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

[AJuff]

A lady I know through work got 3 marans a few months ago. She has not taken to them at all and keeps threatening to get rid of them. I have offered a home to them all. She told me that two out of the three had stopped laying and one was bullying the others. I suggested a bumper bit and she asked if I could fit it for her.

 

I went round tonight to find they live in a tiny, tiny coop with a tiny low run. Three hens width by four hens lengths! The bullying one was in fine feathers, then followed the second which was clearly moulting and then the third who was in a really bad way. All tail feathers had been plucked out and she looked red raw. Both hen 2 and 3 had very daggy bottoms and looked very unkempt. They barely had room to move. I asked if they freeranged much but she said not at all. Their water was in a bowl which looked filthy as they walked through it. They said they thought they had given them names but neither the couple or their daughter could remember them.

 

I feel so upset. They need TLC. She said if they weren't laying by the end of the summer I could have them. I wanted to take them home with me there and then. . . . . .

Edited July 26, 2008 by Guest

[Egg Lou]

Oh what a horrid position for you having to leave them .. she doesn't deserve to have them at all, this kind of "egg making " attitude makes my blood boil.. sounds nearly as bad as poor battery hens in that tiny run Can you not report her? (edited to add actually I guess this is not so easy if you work with her and want to get the hens away too.. )

 

I hope she has some common sense soon and lets you take the poor things into your loving care!

[xChicken04x]

How awful .

Could you buy them off her? In that condition, they won't lay eggs, how common sense does not tell her that, I don't know.

 

xx

[The Brown Clan]

Bless em, what an awful woman

hope you can get them off her

[BeckyBoo]

Could you not offer to temporarily re-house them to see if you can "nurse them back into egg-laying health"? Once she has got rid of them I doubt she'll want them back. It's bad enough having animals you don't want, the least you can then do for them is to ensure they have a good life with someone else. I think this is going to be the tip of the iceberg - if chickens are the latest "must-have" and have been pushed from every side as the "easily looked after, need no trouble" pet then when people realise that yes, they are easy, but they are still creatures and they do still require attention EVERY SINGLE DAY, wether you're on holiday or it's Christmas Day or you're bed-ridden with the flu, then I think we are going to see more and more unwanted and probably, sadly, badly looked after hens.

 

Hope she has the good grace and sense to hand them over, for the hens sake

 

Mrs B

[Abbey Road Girl]

Very very tough situation. Almost makes Mr Fox seem like an errand of mercy.

[Olly]

I think Mrs Bertie's suggestion is a good one - offer to do her a favour, sympathise about what a nuisance chickens are and so on (with tongue firmly in cheek) and stress that they really aren't going to lay while they are in that condition, why don't you take them for a few weeks to see if you can perk them up etc.

 

If you didn't work with her you could be a lot more direct, but I guess you can't afford to burn bridges. She doesn't sound very committed, if you get them then make sure they never lay any eggs! just in case she wants them back.

[JamesH]

You've been put in an awful position now. You are going to have to tell her they are much too cramped.

 

A 1.8metre length of pretreated timber is £1.08 in homebase.

10metre of chicken wire is £9.95 b&q

 

I would think for 20quid she could make a run, it won't be pretty or keep a fox out, but hey.

[Egluntyne]

A terrible dilemma for you.

 

The hens come before this batty woman's feelings though.

 

I'd "advise" her that she will need to make major and expensive changes if she wants them to lay, but you will do her a massive favour and take them off her hands.

 

 

If she insists on keeping them a little longer, refer her to a forum (not this one please ) where she can pick up some tips, and will maybe see where she has been going wrong.

[AJuff]

I have thought about reporting her to the council as I KNOW they are not allowed hens, it's in their deeds. Then offer to step in and rehome them for her.

[Egluntyne]

Good plan. The chickens well being comes first.

[keyhole kate]

I wholeheartedly agree with Egluntine!!

 

People who take on animals of any kind without thought or consideration to there welfare, need commitment,lifespan make my blood boil

 

I have been all through the Pros and Cons of keeping chickens with my own SON & Girlfriend I wanted them to be fully commited before they took on some girls went thorough all the what if's etc and he is an Adult has his own home & in the Military so very clued up & resposible. Even then I have told him if for some reason things dont work out I must home his girls.

 

So he has gone off home with my redundant & his new girls with his ears ringing!

 

It makes me shudder to think what there parenting skills were like !! if they cant commit to animals

 

4 & 1 living the life of Riley in a

[Electricbarbarella]

i must admit I really don't understand this, when i first decided I was going to get chooks my mum took me to see her friends, they were lovely and in a beautiful house and run. Mum then tiold me they don't need as much space as that and her neighbours had just got some chooks, I couldn't believe the house these chooks were in it was a tiny ark, they do now free range a lot and the lady is replacing it as she was sold it and yold it was ok and it clearly isn't,.

The thing is they really don't take that much care but any person who takes on any aniaml without realising the commitment should ot be allowed.

[The Bantam of the Opera]

i really hope you get those hens! >.< deffo report her to the council, that's a great idea, i don't think she'll got to the effort of trying to keep them and fight the council if she doesn't like them that much.

 

good luck!

[superjules]

What a sad story. I hope it all works out that they end up in a much better home. Poor things.

[chickenanne]

Does she know what a sensible size for a house and run is? If not, then perhaps telling her, and also getting her a proper waterer is needed. Point out that nothing will fix the bullying or general ill-health until they have les stressful environment. It only works in battery cages because of the high levels of antibiotics, among other things....

[MedusA]

People like this make me so

 

I fully support all the very sensible advice you have been given to try and part these poor birds from their uncaring owner, but appreciate that you need to do it tactfully. The very best of luck. I do hope you succeed for their sake. Poor things.