Chicken boarders

[emmat]

Morning all

 

Ida, one of our ex-batts collected on Saturday has been in the nesting box for 24hrs now. I've tried to encourage her out by removing the divide between the box and bars (cube) but nothing. I tried to pick her up but she went mental - really crazy. I feared for us both. After that she threw herself against the side of the cube for 10 min! I put a bowl of water with her but not sure if she's taking any.

 

The other 4 all went to bed last night and there didn't seem to be any issues. Heard a few clucks about 9.30pm but that was it. They've all got up and she's stayed in.

 

Any suggestions

[Chucky Mama]

Broody??

[emmat]

Do you think? So soon after rescue? What to do if she is?

[Chucky Mama]

I have never had an ex batt, maybe someone who has had them can shed more light. Try getting her out to give her a good examination. If she is still insistent on going back in and you can find nothing wrong I would consider that she could be broody. Was she happy until now? Could she be stressed and frightened/bullied?

[crazy kc]

I don't think she is likely to be broody ex bats are breed to just keep laying eggs and not go broody. I have 6 ex bats and out of my 32 chickens they and my black rocks have never gone broody (yet) and they are all over 4 years old.

It could be that its all a bit overwhelming for her after spending all her life in a tiny cage. I'd try to tempt her out slowly with treats and try not to rush it, good idea to put water in for her but i wouldn't feed her inside though.

Hope this helps .

[Mercedes55]

I've got 4 ex batts that we picked up on the weekend. From what I have been told they often have problems getting used to having anything other than metal wire under their feet as that is all they had in the farms. Also when they are taken out of the farm they are pulled out upside down by their legs and that can cause bruising. One of my ex batts has a limp and spends a lot of time either sitting in the nest box or laying down in the coop. You might want to check her feet to see if they both look okay, I know someone mentioned to me about making sure there are no callouses or other marks on them.

 

I don't think she would be broody as they have never been in a nest before so wouldn't associate a nest with laying eggs. So far I've had about 6 eggs and only one was laid in the nest box, the rest are just laid randomly in the run. It could just be that this particular hen is still stressed after her ordeal. These poor things have been through so much and finding themselves in yet a different environment could be more stressful for some hens than others.

[emmat]

Thanks guys.

 

Just looked at her and she seems quite happy. Another chook was with her and they were just chilling. I'll top her water up and leave her in peace to get over the stress.

 

She's on the roosting bars now rather than nesting box, which is an improvement.

X

[Chucky Mama]

Looking at what the ex batt members say it sounds like she is overawed by the move poor soul.

[The Dogmother]

It's unlikely that she is broody, but it does sound that way to me. As Chucky Mama has suggested, turf her out and give her a good checking over. I find that the smallest size of Tub Trug fits perfectly into the hole between the nest box and roosting area in the cube - I pop it in of an evening.

 

Some of them are a bot shell-shocked at first, but some quiet and water with Avipro in it will help her to recover.

 

Mercedes55 is right about the manner that they are rescued in - it is essential to take the chickens out as quickly as possible to minimise any stress, while still taking the utmost care of them. They are carried out upside down by their ankles, four at a time, as this stops them from flapping and breaking their wings in the cramped confines of the battery sheds. They soon adjust to life outside though and their muscle tone improves over the first couple of months.

[Mercedes55]

This is a pic that shows in human terms how cramped battery hens are kept. When you think this is how they have lived since they were POL hens, it really brings it home to you how badly they are treated. Yes we have offered them a better life, but right now they probably don't realise that and hopefully once they settle down and realise that there is life after the hell on earth they have been through, they should flourish

 

[Egluntyne]

I don't think she is likely to be broody ex bats are breed to just keep laying eggs and not go broody.

 

The only hens of mine that have ever gone broody, apart from my Pekins, have been hybrids.

 

I would give her a **basic health check**, and see if anything obvious is amiss.

 

She might be weak in the legs and need a bit of time to build up some muscle.

[Lydia]

I doubt she's broody, probably just scared.

 

Volty stayed in the nestbox for the best part of a week when she first came home. I simply moved food and water in there during the day and removed it at night so the others could roost. I also regularly removed the pophole (gently and quietly) and offered mealworms to get the message across that I wasn't the enemy. This worked and she began feeding from my hand. Then one day she came out and never ever looked back.

 

Volty had the best part of 2 happy years with us and specialised in jumping on my back, on the food bins, on the table or just about anywhere high. She was one of the most friendly ex-batts I've ever had.