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

[andy9196]

Well the girls have finally arrived and in for the night.

 

Just a couple of questions

 

Do the girls take they time to use the feeders / water ?

 

Pecking, I know this will subside, is it just they way of finding out the pecking order ?

 

Many thanks

 

(cu be green

 

 

No names yet !! kids working on them

[Scramble]

Hi, welcome to the forum

congrats on the new chickens!

 

They will come to use the feeder and drinker as they will see the food and water, do you have a superglug? as these can sometimes be more difficult for them to get the hang of because of the drip drinking. The food should be fine.

 

And I'm sure that the pecking will subside, there's a great lot of info about it all here : http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=25886&view=unread#unread

 

Good luck!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum, Andy and congratulations on your new girls . Look forward to hearing their names once the kids have decided (are they going for a theme?)

[Redwing]

Congratulations on your new ladies Andy

 

People have had trouble trying to get the chickens to use their Superglug, I hear that tapping it with a stick to start the water dripping is a good idea

[abwsco]

Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of exbatts It might be an idea to have lots of food and water containers around for a bit whilst they're sorting themselves out and also whilst they get used to the grub and glug. Also, if yours have big floppy combs they may struggle to get their heads into the grub. I know one of mine did.

[Chickvic]

Hello and welcome Andy. Congratulations on the new girls.

[andy9196]

Hello to everyone

 

I am sure that I will be asking alot of questions over the coming weeks.

 

The names the kids are thinking of are not good !! Barbie, Nugget to name a couple

 

It will be interesting I am sure. At least the kids are interested in them, so fingers crossed and i am sure that the girls will settle in, we are right by the country side, so there will be plenty for them to do !!

 

Thanks again

[the eggman cometh]

Andy, hi, congrats on the new brood. im sure you will have lots of fun times with them.

[Egluntyne]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum.

 

The pecking order normally sorts itself out. Ex batts can sometimes be a bit aggressive as they are used to having to fight for every s"Ooops, word censored!" of food.

 

You can put extra food stations out to try to overcome this. Once they realise that there is enough for everyone, it should settle.

[poachedegg]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new additions.

[chelsea]

hello and welcome from me too

[andy9196]

Thanks for the kind commenst, the girls seemed to have quietened down a little today, and even managed 5 eggs.

 

Without watching them all day, how do you know which one isn't laying ?

 

Sorry for the questions... again...

[Dodge]

Hi Andy and welcome to the forum.

 

Giving a home to ex batt's is very fulfilling; to watch them grow and develop their natural behaviours is a sight to behold.

 

There is nothing better then seeing your girl's who are sometimes almost oven ready when you first get them, regrowing all their feathers and plumage, and thriving in their new home.

 

I would not worry about which of your girl’s is not laying, to get 5 eggs is fantastic. However you will find that some days you may only get 3 or 4 eggs.

 

Your girls have now past their peak performance and have had a very intensive last 18 months or so. But with lots of TLC you will continue to receive eggs for quite a long time.

 

Congrats on giving your girl's a hopefully long and pleasant retirement.

 

Regards

 

Dodge.

[dancing cloud]

Hello and welcome from another owner of a and 6 BHWT hens rescued 8 months ago

 

My lot never got on with the superglug and used to turf all the pellets out of the grub onto the floor, so are now content with the usual upside-down bucket style of feeders and drinkers. I have two of each and 3 bowls of porridge, so none are likely to starve

 

The pecking does subside after a few days, when they're all acquainted with where they are in the order, and they've figured out that they don't need to fight so much for food and water. My little monsters still have the occasional spat but by and large get along OK.

 

Mine have never stopped laying, though the number of eggs varies. The lowest days are 2 eggs and the best days are 6 eggs. I was sad enough to sit and watch who laid what in the beginning, so I have a pretty good idea, but the size shape and colour of their eggs can vary over time, so they can still catch me out sometimes!

 

As others have said, keeping ex-batts is wonderfully rewarding on many levels - so much so I'm on the list for 3 more in March - addicted already!

[Janty]

Hello and welcome from me too.

 

My ex-batts took a little while to get used to the feeders and drinkers but they are fine now. They use the superglugs along with the other girls. I think it's a case of some get on with them and some don't. Give them a little more time perhaps.

[SLK69]

Well done - rescuing ex batts is one of my best personal acheivements - ours arrived last spring - all bald scrawny and less than pretty - I wish you well with them, it is the best thing ever as you watch them fill out and grow.

 

10 months on and they are still laying eggs (though they took Dec off as holiday)

 

S.

 

(4 exbatts, plus one rehomed girl - all in a purple cube)