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pencilbeckett

phoning around breeders and came across something worrying

By pencilbeckett, in Chickens, Eggs and Hatching

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pencilbeckett Chicken Eggspert

pencilbeckett

Posted
Posted

Hi All

 

I was on the net looking for breeders and came across a place selling exbatts. Anyway i phoned up and it is a guy who gets them from the farmer and says he keeps tham at a place called the garage in Cannock. He was not very complimentary about the BHWT his exact words were 'dont get hens from them love, they get them in and sell em on the same day' he was a bit pushy and was selling the girls for £3.00 each. I have phoned the BHWT and they said to either not go there if i might end up upset or to check him out and call the RSPCA if the conditions are not good. I am not sure what to do something just wasnt right when i spoke to him, i dont know what it was but it was enough to make me cry after the call.

 

Please tell me if you think i am over reacting. I just dont think people should be profitting from ex batts. But they could have ended up in cat food tins so is this guy doing a good thing.

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Egluntyne Eggsistentialist

Egluntyne

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Posted (edited)

Erm.....scaratching my head here wondering why he deems it is OK for him to sell them on for £3.00 and not for the BHWT to merely ask for a donation. :?

 

BHWT hens are given are given a health check, nail trim and a delouse before being given to their new owners, notalways on the same day. The logistics of that is sometimes impossible.....so he hasn't bothered to get his facts straight.

 

He wants to make a sale.

 

Edited to correct typo.

Edited by Guest
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mrsallen08 Frequent Layer

mrsallen08

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I would definately go with BHWT or Hen Rehomers UK (formerly north london hen rescue).

Seems he may be trying to 'cash in' on the popularity of hen keeping.

 

If you are concerned on welfare grounds I would definately phone the RSPCA - if he has more than 50 birds he has to register and make it known to the authorities.

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Old Speckled Hen Feathery Fanatic

Old Speckled Hen

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I'd like to get one thing straight in my mind.

Do the BHWT pay for their rescues and if they do how much?Do they charge rescuers for them? Does anybody here know?

I just passed on a battery hen link from Preesall to somebody (Ian, you might know if they're OK http://www.happychicks.co.uk/mall/infopageviewer.cfm/Happychicksshop/ExBatteryHens)

These people say they BUY their rescues but do not say whether they charge for them.

I am keen on giving some exbatts a home though I am not in a position to at the moment.

I know that the BHWT don't always have hens available so I was just looking at other sources.

Sorry to hijack your thread :cry::cry:

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pencilbeckett Chicken Eggspert

pencilbeckett

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I think i am just going to speak to the RSPCA and let them check him out. If i go there myself i will just come back with the whole lot. This guy reckons he gets them every month he must be making a fortune and as you said BHWT worm and treat all their birds who knows if this man does. The RSPCA may know about him but i will feel better anyway. Those girls have been through enough already.

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Egluntyne Eggsistentialist

Egluntyne

Posted
Posted
I'd like to get one thing straight in my mind.

Do the BHWT pay for their rescues and if they do how much?Do they charge rescuers for them? Does anybody here know?

I just passed on a battery hen link from Preesall to somebody (Ian, you might know if they're OK http://www.happychicks.co.uk/mall/infopageviewer.cfm/Happychicksshop/ExBatteryHens)

These people say they BUY their rescues but do not say whether they charge for them.

I am keen on giving some exbatts a home though I am not in a position to at the moment.

I know that the BHWT don't always have hens available so I was just looking at other sources.

Sorry to hijack your thread :cry::cry:

 

I'm pretty sure that the BHWT don't pay for the hens.

 

They ask the rescuers to make a donation. When I rescued my girls, the minimum donation asked was 50p per bird. This may have gone up.

 

I gave more than this, as do most people.

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Alfred Chicken Eggspert

Alfred

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presumably the BHWT pay the going rate for the hens - otherwise why would the farmers give them away? at 50p per hen for several hundred it would be a lot of money for them to lose.

 

this guy seems like he is profiteering from the hens. What service is he providing for the £3? What is the advantage of keeping them a while before rehoming anyway. Surely they are better off getting all the upheaval over as soon as possible. anyone who criticises the BHWT over their treatment of hens is surely wrong as they seem totally caring to me. The £1 donation required just covers the expenses of the rescue anyway - with any extra donations going to their work, which seems fair enough. Wheras this other guy is presumably just keeping any profit he makes.

 

The BHWT or hen rehomers between them do a rescue most months so it's not too long to wait. otherwise you are probably better off approaching a farmer directly rather than supporting some dodgy bloke?

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One_Box Chicken Eggspert

One_Box

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Pencilbeckett, the BHWT is a registered charity, I bet this guy you talk of is NOT. I like most people, gave a lot more for my hens than the minimum donation because I wanted to support the BHWT in their work. Of course it is also possible to support them without actually getting any hens :)

 

Personally he sounds dodgy, I would wait and get some hens from a known source even though it may take a little longer. On the BHWT website it is possible to see where hens are available from at any given time, you may find you are in luck.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide though

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Earl Grey Freshly Laid Egg

Earl Grey

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Please think long and hard before calling the RSPCA. An RSPCA investigation is no joke, and could put this person out of business (guilty or innocent) and cause untold suffering to his family. All you have to go on is that the man sounded "a bit dodgy" and was pushy on the phone, that does not make him a criminal. He is being perfectly honest about what he does - he is selling on battery hens from a farmer he knows. This is no different to what the charitable rehomers do, except that he asks for money up front, rather than coughing discreetly and muttering the word "donation". If he actually keeps them for a week or two to get them in better shape, that's a good thing, especially if they are going to newbie hen keepers as pets. Many people on the forum have "adopted" battery hens that died within a few days. He may be saving the new owner a lot of heartache. If you are still worried, go and see for yourself, but please don't condemn him on the strength of a phone call.

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pencilbeckett Chicken Eggspert

pencilbeckett

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I have not phoned the RSPCA today. My worries were that this man is rescueing hens and i am worried that if i call the RSPCA and he gets shut down then these hens will be sentenced to death anyway. I am now at a loss as to what to do. He said he is registered with the RSPCA so i wouldnt think if it all checked out he would lose his livelihood, it would only be if they found signs of cruelty surely, and if this was the case he would deserve to lose his livelihood anyway.

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cherryblossom Chicken Eggspert

cherryblossom

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If he says he is registered with the RSPCA then I would give them a call and check. I have worked places where the RSPCA come and have a look round every now and a again to check everything is fine (so I assume we must have been registered) and if everything is done properly there is nothing to worry about at all.

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Gallina Chatty Chicken

Gallina

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I am looking after my first pair of battery hens, and it has been nothing but worry. They haven't been eating, and have been getting thinner and thinner.

 

If this chap actually brings these hens back to good health and normal eating before he sells them on, then £3.50 is not extortionate.

 

All the same, it sounds a bit odd....

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livvyshens Chicken Eggspert

livvyshens

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I don't know what arrangement BHWT have but a while ago I was told Rehomers pay 50p per bird while the slaughterhouse pays 30p.

 

I think the RSPCA are quite low key with their investigations. They seem to get a lot of calls from people who are just vaguely worried (done it myself, and had it done to me) but basically if the animal or bird has shelter, food and water there is no more required of the owner.

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pencilbeckett Chicken Eggspert

pencilbeckett

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Well i phoned the RSPCA and had a chat didnt give any details, just so i could find out what happens.

 

They have given me a number of the department who deal with the registrations. They will check he is registered and if he is happy days as they will regularly inspect. If he is not they will just do a check on him and make sure it is all ok. I asked if they will take drastic action and they said no they will just look into it. I have to ring after 4pm so fingers crossed he will be registered with them like he said he was and he can carry on his good work.

 

I really hope i have the wrong end of the stick i honestly only have the hens welfare in mind i am not a crusader who would want anyone to suffer in the process.

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MedusA Chicken Addict

MedusA

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Do keep us posted Jenni.

 

For the sake of the hens, I do hope this guy is genuine. If so, he has nothing to worry about. If not, the RSPCA will sort it, so don't feel guilty for going with your instincts. :D

 

 

MedusA

Sorry, somewhat off subject.

Your avatar ....... WHO laid that lovely big shiny dark brown egg :mrgreen::mrgreen: please?

 

 

Thank you for the compliment, DA. I'll pass it on to Treacle. :D

 

She is a Suffolk Noir, which has Copper Black Maran in it, I believe, and that is the breeding that gives her such lovely shiny chestnut brown eggs. :D:D:D

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pencilbeckett Chicken Eggspert

pencilbeckett

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Hi Bev

 

Wow a fellow Staffordian. Where abouts are you I am in Hyde Lea. We could go and check him out he is in Great Whirley near Cannock he said. I have saved his details from the website he is listed on. Only thing is i cant take any hens from him now as i have just had three that needed homes given to me today. But i am sure we could just arrange to have a look.

 

Let me know what you think?

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