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

[bronze]

Playgroup have jus announced they're interested in having chickens. They currently have my latest lot of eggs in the incubator but now they have bigger ideas of a couple of layers.

Being the chicken geek on the committee I said I would look into it. In the schools sections there seems to be loads and loads of lesson plans but does anyone know where I could find out any info on the elf and aftey side of things.

[Mrs Frugal]

Try emailing James@omlet.co.uk, Bron. He seems to deal with the schools side of things and will probably be able to help.

[bronze]

Thanks Kate. I have had a mooch but it all seems to be schools not younger so will email him

ta x

[Egluntyne]

Risk assessment form **here**

[bronze]

Fab. Now how on earth did I miss that. Must be the tiredness caused by the meeting that went on til after 11 last night

[dancing cloud]

Elf and Aftey - is that what they're going to be called then?

[bronze]

I love the idea. Sadly I think they'll be called somethign appalling from the experience of the guinea pig names.

 

I'm now looking into ex batts, plus housing etc.

[dancing cloud]

I would highly recommend ex-batts, but the young ones may find their initial condition upsetting. My little Joy was almost completely bald when she arrived - very cute, but very bald. Just a thought ...

[bronze]

Looking at the H&S there is a plus for ex batts in that they vaccinnated. Does anyone know exactly what against? I have the omlet hens list off that risk assessment form and I'm sure it would be similar. If not I'll ask the BHWT

[dancing cloud]

BHWT list the comon ailments ex-batts are vaccinated against under the "health" section

 

http://www.bhwt.org.uk/caring-for-battery-hens.php

 

Just to add to my last post, I mentioned the ex-batt condition to my mother, who used to teach little ones, and she reckoned most of them will never have seen a hen other than oven-ready in the supermarket or in nuggets , so won't be at all upset at their initial condition, because they won't know what a hen should look like.

 

She thought it might be good for the children to watch ex-batts grow and develop into "real" hens. She wasn't entirely sure how educational it would be for the hens, but thought they'd cope

[bronze]

Thanks

 

I seem to be incapable of finding stuff at the mo.

 

I think a fair few of the children will have knowledge of chickens- we're rural norfolk so they're pretty common. Quite a lot of the children live on farms but this also means that they are more used to the day to day not so pleasant side to having animals.