4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[OldGeorge]

I am new to all this, I have an Eglu with 4 Ex-Bats they seem happy enough, making contented noises, they eat huge amounts of food, about 150 grammes per day each, and they are looking a lot less tatty than they were.

 

If they don't lay it's not the end of the world a they are quite funny to watch, and you do get a warm feeling that you've saved them from a much worse fate, but it would be nice to see the odd egg now and again and I was wondering how long it should be before I can expect to see any egg action

[Egluntyne]

What exactly are you feeding them on?

 

 

Also...are they free ranging and laying under a shrub or similar?

[OldGeorge]

Mainly Layers Pellets with a handfull of mixed corn scttered abount in the run to amuse them, and the odd bit of green uncooked veg from the kitchen.

 

I've not let them out and about yet ( I'm not the shape to go rugby tackling hens ). they are feeding out of my hand now, when we first got them they were a little timid

[Janty]

I get about two eggs a week from my four ex-batts. There was a period of about two weeks when we had no eggs at all from them.

Mine also eat huge amounts.

[Moonie]

One of my ex batts gives me an egg everyday, the others are every other day. This started about 2 weeks after arrival .... they may suprise you.

[peanut12]

we got our ex-batts on 11th March and our first egg 2 hours after they arrived

 

We now get a regular 7-8 a day from our 10 girls. 2 still lay wherever they feel like it, but the rest have learnt to use the nesting boxes.

 

For what it's worth, ours free range for about 2-3 hours a day and are in the run for the rest.

 

They are on layers pellets with extra veg including cabbage and sweetcorn.

 

I guess it's just luck of the draw.

[OldGeorge]

Shall I keep feeding them the same stuff and keep up the treats or should I change something ?

 

I should have mentioned they also have a small feeder filled with grit and oyster shell if they want it.

[peanut12]

Persevere George.

 

I keep extra-treats like veg for afternoons to ensure they eat plenty of pellets in the morning and get the goodness they need from them, otherwise they'd choose the veg every time.

[Egluntyne]

Mine have all laid an egg every day since they arrived.

 

My impression is that they are still very young.....they seem like gangly teenagers.

[OldGeorge]

Would you believe it we had our first egg this afternoon !!!

 

So maybe I didn't buy broken chickens after all

[chickenlass]

Congratulations on your first egg.

[daj198]

My three laid four eggs on their first day in the eglu. After that, they laid about one a day each- I think they were pretty good condition ex-bats. They were laying more than my friends chooks who were bought from a breeder! Congratulations about the egg! Hopefully they'll get the idea...

[OldGeorge]

Another one today !!!

 

I getting really excited now yesterday I was at £300 + per egg today thats down to around £150.

 

At the hens are looking better and better.

[Pookylover]

Congratulations on your eggs! I rescued 10 ex bats yesterday and I got an egg yesterday! I was so excited! Really couldn't believe you could get that excited over an egg! Haven't looked this morning yet! They are really wonderful aren't they? Clare x