mostin Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 (edited) I am getting so excited as the countdown is getting very close now . On Sat 2nd May I get to collect 4 new girlies. Ex-batts from the Harrogate rescue of Hen Rehomers UK. The eglu is already all set up and ready for them. The ex-batt crumb is ordered and on the way. All I can do now is wait and hope that somehow my girls know they only have 2 weeks of misery left before I can let them step on grass and see the sky . I have told the resident 7 that they are not allowed to treat the new comers as they would other arriving chickens, that these girls are special. I got the feeling I was being ignored though . I am looking forward to having two flocks for the summer, and if and when the ex-batts are finally strong enough to introduce to the other girls, it will be magical . Edited May 2, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple hen Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Congratulations, they will have a lovely life with you, can't wait to see the pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Thanks Purple Hen. We will have to come up and visit your flock soon, and return your extension and converter to you now all of the intro's are over with and they are all in the cube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tidygirlsuk Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 How exciting. cant wait to see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Fantastic news. Does Shaun know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Yes, he's the one who has got the eglu ready for them while I was at work . He only wanted me to get 3 but I ordered 4. He just laughed when I told him though. I don't think anything suprises him anymore when it comes to chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 That's great news . Lucky girls - look forward to meeting them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HENthusiastic Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 two weeks, thats great news. They will bring you a lot of pleasure. All chickens are fab, but there really is nothing like seeing an ex-batt discover new and pleasurable things; scratching; sunbathing; dustbathing. I'm really pleased for you and for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 You will love them so much when they arrive!!! Prepare to be a little shocked as i tried to prepare myself but still couldn't get over the sorry state they were all in and it can be quite upsetting. The best moments are when they realise they can freely drink water (mine then started submerging their whole heads in it!!), when they finally learn to use the scary ladder and take themselves to bed at night! The first egg in the nest box!! Prepare to be completely enthralled by these beautiful little girls!! Can't wait to see pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Don't worry, two weeks will fly by! As an ardent fan of ex-batts, I can only you for adopting some. My big girls were told they were getting little sisters and have adapted well to the new girls on the block, quite happily free-ranging in the garden with them (as long as they don't try to join the big girls gang!). Although there was a lot of shouting and bawling for the first few days, they gave up quite quickly and the run has been off the eglu for over a week now. They don't share the cube, but each gang toddles off to its own bed - littlies first then the stop-outs. I'm sure all hens are great, but ex-batts manage to be very special and, whatever sorry state they are in, you will utterly love them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 I'm sure all hens are great, but ex-batts manage to be very special and, whatever sorry state they are in, you will utterly love them! Oooooohhh I can't wait, it's taking forever to come, like christmas did when I was a kid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 You will love them so much when they arrive!!! Prepare to be a little shocked as i tried to prepare myself but still couldn't get over the sorry state they were all in and it can be quite upsetting.The best moments are when they realise they can freely drink water (mine then started submerging their whole heads in it!!), when they finally learn to use the scary ladder and take themselves to bed at night! The first egg in the nest box!! Prepare to be completely enthralled by these beautiful little girls!! Can't wait to see pictures! Just helped with a rescue and was shocked at how many were big fat feathery madams. Then there were about a 3rd poor wee souls, some as we have seen in photos & others that looked OK until you picked them up to find they were all feather, and light as. Hard to believe they came out of the same shed! not long now! enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Fantastic news. Does Shaun know? Stop it Egluntine. You forgot to add - did you forget to cancel them? Not long now, it'll be getting warmer then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 Fantastic news. Does Shaun know? Stop it Egluntine. You forgot to add - did you forget to cancel them? Not long now, it'll be getting warmer then Well to be honest , he was ok about me getting them, but he made me promise I wouldn't put my name down on any waiting lists until all the other girls were merged and sucessfully moved into the cube. I knew there was always a long waiting list though, so I put my name down ages ago and just that all the girls were living happily together by the time I got the call from Hen Rescue . It all worked perfectly Mwaa haaa haaa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 You are incorrigible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HENthusiastic Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Thats just good sound tactical thinking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 I'm getting very excited now . I only have to wait until Saturday now, and I've already started to choose names . Even better than the fact that it's only 4 days for me, is that it's only 1 more day for the girls. As far as I know the actual rescue is tomorrow, so by the end of the day they will be out of those cages . I just can't wait to stand their poor little sore feet on some soft grass instead of on wire. Saturday can't come soon enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 Hurrah! not long now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Good luck Saturday! We got ours Feb 7th and merged them with the others on Easter Sunday....we took it very slowly and they are settling in nicely (still a bit them and us, but nothing major). Don't forget the photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted April 29, 2009 Author Share Posted April 29, 2009 Good luck Saturday! We got ours Feb 7th and merged them with the others on Easter Sunday....we took it very slowly and they are settling in nicely (still a bit them and us, but nothing major). Don't forget the photos! I won't. The poor little blighters will be clicked at til they hide in the eglu on their arrival home . I've also got the different coloured leg rings ready, so I can tell who's who right from the start in the photos as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Good luck Saturday! We got ours Feb 7th and merged them with the others on Easter Sunday....we took it very slowly and they are settling in nicely (still a bit them and us, but nothing major). Don't forget the photos! That's interesting... got my disabled 3 & their friend Good Friday afternoon. Few Scuffles , nothing too major but can't let them s"Ooops, word censored!" too much. Free range together ish if the other 2 go in the run the other 4 hudle up. Still eaely days, Good luck... not long now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 The best advice I can give (as someone who has adopted her first two ex-battery hens this year) is not to expect them to be grateful at first. Mine were very shocked and didn't know what to do with themselves. I found the best policy was to leave them in the Eglu run and not to pay too much attention to them, because they found me terrifying. They did not want to come out on the grass for a long time. Once they learn that food can be interesting and you bring it to them, they will come running to you, and they are far more rewarding than hens who had an easy start to life. I have been very lucky with mine: no problems and lots of eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted April 29, 2009 Author Share Posted April 29, 2009 The best advice I can give (as someone who has adopted her first two ex-battery hens this year) is not to expect them to be grateful at first. Mine were very shocked and didn't know what to do with themselves. I found the best policy was to leave them in the Eglu run and not to pay too much attention to them, because they found me terrifying. They did not want to come out on the grass for a long time. Once they learn that food can be interesting and you bring it to them, they will come running to you, and they are far more rewarding than hens who had an easy start to life. I have been very lucky with mine: no problems and lots of eggs. Thanks Gallina. They are going to be so scared of everything for weeks aren't they? I hope they get over it quickly, not for my sake, but for theirs. I'm also trying to prepare myself that I may not have 4 for long, as I know these things happen . Fingers crossed it all goes to plan though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 mine weren't too scared. took 3 days maybe.dried mealworms & I had them eating out of my hand grateful? not at all!!!! delightful, wonderful, enchanting. mesmerising and much more, just not grate ful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted April 29, 2009 Author Share Posted April 29, 2009 mine weren't too scared. took 3 days maybe.dried mealworms & I had them eating out of my hand grateful? not at all!!!! delightful, wonderful, enchanting. mesmerising and much more, just not grate ful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
