melly264 Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Hi all we collected 2 new ex-batts at the weekend, Cookie and Miranda. They are great chickens a lot less flighty than the last lot, although because I explained that we were going to mix them with our existing ex-batts she did pick us out some less oven ready ones so that probably helps! Following advice from previous questions about intros, I have housed our newbies in the new cube and when its time the existing 2 (currently in the eglu) will join them in the cube. The only problem is, the poor girls just cant work out the ladder! I have read on here before about owners lifting them in and out for days! I dont mind lifting them up at night, but down in the morning is harder! But is there any way i can encourage them to use the ladder? Adapt it to make it easier? We have put a log as a step under the bottom runner, which bless them they were stood on last night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 They will probably be too weak at first. They haven't had much opportunity to exercise their muscles in the Battery house and need the chance to do this before they can cope with the cube ladder, I'm afraid. My girls needed a couple of months before they were able. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Even my young pure breed girls couldn't manage the cube ladder . OH put a plank, with some weldmesh nailed to it, as a ramp from floor to door, and they cope a lot better with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melly264 Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 weldmesh must ask hubby if we've got some of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westleigh Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 i put a torch in my cube when it began to get dusk,they are supposed to be attracted to the light and it worked for my ex batts hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 weldmesh must ask hubby if we've got some of that! Ordinary chicken wire would do - it's just to provide them with a bit of traction. Or you could fix some wooden battens along it at intervals to make little steps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 we made a wooden ladder for our girls as they couldnt get on with the ladder (rungs too far apart IMO). Maybe you could rustle something up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilly d Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I got my first batch of ex-batts last year and there were 3 probs with the Cube for them - they didn't understand about going up to bed - their legs were too weak to hop up to the first rung - the plastic was too slippery for them to grab hold of if we put them on the bottom rung to see if they could manage the last on their own. We ended up making a new wooden ladder which reached from the Cube door down to the ground and attached it to the Cube ladder with cable ties. It did the job really well and the batts could use it without struggling. The ladder is still in place and the girls really enjoy running up and down it. The first few nights I had to crawl into the run and walk each girl up the ladder to give her an idea of what she was supposed to do - they all cottoned on soon enough. BTW Did you get your ex-batts from Epsom at the weekend? We're in Farnham too and we got 4 girls there. I can't believe how glossy and healthy last year's lot are now in comparison to the new ones - it's heartening to see what a difference a bit of tlc does. This time I've put the new batts into an Eglu and they can manage that fine. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melly264 Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 We got our hens from hen-rehomers uk (not BHWT i know! but we got last years one from them and they were very helpful) There seems to be a difference in the hens this year, more feathered and glossy, but def. weaker (and thiner too i think). We housed these 2 in the cube, plan is get them up to strength then put our existing girls into the cube (plan being to give the newbies the upper hand as they will still be weaker and less settled). we've put a ramp on the cube ladder and one of the girls managed to use it this morning. The other girl however........I think she's damaged her leg. Trying to run away from me in the cube the other morning (as I was lifting her out to put her in the run door) her leg fell through the roosting bars. Now she seems to be limping on one side. Their legs are weak as both of them are spending a lot of time sitting down, should I give them another area aside from the nesting box with a base (plywood with some straw on?) to sit on over night in the cube? I have checked her out, the actual leg is straight, can't see anything in her foot ie splinter. Am just going out to pop some arnica in the water (pill not cream!). Have I missed anything? I guess if its still a problem in the morning its a trip to the vets Sorry about the long message.....just worried thats all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilly d Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 When I got my 6 batts last year they all went lame at some point within the first few days. I was worried enough to take one to the vet but the vet couldn't find anything wrong - I think it may just be that the batts' legs are so weak that they can't cope with too much walking around. If you're worried that she's in pain the vet's a sensible option but mine all recovered after 2-3 days (while I worried myself sick). My new batts are far less feathered than last year and seem much smaller, poor things. They are now 'settling down' with one another so lots of squawking and ruffled feathers (the ones they've got left that is). Am a bit worried about the cold weather forecast for the next few days. Maybe time to get my knitting needles out? PS have you got a good chicken vet? The one I go to is happy to see the chickens but they don't have a lot of past experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Mine didn't get it for a few days, but, with a bit of mesh up the ladder to give them more grip, they soon did. They fly in and out more or less now!! Doesn't take long. Hope you enjoy your girls as much as I do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Two of our ex batts started limping after a couple of days, one more than other - they were fine after a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melly264 Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 thanks for the encouraging replies. Who would have thought that these girls give you as much worry as the children do!!! my only worry now is that cookie cant run away when miranda goes for her comb I'll keep an eye on....and i'll be back with more questions soon no doubt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melly264 Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Just thought I'd let you know what happened...... Cookie was looking more and more sorry for herself and spending much of yesterday sitting in the run. I was worried about lack of food and drink so decided we should take her to the vet, just to make sure nothing was broken. Found a local vet who sees chickens, and has a friend who helps with rescues so is up on all the ex-batt problems. Checked her over, nothing broken but gave her some anti-inflammitories (sp?). What did Cookie do not 10mins after arriving home from the vets? She went up the ladder/ramp into the cube And this morning she got herself down too. I guess she just needed to know that I was taking her seriously she definately belongs to my daughter!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Well done that Cookie-hen (now you've shown melly who's boss ) Mine all figured out the ladder after a couple of days, except Chance who couldn't balance on it because she didn't know she had wings! By day 4 she moved her left wing enough to get her up and down the ladder, but it took two weeks before she discovered the wing on the other side and had a full flap . I had checked her wings weren't injured, but I suppose she hadn't had much call to use them before, so had forgotten what they were for I added a wooden ramp in winter after Clover misjudged her flight out one morning and crashed into the end of the run . Because the ramp is solid, she will come at least part of the way down that before going into launch mode! Hadn't thought about adding mesh to it though. Thanks for the suggestion and I will look into that, as the ramp steps are quite large. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
