Chicken boarders

[Lulabellx1]

Hi Guys

 

I am collecting three ex-batt's from Biggin Hill, Kent next Saturday and we are all very excited about having them come and live with us. I am a newbie chicken keeper and hope that I can do them justice! My son is nearly three and I think he might burst with excitement before they even get here!

 

House has arrived and has been duly built and is sitting empty now waiting for it's new occupants!

 

Would lvoe to hear from any other ex-bat keepers about their experiences and any tips would be greatly received!

 

I do have a question I hope some of you can help me with?

 

I am going to feed them on the specialist ex-battery hen crumb feed that you can buy through the internet , however... does anyone know anywhere where I can get it for a better price? I dont mind paying for the feed price itself but the postage and packaging is near on £6.00! If anyone knows of a better website with cheaper postage charges or of a place where I can buy it direct I would be really greateful!

 

Looking forward to the highs and lows of hen-keeping... now, names???

 

Lu x

[Patricia W]

Congratulations! I feed all my hens on the Ex-Bat feed and get it from my local pet food store. They order it in for me and I pay £9.95 for a big sack of layers pellets.It takes about a week to come in. I used the crumb/mash for the first 3 weeks when I got my ex-bats ( 11th April) and gradually weaned them to the layers pellets.

 

It's wonderful introducing them to being chickens. Mine didn't know how to perch, scratch and were terrified of new foods. 5 weeks on, we've lost one. She died peacefully in the nest box at the end of a day free ranging. But the others are well, healthy, feathers growing back, funny and friendly. I am sure you'll enjoy them.

 

 

Tricia

[Aimee]

Pets at Home has a full range for chickens, including the ex-batt food. Think it's about £9 or £10. If you have one locally then it will save you the p+p. You can order from them online too so it might be worth checking out delivery charges.

 

Other than that, your best bet is to try and find somewhere with a flat rate p+p and stock up!

 

Good luck!

[tara]

Hi Guys

 

I am collecting three ex-batt's from Biggin Hill, Kent next Saturday and we are all very excited about having them come and live with us. I am a newbie chicken keeper and hope that I can do them justice! My son is nearly three and I think he might burst with excitement before they even get here!

 

House has arrived and has been duly built and is sitting empty now waiting for it's new occupants!

 

Would lvoe to hear from any other ex-bat keepers about their experiences and any tips would be greatly received!

 

I do have a question I hope some of you can help me with?

 

I am going to feed them on the specialist ex-battery hen crumb feed that you can buy through the internet , however... does anyone know anywhere where I can get it for a better price? I dont mind paying for the feed price itself but the postage and packaging is near on £6.00! If anyone knows of a better website with cheaper postage charges or of a place where I can buy it direct I would be really greateful!

 

Looking forward to the highs and lows of hen-keeping... now, names???

 

Lu x

 

 

Hi l am also picking some ex battery girls up at biggin hill on saturday l have there house sorted as for food l went on the allen and page website and sent of for a voucher for £3.00 of.We have 4 ex bats already and there great l find them for friendly then my other hens and calmer.They do take a while to look good 3 of mine have no lived with us for a year this month and there looking much better still a few feathers to grow but there much better. I find ther dont put them selfs to bed for a few nights nor do they come out on there own they are also very messy with there food they will be very nervous but they will soon come around and be stealing food of you if they can and giving you the eye until you let into your garden.Your little boy will love them my children tend to ignor them which is good when there out in the garden as they dont get chased or picked up but they will soon understand that little people are lower to the ground and so is there food hope you enjoy your hens l still get excited over getting more

[Lulabellx1]

Thanks guys thats really helpful! I have a Pets at Home store close by and we have a local pet shop in our town which I might go and investigate, I'll ask about getting it ordered in... Im all for supporting local businesses at the moment!!

 

I'll go and get that voucher as well Tara, cheers!! Might see you at Biggin Hill

 

xx

[DonnaS]

Hi Lulabellx1. I picked up my first lot of ex-batts just yesterday! I have 6 in a walk in run - and posted something (with photos to give you an idea of how yours will look) also:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=63975&p=943344#p943344

 

I had to carry them to bed last night and shoo them out this morning (carrying them down the ladder again!) but they seem in very good spirit and are behaving just like chooks ought to! I have made water and food available in several places as the BHWT recommended. I got 2 eggs from the 6 of them this morning already!!

 

Good luck with your pick up next week. I'm sure you'll get on just fine!

 

Cheers. Donna

[Lulabellx1]

Wow Donna thats amazing! I thought it would be a little while before they would produce any eggs at all! Bet they tasted good

 

I am getting three ex-bat's, does anyone know how many eggs we are likely to get per week? Just from your own expeiriences?

 

Lu x

[sage]

Hi Lu

I got 7 ex batts last Saturday,so far

Sunday 6 eggs

Monday 6 eggs

Tuesday 7 eggs

Wednesday 4 eggs.

They lay mostly in the afternoon in a cat carrier I have on the run floor as they struggle with the ladder to the cube. I have put a brick on the floor as an extra step and they are getting better. 3 of them got in on there own last night.

Mine didn't know what to do with a bowl of Ttime treats but within a couple of days they soon realised.

Good luck

 

Sage

[Lulabellx1]

Thanks Sage, thats a good amount of eggs! I have got a run where they will have to negotiate a ramp to get to their sleeping quarters and their nesting boxes. I think I may have to fashion something low to the ground for them to lay their eggs in at first. Good idea with the brick!

 

I hope that once they have strong enough legs for the ramp, they will use the nesting boxes? Dont want them to get used to the temporary one as it will take away valuable run space. Are you planning on taking the cat box away once they can all use the ramp and just hope they use the nesting box in the house?

 

Lu x

[DonnaS]

Hi Sage. Looks like you and me are following each other here - since both got ex-bats at the weekend!

Mine have laid:

Monday - 6/6

Tuesday - 5/6

Wednesday - 5/6

Thursday - 1 so far

 

2 or 3 of them are now being laid in the cube - and, bless 'em, the hens are mostly managing to get up the ladder (wood and then plastic - which is harder) to the nest box. I put 3 of those plastic eggs into the nesting box - not sure if that has made a difference - but at least some of them lay there. The rest I pick up from all over the run!

 

On night 4, 4/6 got themselves up the ladder to bed - and I had to gently help the other two.

This morning, all 6 got themselves down the ladder!

 

So far, so good. Will have to start giving eggs away or baking lots of cakes soon!

 

Cheers. D

[Lulabellx1]

Yay! Im looking forward to making use of all the eggs as I love to bake/cook.

 

Omeletes, eggy beggy sandwhiches, dippy eggs, cakes, hollandaise sauce with the yolks and mereingues with the whites! The list is endless, hope I'll have a few left over to give to my mum and my mother in law too.

 

When you put the girls to bed at night, should I make food and water available in their little house? As it is going to be in the run all day every day but what if they get ungry/thirsty at night?

 

Sorry for all these newbie questions, but ex-batt's have to be cared for a little differently from what I understand xx

[sage]

Iv'e not put food or water in the cube overnight, the door gets closed 8.30-8.45 and opened up 6.45-7.00. There is no mad rush for food or water.The first 2 days they had to be gently shoved in the direction of the door to make them go out if they had food & water they would never have moved.

I put 3 of those plastic eggs into the nesting box - not sure if that has made a difference - but at least some of them lay there. The rest I pick up from all over the run!

I have 2 plastic eggs not made any differance to mine , none of them have layed in the cube. I will leave the cat basket in till I know all of them can get up the ladder.

DonnaS

Your "Little Onion" looks just like my Mavis. Looks a great set up. Lucky girls.

 

Sage

[DonnaS]

My girls are going to bed about the same time (maybe 15 mins later) and getting up about the same time (maybe 15 mins later since am in shower at 0645!). No food or drink for them in the cube either.

 

I'm sure the Hemcore is going down.... Either it's being flattened by the hens - or being eaten by them!!

 

All quite happy, if featherless. I wonder how long it will take for them to all look a uniorm brown...

 

Good luck Lullab!

 

Cheers. D

[Lulabellx1]

Thanks guys thats really useful. All these little questions that pop up, I would never have precidented them really?

 

I have bought an EGGcellent book about hen keeping and have read it cover to cover, think there will always be something I need to know still though!

 

Having real trouble getting the ex-battery hen crumb feed locally still. Our local 'pets at home' store dont stock it and Im waiting for them to call me back as to whether they can order it in for me. Im reluctant to buy it on line because the postage is so expensive! Are you guys using ex-battery hen crumb feed? My local farm stockists seemd to think that Layers Mash is just as good but Im not so sure, it doesnt have the added vitamins you see and I think he was just trying to get a sale out of me

 

Lu x

[Lydia]

Why don't you try giving the BHWT ex-bat careline a ring and they will give you names of your nearest stockists. Tel: 01362 822 904.

 

I do feed mine on the ex-bat crumb now but they survived just as well on ordinary layers mash until it came along, so I wouldn't worry too much if you can't get hold of it immediately.

[Lulabellx1]

Thanks Lydia, the lady who is co-ordinating the collection on Saturday said she is hoping to be able to get hold of some to sell at the farm in Biggin Hill, so here's hoping.

 

Lu xx

[Lulabellx1]

Little update...

 

If anyone else is collecting some battery hens from Biggin Hill, Kent tomorrow then this may be useful. I have just heard back from the BHWT co-ordinator and she has confirmed that they will selling the ex-battery hen small-holder range crumb feed for £5 per Kg on collection of the hens. This has saved me a lot of hassle I can tell you!! So I think I better stock up

 

Lu x

[tara]

Im getting some hens tommorow cant wait till there out of them cages.I got a big sack but always find it to much so it would be worth getting thems bags. so how many are we all getting im getting 3 but would be happy with 4 ?

[Lulabellx1]

Oooh, how exciting! Might see you there Tara. When is your collection time? I think ours is 3.25pm off the top of my head.

 

I am getting three, I would love four but although my house says it could house four, I dont want them to be cramped. Im already thinking where the next chicken house could go... LOL

 

Have you thought of any names yet Tara? We are thinking of nameing them after various goddesses through mythology because they have been treated so badly at the farm but they will be treated like goddesses at our house! All I know is that their names are going to begin with the initials K, F and C... !!

 

Got cat baskets at the ready, the chicken house looks so empty and redundant at the moment.

 

Lu x

[tara]

We are collecting at 3pm but could still see you there by the time paper work is done.We have a walk in run so space is fine really.As for names l like grace my daughter like violet and my little boy likes megan

 

I must say im excited to think there in the cages right now and this time tommorow they will have loads of space and a future as loved pets rather then things that produce ive got the run ready this afternoon and pressure washed out the eglu.

 

Somthing a friend said to me was ...in the state they end up in there better of getting slaughtered needles to say l was not inpressed and shes supposed to be an animal lover it just shows some people dont think about any thing suffering but them l also dont give there comment any thought just small minded perso

 

Might see you there then lu. l will be the one with a little boy running about or trying to

Edited May 28, 2010 by Guest

[Lulabellx1]

Oh us too! My son is two and a half and is coming along with us. Hope to see you there Tara! x

[tara]

Dear All

 

 

 

I am extremely disappointed and sorry to have to let you know that the rescue day tomorrow has been postponed.

 

 

 

Due to circumstances totally out of our control we have just now had to postpone this rehoming. The company with whom we had booked a van to transport 500 hens has tonight let us down meaning we have no way to transport all of these hens. From Coventry to Biggin Hill.

 

 

 

We are hoping to re-schedule the rescue for Saturday 12 June. All other details such as collection address and timings will remain the same. I will confirm this date tomorrow.

 

 

 

I am so sorry to have to do this at such short notice and understand you will be very disappointed. But I hope you will be able to make the 12th June instead.

 

 

 

I will be in touch tomorrow and will also try and call all of you to make sure you are aware the rescue is not happening tomorrow and update you on the revised recue date.

 

 

 

Again, I am so sorry.

 

 

 

im gutted l was really looking foward to getting them home not to mention those poor hen waiting longer l bet rebecca is as well fingers crossed for next time.

Edited May 29, 2010 by Guest

[Blue-DiamondChick07]

I'm having the same problem, I'll have to ring around this morning to find a stockist. I tried yesterday, but had no luck. My Ex-Batts come home today! We leave at around 2.30 to pick them up... Sorry to hear about your girls being postponed