls waking up to sunshine on their backs on their first day of freedom Thanks for the praise Phil but I had good teachers and you are a great team! I must be so unfit, I could hardly walk the next day, my thigh muscles hurt so much. It was well worth it though. Peanut12, mine were never clipped and have never tried to fly off, they are quite content to scratch and dust bathe, the fence between myself and one of my neighbours is only about 4 ft high and its never been a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Question when you do a rescue are all the birds taken or so many of them having to leave some behind.Just wondered????? Lovely birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooner.girl Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 We have to leave lots behind Tara which is horrible.... This Essex rescue just gone it was mostly the birds on the top flight of cages that we couldn't reach and they peered down at us and i felt dreadful about leaving them... We took nearly 700 which is a HUGE amount for a rescue and there were still 100's left. Unfortunately at the moment i guess the BHWT rescues are still just a small drop in the ocean.... Getting bigger though i think! Kim - you did a fab job - i'm glad you enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 So do you take to oder or so many that you can all handle.You all do brilliant work .Ive just been watching mine bath in the soil soaking up the sun and thought thats how all birds should be.Im so glad im not an animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponymad Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 yeh well done. congrats on the rescue! Is it easy to rescue a chicken and take it home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 what can we do to help you get more out then? i take my hat off to you it must be heartbreaking leaving them behind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooner.girl Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 We take to order - we can't take any more then we have homes for. With the Jamie Oliver programme we have seen a big increase in people wanting to rehome them which is great. To help us get more out - take as many as you can and spread the word about the BHWT and encourage people to keep ex batt chickens! Not quite sure what you mean about is it easy to rescue a chicken and bring it home pony mad - if you have the facilities to keep chickens ie house and stuff all ready then yes it is - you just need to get the contact details off the BHWT web site for your local co-ordinator, get in touch and tell them how many chooks you want and they will then let you know where and when to pick them up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 i some times look on the down the lane forum and they have started a car poster campaign, i have put one in my car a good idea i think, i work in retail and i am always explaining to customers what the difference is between free range and caged because some really dont understand the suffering that they go through in these horrible cages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I told the OH about the rescue, he was very impressed but asked what happens to the hens that don't get rescued ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 i think they get taken out and used in baby food/dog food and cheap pies but i may be corrected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...