the-real-tinkerbell Posted August 23, 2010 Author Share Posted August 23, 2010 they are doing ok thanks hun (apart from stinking lol) but they are fighting alot im hoping its just pecking order stuff but its really quite violent and im pretty sure merideth is trying to tread christina lol i got another egg yesterday and it was laid in the nest i was very impressed nothing today so far but bailey is in and out of the house like she has ants in her pants so you never know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bexibex Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 The fighting thing is awful. The pecking order is now established between my four girls bit sadly, Minnie who is the most featherless of the girls, still gets picked on as she is bottom of the ranks. The other three hang around together and Minnie is always on her own. The other girls chase her away from anything that looks interesting and peck at her. I feel really sorry for her. She used to be the friendliest of the lot and the only one I could easily pick up but she just legs it as soon as you approach her now because she is so used to being bullied. Mine started laying eggs the day after we got them, but Blanche has so far only laid a few wind eggs and the rest have been soft shelled or had no shell at all. I am hoping that she will eventually manage to lay a fully formed egg or just stop altogether so she doesn't have to go through all the egg laying performance each time - some times she does the full routine but lays nothing. Can you tell that all I do is worry about them! In between laughing at their antics that is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Wooo! Glad everything's well. Thanks JellyKelly i'll get some extra bedding a a hot water bottle. I'm keeping them in a Eglu Classic which I'm getting for Christmas, hopefully they will be happy with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopetofinish Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 The ex batts look so forlorn, you would have to be a very hard person not to at least consider this as an option when first thinking about keeping hens. My neighbour is collecting her ex batts soon. My initial reaction is, after so much outlay (cube/wir) that 4 healthy pol hybrids is the sensible way to go. How long does an ex batt live for, and realistically how many eggs would they produce? Big thumbs up to all those who have exbatts. If I could keep more hens, then I would go for a few, but as 4 is my max I need to use my head and not just my heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bexibex Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Being a new hen keeper and only having had my girls for 5 weeks, I can't comment on the length of their lives but with regards to egg laying, I have four hens and three of them are laying properly - we get between one and three eggs a day. I think if eggs are really important to you then ex-batts may not be the way forward. I only say this because when I got mine from BHWT, they make it clear that they cannot guarantee the hens will lay eggs or how long they may live for. For me, this wasn't an issue because I just wanted to give them a happy life and any eggs would be a bonus but you have to do what is right for you. They are fantastic though - so friendly and funny and I adore them. It is also really rewarding seeing them get healthier and happier along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-real-tinkerbell Posted August 23, 2010 Author Share Posted August 23, 2010 if your after eggs i wouldnt go fo rexbatts . we decided on exbats because my daughter had been told about them at school and was adament that we should get some so they wouldnt get turned in to cat food (her words not mine ) if im honest it was heart breaking and still is looking at them they are not for the faint hearted but that said the will always be a exbat retirement home ,where these poor girls can live out thier days in comfort being spoilt rotton by my little girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoxy Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Congratulations on your new girls I am hoping to get some (likely to be 3) in the future but at the moment don't have the room Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 I have just registered for my 3 Have made my boys old play area at end of garden into ex-batt wood, I've put all new woodchip down (which I got free ) and fenced off from main garden to give them time to settle in although they can see through to the others- they even have the old tyre swing to play on for when they are stronger The whole area is shaded by a huge pine tree and always stays dry. Just need to get a secondhand eglu and we are away (I probably shouldn't get anymore but want to do my bit and give them a good retirement ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-real-tinkerbell Posted August 23, 2010 Author Share Posted August 23, 2010 mine are in my daughters garden lol i think its a great place for them and my little girl loves having chickens at the bottom of her garden she thinks its what do you think to omlet cottage retirement home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoxy Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 How are your ex batts doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-real-tinkerbell Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 they are doing really well thanks hun , we had a bit of a rocky start merideth had to have a trip to the vet a couple of days after we got her as she had what looked like a bit of a absess near her vent ,but shes had baytrill for 5 days and it looks lots better ,however the antibiotics have given her the runs so im hoping it doesnt get infected again the vet was very shocked at her state and was really questioning me about how i was keeping them at home ,i expained that i had only got her on the sat ,this was the monday . she couldnt believe the state of her and how they come out of the cages it made her quite upset ,she kept saying if she was a dog the owners would be sent to prison she has never seen a exbat before she caused quite a stir in the vets she was making a racket in the cat box and the people in the waiting room were trying to guess what was in the box lol the vet was wonderfull and only charged me £5 admin fee and £2.50 for the baytrill on the understanding that i took a photo in when she was fully feathered . but they are all doing well 2 out of the 3 are laying ,but im gutted that i have to bin merideths eggs for the next 2 weeks i must admit she has become my fav as ive been getting cuddles everyday whilst trying to give her the baytril and they dont smell anymore lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippy chick Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 So glad they are doing so well, and what a wonderful vet you have Mine cost me an arm and a leg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-real-tinkerbell Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 its the first time ive been to the vet ,i dont think it will happen again . i think she was just so shocked at how oven ready she looked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoxy Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Thank you for the update...so sorry to hear about Merideth...brilliant that you have found each other tho for your vet I am hoping that one day I will be caring for 3 ex batts too...no room at the moment sadly ] Can't wait to see pics of how your girls progress in the next days, weeks and months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-real-tinkerbell Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 its shocking how different they are already they still look awfull but they are pecking around and dustbathing and have already learnt that the pink tub has treats in it .as soon as they spot it they are at the door shouting at me so i dont forget them lol p.s can you tell its a quiet night at work lol its going to be a looooooog night roll on 7am lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
