Solitary chicken - need advice

[Suzy]

Hi, am hoping someone can help me with a few questions. I am brand new to this and I adopted 3 ex battery hens on Saturday. I have a couple of questions.

 

Firstly, I put them to bed and lock their eglu at dusk as I don't want foxes or anything to get them – but am worried as I only let them out at 7:30 the next day so they are without food and drink for 15 hours – is that OK? Should I put water at least in their eglu? Do they not get bored or do they naturally sleep for all that time?

 

I’ve seen the pecking order thing going on and they have obviously pecked each others combs – they have little scabs as they have pecked. No damage to the birds that I can see other than that – should I put something on it or will it subside.

 

We’ve had 5 eggs in 3 days so they seem to be settling in pretty well, how can I tell if all three are laying or if one has a problem as I’ve only had a maximum of two eggs in one day.

 

If anyone can help me out I’d be very grateful!

 

Thanks

 

Suzy

[cordelia]

The chickens will survive quite fine without food and water overl night.

 

During the summer months when the days are longer, they will want to be up later and up in the morning earlier, when its light basically

 

You dont need to put food and water in the eglu, it will get contaminated probably, and cause you problems..

 

If they peck each other and draw blood they will keep doing it, as they are attracted by the blood, it might be worth getting some Purple Sray( gentian violet) on the pecked parts to discourage anymore attacks...and let the pecked parts heal..

 

I cant advise on the eggs, as mine havent layed yet..

 

best regards

 

[Olly]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on adopting ex-batts!

 

Agree, once they go into the Eglu with the door shut they will snuggle up and not move around, and they don't need to eat or drink during the night.

 

Keep an eye on the pecking, as Cordelia says, once they have drawn blood they get a taste for it! It might just be them settling in.

 

You'll probably learn to distinguish who lays which eggs, but it can be hard to tell - I'm getting between one and three eggs a day from my four, and I still haven't worked out who is 'on strike'. The three gingernuts all lay very similar-looking eggs, whereas the Speckledy's eggs are much smaller and darker. Don't worry too much, as long as they're all looking alert and eating.

[Suzy]

Thanks - really appreciate the responses. I will keep an eye on the scabs. Bit worrying really, but you've put my mind at rest about the sleeping and eating arrangements!

[Alfred]

If they are anything like mine they may well stop laying after about a week! Mine have strtaed to lay the odd one again now (after a 3 week gap) - but I think only two of them are. The colours are all slightly different.

[HENthusiastic]

First of all for rescuing some ex batts. Keep reminding yourself everytime they do something......... its probably the first time they've had the freedom to be able to do it. I love my ex-batts.

 

They will be fine without food and water as they will all be slumbering soundly.

 

Mine also had scabby bits on their combs, but they never took any notice of them. or did any harm to each other.

 

In time you will notice who has disapeared into the nest box and then you can go and look at the egg and start to get an idea of who lays which eggs. One of my ex-batts hardly lays at all. But I think she's earned the right to a rest after all shes been through.

 

Enjoy your girls.