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[veggiemad]

Hello all you chicken lovers. Me, a novice have another question for you. I got 3 ex batts on sunday last and for the first 2 days got 2 eggs, the third day i got 3- yippee!!! and since then , only getting 1 and today ZERO. I was very surprised to have got such a good turn out after just a day but this has tailed off. Am i doing something wrong? it appears they would lay better in the battery farm. The real reason for getting them was recsue-but a few rewards for us in return is always nice. Any advice? .

 

also they went free range for the first time yesturday and today one of them is pacing up and down the eglu run- i'm feeling guilty, do i now have to free range them every day as they know what they are missing? i'm still abit apprehensive about FR them as its a job to get them back in so have to wait for DH to come home!!

thanks

[chunky monkeys Mum]

When you first get ex batts, I've heard they lay for a few days and then go off lay for a few weeks. They're just getting round the shock, but they'll soon start laying again hopefully!

 

They like to make you feel guilty! When I was introducing our original lot to the ex-batts, they had alternate free ranging time, so they got an equal amount each. The hens that were kept in always paced the run when I went to check on them. They soon stop when you're out of sight!

 

Hope this helps a little and enjoy your hens

[legend21]

Veggie, I have 6 ex batt, eggs vary from 4 to 6, the odd time 3.mine free range all day everyday, I work from home. I am afraid I cant deal with the pacing like little prisoners. The come out of the coop at 6am stay there until I let them free range and 9.30am then they go back in well now about 7.30pm, I think if you can let them out for a short while it would be worth it. I think when they settle down you will get your egg rewards. Like you we just rescued them and if they have 6 great months or longer I will be happy

 

Jackie

[veggiemad]

thanks for your help. i've just let them out for an hour while i had a cuppa in the garden with them. Didnt realise it was such fun. 2 are very friendly and love my bright yellow shoes, the other didnt venture out of the run at all- stange coz shes normally the couragous bully!!

fingers crossed that the egg thing is short term.

thanks again.

[scrambledhead]

Well done for getting ex batts! They are great fun.

We get quite a few days with only one egg but sometimes they have all laid too.

if they are missing lots of feathers it might be that their resources are going towards feather growth.

 

Ours pace up and down if they see us and think they might be let out but they usually settle down in the run quite quickly, they are let out but only when I get home from work.

 

Enjoy

[mikk100]

i got 5 and had quite a lot of eggs to start with, but i've never had less than 3 in any one day. i'm quite sure the same hens were laying though. then it went to 4 a day for a couple weeks and i know which hen wasn't laying...the one who now has a full load of feathers and looks just great. now she has her feathers she is laying too....!!! the cutest, smallest brownest eggs!!!! So i've had 5 eggs a day for a week now which is great but we don't eat a lot of eggs and there are only 2 of us!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? it might be the feathers growing, or maybe you could try the ex-battery feed, apparently its excellent for improving the condition of the birds and this can only help laying. Also remember the farmer got rid of them because they weren't laying as much as they had been...

[Happy chickens!]

Agree with the others - as the birds adjust to their new life the eggs drop away for a bit - in my case I'm sure that they were using their energy to grow new feathers - at least 4 did, the other 2 are only now growing more, they would lay every day, but now less so. Most days I get at least 4 eggs, and a lot of pleasure, from my 6.

 

Hope you enjoy your new family as much!

[blackadder1st]

Hi there

 

We've just rehomed 6 ex bats last week from the BHWT. I'd never have believed I'd have done something like this, and enjoy it so much. I love sitting out in the morning with my coffee, letting them out and watching their personalities develop.

 

We got about a dozen eggs the first few days but since they haven't laid. I've been reading around and I'm guessing it is just that they're having a rest. They all eat okay - one has a wee bit of a sore leg but she'll hop around (think its just a sprained muscle) - and none of them really look 'oven ready' so I'm not worried about their health. I'm going to get some golf balls at some point to encourage them, but I am happy for them that they're getting a break.

 

They've been loving the freedom, and 4 out of the 6 are digging up the garden already (good for them, not so much for the plants, lol). We're looking at getting another 6 when the chance comes up so hopefully they'll accept them okay but for now, I'm loving just watching them being free!

 

Allan

[winterwren]

I have had my ex batts for just over three weeks now. I had a couple of eggs in the first two days and then nothing for three weeks. Bearing in mind that the eggs in the first couple of days must have been 'created' before they were taken out of their cages and transported! My girls are still resting but we are getting there and one of my girls is now laying every day 11:00am on the dot. The other two will catch up no doubt lol.

 

Itis fustrating when you are sooo excited and checking for eggs every 5 mins lol.

 

Good Luck and I am sure you will have lots of eggs soon

[JS1]

Mine took five-six weeks to restart laying (which was very frustrating as there was a thread running on here at the time and everyone else's seemed to be laying loads!!) but they started just in time for my New Year house-full of guests, so I think they were just saving themselves for that, bless them!

One of them rarely lays but just seems to enjoy pottering around so much that it's a pleasure to have her.

[Patricia W]

If you want a reliable egg source, don't choose ex-bats. The farmers get rid of them because they become increasingly un reliable in the egg laying department. I consider every egg I get from mine as a bonus and simply enjoy letting them live out their lives in a happy retirement.

 

Tricia