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BeckyBoo

Got our ex-barn hens!! Pictures!

By BeckyBoo, in Chickens, Eggs and Hatching

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ali-s Effusive Egg Layer

ali-s

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Well done for giving them a loving home. I am sure they will thrive in your care.

 

My rescue girls were ex free range and looked exactly like your new girls, no feathers and starving as the farmer had stopped feeding them once they had come to the end of the their productive lives.

 

I have vowed never to buy eggs from a supermarket again even free range. If I run out of eggs I will either find a farm shop where I can see the Hens or I will go without.

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BeckyBoo Effusive Egg Layer

BeckyBoo

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Like I said, I don't know how the farmers can sleep at night or face the rescuers without hanging their heads in shame. I will never buy eggs again unless I can get them at a garden gate or farm gate where I'm sure of their welfare. I was genuinely stunned at their poor condition and as Sandy says, and ali-s free range come out no better either. How can that be?! :(

 

Anyway, four eggs from our new girls this morning which has shown our free loaders a thing or two - or four!!

 

BeckyBoo

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sandyhas3chucks Feathery Fanatic

sandyhas3chucks

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My rescue girls were ex free range and looked exactly like your new girls, no feathers and starving as the farmer had stopped feeding them once they had come to the end of the their productive lives.

 

 

That is just inhumane :shock: People like that give livestock farmers a bad name :evil:

 

Sha x

I don't know how they dare call themselves farmres or why the animal activists don't get stuck in trying to make everyone aware!

too many people just head down & ignore what they don't want to here, and get all irrate at rspca dog/cat/donkey horror storiies :twisted:

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veggiemad Frequent Layer

veggiemad

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Excellant pics- thanks! Add me to the 'surpised of the state of barn hens'- list. Before we had hens ourselves and understood them- we deliberately bought barn eggs in the winter coz we thought the FR hens would be getting cold- how bad to we feel.

 

On the plus side though- seeing your pics has made my DH want more ex batts and has now wholly agreed with my plan of 7 more and another cube in the new year!

 

Thanks - keep up the good work!

xx

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Leicester_H Chatty Chicken

Leicester_H

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Lydia very kindly leant us a green Eglu so they're starting life in comfort!

Lucky you and lucky them - they deserve some pampering - poor little things.

 

As we have clear skies here and two are particularly bald I've shut but not locked the door shut. They took themselves to bed all on their own which I was very impressed with :D

Bless !

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EmmaJC Chicken Eggspert

EmmaJC

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I'm shocked at the condition of your poor hens - my ex-batts weren't anything like that bad.

When I collected my hens they were almost fully feathered, one had a bald bottom, another had a pecked comb and all three had two inch long talons and they STANK of ammonia, but nothing like those poor birds. They'd all had their beaks clipped too, which is so cruel to them - they really struggle to eat

 

Maybe the farmer had really high stocking density? Why is it that some hens seem better off than others in these conditions?

 

(green eglu)

PP - Clarissa, ex-batt

PP - Jennifer, ex-batt

PP - Nigella, ex-batt

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Tutti Frutti Chatty Chicken

Tutti Frutti

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I have just had a call from BHWT they have hens left over from people who did not turn up to collect the hens! :evil: so if you are in the guldford area there may be hens going! I am getting 4!

 

Oh WOW, how exciting!!!! I'm waiting for them to contact me but I'm going to be further down the list as I only registered with them yesterday!

 

Good luck Slim!

 

:whistle:FOUR is the magic number! :)

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Slim Frequent Layer

Slim

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I have just had a call from BHWT they have hens left over from people who did not turn up to collect the hens! :evil: so if you are in the guldford area there may be hens going! I am getting 4!

 

Oh WOW, how exciting!!!! I'm waiting for them to contact me but I'm going to be further down the list as I only registered with them yesterday!

 

Good luck Slim!

 

:whistle:FOUR is the magic number! :)

 

I think i will make a ex-bats blog on my site and daily diary.

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AbigailGrace Chicken Eggspert

AbigailGrace

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Well i have just found out that barn hens as a maxium, 12 per square meter.. Doesn't look good.. This leaflet is really helpful for your questions that may need answering! Also tells you about what shops sell.. Good old marks and sparks for supporting free range on there products.. http://www.ciwf.org.uk/includes/documents/cm_docs/2008/p/pocketguideeggs.pdf

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Space Chick SUPER CHICKEN!!!

Space Chick

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I think i will make a ex-bats blog on my site and daily diary.

 

Great idea! With photos please so you can see their feather growth! And chookie and egg weight charts! Or am I getting carried away on your behalf? I'd enjoy reading it though :)

 

If you are carried away, then you are in good company, my original webcam site has grown arms and legs since we started it :oops:

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skye Frequent Layer

skye

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Becky Boo hello there

 

I was so moved by your pics of the barn hens that being local I contacted BHWT and they have said I can go and collect three of them on Saturday morning!

 

They can live in our (green eglu) in a nice quiet spot in the garden together until at least after xmas when hopefully they will be starting to build up their strength and confidence again.

 

Makes me want to blub every time I think about them... think I am a bit hormonal this week!!

 

How are yours settling in?

 

Skye x

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