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Roxanne

OMLETS AND EX-BATTS TOGETHER - photographs

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I finally took the plunge yesterday and left the girls together all day instead of sitting with them while they sociialised. There was a fair bit of pecking from the Pepperpots but the Gingernuts didn't seem to be bothered, maybe it's to do with the colour similarity?

The ex-batts were in and out of the [secure] grass run and undercover area and exploring the parts of the stable hitherto cut off from them! They loved drinking out of the glug and even tried the layers pellets while the Omlets tucked in to the layers mash. They seem to have developed a skill for getting out of tight corners and dash through a cordon of Omlets without losing a feather!! Each time I went out to see them, one raised the alarm that I was on my way and chickens came running from every direction to greet me - joy!!!! :D:D:D

I left them to go to bed alone last night and they all found their way to their own houses. It will be interested to see if they investigate eachothers homes ... or will I have to put the ex-batts into the cube and see if they can get out??? Ideally, I would like to just use the cube and dispense with the wooden house, it's so much easier to clean!!

My only problem now is trying to get into the run with 8 chickens crowding round the door instead of 4!!

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Lovely pics and an interesting read Roxanne. Great to see them altogether.

Hope the Cube plan works, that'll be ideal if the exbatts are strong enough to get in & out.

 

Thanks Sheila

I think they are quite strong - they are light enough to fly up to try and take food from my hands as I walk in the run, in spite of a lack of wing feathers! They also jump up onto the bench I have in the enclosed run and sit by my shoulder waiting for corn.

I popped Milly through the egg port this morning but she just turned around and looked at me blankly. Perhaps I'll wait a while longer... after all, there's no rush, is there? They're living on borrowed time thanks to the BHWT!

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Hi

 

I have been looking at the BHWT website and would really like the chance to give some hens a new home. From what you've said they sound like they're already quite tame? What condition were they in when you got them? I've read somewhere that they are about a year old and lay about half what a non ex batt would lay. Do you know if this is true? If so, we may be able to have a couple more and not be inundated with eggs we cannot eat!

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They were quite intimidated when we first got them - kept very quiet and stayed in one place, didn't eat any treats and laid eggs wherever they were standing.

6 weeks down the line they are feisy little things with personalities and very happy to see me whenever I go near the run. They are extremely easy to pick up and love attention. I have to be really careful I don't step on them when I am in the hen house because they are always underfoot. Today I had an egg from each of my hens - 8 in total. I have been getting 6 a day. You can always give eggs away - whenever I go to friends, I take a box - everyone loves them and I always get emails the next day, extolling the virtues of our beautiful fresh eggs.

My only regret is that I didn't take 6 hens instead of 4 when I rescued the ex-batts!

This is hopefully a link to my photos of the ex-batts the day after they arrived here.

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Good luck - you won't regret it - and there are the most amazing people on this forum who help out if you have a problem. I don't know any of them personally, but their support has been second to none and I really couldn't have done it without them.

Hope you had a great honeymoon!!

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