ali-s Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Four ex free range chickens are coming to the cottage by the castle to live in the red Eglu I have been told by the lady that rescued them they will needs lots of TLC as they are quite bald and underweight I had always imagined comercial free range chickens would have been fully feathered, plump and happy birds that scratched about in fields all day long Much like our own little flocks. Now, what do I call them ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Liberated ...lucky chickens...let us know how u get on ..once i get more into these chickens I hope to do a good deed for some Battery hens in the future indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Congratulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Great news! It will be good to see what sort of condition they arrive in too, as you say, we have a rosy picture of plump, happy little chooks - but I want to know the truth. Hope you will post pics? Wishing you (and your new girls) all the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Four ex free range chickens are coming to the cottage by the castle to live in the red Eglu I have been told by the lady that rescued them they will needs lots of TLC as they are quite bald and underweight I had always imagined comercial free range chickens would have been fully feathered, plump and happy birds that scratched about in fields all day long Much like our own little flocks. Now, what do I call them ....... Ali what happened to the rest of your chooks??? Are the ex free range ones from the keith area which were advertised in the papers?? how are you doing/ Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 Ali what happened to the rest of your chooks??? Are the ex free range ones from the keith area which were advertised in the papers?? how are you doing/ Susan My other girls apart from one that died from an illness were killed by a stoat or stoats. I have only two left now. The rescue girls are coming from Keith. I was in A&I supplies this morning buying feed and saw a notice asking for homes. The lady was trying to find homes for 1000 chickens or donations of food and straw. I would have gone and got them today but had to work, I've just got home. I am doing fine apart from working too much and trying to sort out our field of a garden How are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Ali what happened to the rest of your chooks??? Are the ex free range ones from the keith area which were advertised in the papers?? how are you doing/ Susan My other girls apart from one that died from an illness were killed by a stoat or stoats. I have only two left now. The rescue girls are coming from Keith. I was in A&I supplies this morning buying feed and saw a notice asking for homes. The lady was trying to find homes for 1000 chickens or donations of food and straw. I would have gone and got them today but had to work, I've just got home. I am doing fine apart from working too much and trying to sort out our field of a garden How are you? Oh I am sorry about the girls and hope that its sorted out now and you get on ok with the free range girls you rescue - i think I know the lady If she is called Pauline then tell her I am asking for her. (sue from the vets she will know me as) I am fine - bit slow in the garden but hey who cares the girls are free ranging all over the place and clearing it up for me. Your new place looks great. s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 My four new girls are here. I was shocked at the poor condition they are in. Really quite bald, pale floppy or shrunken combs, lifeless eyes, debeaked except one. They are so very underweight and small for a Gingernut Ranger type Chicken. This was not what I would have expected from free range chickens. The lady who rescued them is keeping a few herself as they are just too ill to be rehomed. One or two were so small they could have been mistaken for Bantams. I have taken a few pictures but Natalie is hogging the big PC, I will try to get them on later. The new girls are now inside the Eglu, they went in themselves. I have closed the door as it is very cold and very windy here today. One of them could hardly stay on her feet with the wind blowing and her so weak. I will let them out for a short while for food and water, the wind is dying down now so they will have a couple of hours before roosting time. Still haven't thought of names yet, toying with Daffodil (Daffy), Tulip, Primrose and ..... I need one more pretty Spring flower. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Congrats on the new girls.....snowdrop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 Congrats on the new girls.....snowdrop? Love it Snowdrop it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Bless them I am shocked that they are in the same state as the ex batts and not what you would expect at all from free range - love their names I was going to suggest Iris but snowdrop is lovely. Can't wait to see their photos poor things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 My four new girls are here. I was shocked at the poor condition they are in. Really quite bald, pale floppy or shrunken combs, lifeless eyes, debeaked except one. They are so very underweight and small for a Gingernut Ranger type Chicken. This was not what I would have expected from free range chickens. The lady who rescued them is keeping a few herself as they are just too ill to be rehomed. One or two were so small they could have been mistaken for Bantams. I have taken a few pictures but Natalie is hogging the big PC, I will try to get them on later. The new girls are now inside the Eglu, they went in themselves. I have closed the door as it is very cold and very windy here today. One of them could hardly stay on her feet with the wind blowing and her so weak. I will let them out for a short while for food and water, the wind is dying down now so they will have a couple of hours before roosting time. Still haven't thought of names yet, toying with Daffodil (Daffy), Tulip, Primrose and ..... I need one more pretty Spring flower. Any ideas? Aww! poor wee things, so where exactly did they 'free range' then ? was it one of these barn set ups where they have one pop hole per 2000 chooks so they have 'access' to the outside world and so can be called free range ? Seems disappointing if that is the case - what with all the campaigns to stop people buying 'cage' eggs, if the free range birds aren't much bbetter off How about violet, freesia or pansy for a name ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 erm Eleuthera , Saiorse, Carla and Liberty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Re the poor condition of your new girls: I have been back & forth to the forum all day waiting for news, and Oh dear, what an eye opener! Thank goodness they are now going to have a lovely retirement with you. It just goes to show, the only way to have truly happy eggs is to keep your own happy hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 Still waiting to get onto the big pc so no pictures yet, sorry. Opened up the Eglu door earlier, the girls were not impressed with the wind. I found an old and battered windbreak in the shed so hastily hammered it into the ground to give them some extra shelter. Two chickens came out for something to eat, they have got the choice of BHWT pellets or crumbs, the pellets were chosen. All now tucked up in the Eglu with the door closed. I do hope the weather is better tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 At last a couple of pictures of my new girls. As you can see they are pretty bald for free range chickens. Most of their feather loss is around the chest and tummy and back area. One poor girl has no tail feathers at all, just a stump. The weather has been awful here today. snow, hail, sleet, thunder storms, very windy and torrential rain When I got home today all four were in the Eglu. Two came out this morning for pellets when I opened the Eglu door and they must have been out at some point today as the pellets have gone down and the corn which I scattered in the run this morning has gone. I am hoping that all four ate something today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshinesupernova Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 weather here has been evil too. My eglu chickens have barely ventured out today - whilst the cube girls have been the opposite. Your poor ex-free rangers will be feeling much better soon. Lucky girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I'm really shocked too, I never thought they would be in a similar state to ex-batts. Will the farmers and food producers ever stop lying to us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I've got a chook called Primrose, she's one of the naughtiest cheekiest girls I've got. I'm sure your Primrose and her friends will be just as naughty soon too. They're lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Oh goodness dont they look awfully bad for free rangers! - I am quite shocked but you are such a good mum they will soon fill out and re feather and build up fine and will repay you with loads of eggs - they must wonder what is going on around them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westleigh Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 ahhh bless thier little hearts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Thanks for posting the pics. They are not in much better condition than my ex batts were 2 months ago, but they will respond very quickly to some TLC. Wishing you lots of happy hours rehabilitating them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
