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

[KateG]

2 questions that have come to me while I laid in bed day dreaming about getting hens!

 

Firstly, why do you only clip one side of their wings?

Secondly, can hens easily jump up on to a 4ft fence even after clipping?

 

Thirdly, what are the pros and cons of an omlet hen vs a rescue battery hen?

 

As a complete beginner I want to go down the best route to ensure my hens are happy - but I'd really love to rescue some girls. What do you advise?

[*mummy_hen*]

I was a complete novice hen keeper and i have ex-batts.

 

They are the most wonderful little creatures, i couldn't imagine i could love them so much!!

I have had mine for nearly a year now and people would never know they used to be the bald sorry states they came out in, the only give away is that their bright red combs (that used to be completely white) are still a little larger than a normal hen.

 

They are so rewarding and so affectioniate, you can't believe after all man have done to them, they still are so trusting with you.

 

Obviously you have to make the right decision for you, but i sing the praises of rescuing ex-batts whenever i can and you really would be saving little lives!!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Firstly, why do you only clip one side of their wings?

It off balances them so they can't fly so easily

 

Secondly, can hens easily jump up on to a 4ft fence even after clipping?

Some hens will, some won't . I would say, yes, they're capable of it but it probably depends what's on the other side! I added some trellis to the top of my 3 1/2 ft wall. They showed no interest in getting over it till I started digging a veg patch over the wall . They've not made it over ... yet . They can be good at using objects as a launch pad - garden chairs, eglus, etc, so watch where you have things placed .

 

Thirdly, what are the pros and cons of an omlet hen vs a rescue battery hen?

I don't have ex-batts but Mummy hen says it all . If you're nervous, you may find it easier to start off with healthy girls - you can always try ex-batts once you're more experienced.

 

Hope that helps a bit .

[scrambledhead]

Have to agree with mummy hen ex bats are Sooo rewarding!

We have only had ours for a couple of months but they are like new hens.

 

But whatever you choose, having chickens is great fun

[C&T]

We thought about rescue hens, but as complete novices thought we would get some experience with "healthy" hens first, and then later go for rescue ones.

 

With hindsight I am not sorry that we have done it this way, but then we also have very little experience looking after any types of pets, so our couple of feathered fiends have been a great way of learning about chickens. When in the future we get ex-batts, I think we will have more knowledge to fall back on when things go wrong.

 

But, this is just the way that we felt, and others have gone straight in the deep end and it has worked no problems!

 

So I probably haven't helped at all....

[Lewis]

I think you'd be best to start off with a few hybrid hens, and then maybe get some ex-batts afterwards.

 

I only say this because its all about learning what they're like and how to look after them, and if you get some ex-batts, there may be something wrong, and you will not know having not had healthy hens before.

 

If you were thinking of getting 4 hens, you could try getting 2 Omlet POL's and then after a few weeks/months get 2 ex-batts, that way you're fully prepared to look after the battery hens, and will know if there are any problems.

 

It also depends on what you want them for, as ex-batts will lay fewer eggs than a POL hen, but from hearing from others, its much more rewarding to have ex-batts and getting them back to health.