Wanted: omlet eglu classic + run 🙏

[sparkysmum]

Well done for adopting your ex batts Kate. Although we have other hens now we still have our original ex batt lady Boris . We've had her for 2yrs and 3mths which makes her about 3 an a half yrs old. She's fit, feisty and glowing with health and is still top chook

 

Relax & enjoy. Alli xx

[the bradley bunch]

Although we have other hens now we still have our original ex batt lady Boris . We've had her for 2yrs and 3mths which makes her about 3 an a half yrs old. She's fit, feisty and glowing with health and is still top chook

 

wow alli, that's an amazing age for an ex-batt - well done to you, and to dear old Boris! you must be very proud of your special girl

[Bexibex]

Here's a picture of my Minnie (with Abby) when I got her back in July:

 

She was almost completely bald and although she isn't fully feathered yet by any stretch of the imagination, she looks so much better than she did then. I will try to get some updated pictures soon.

 

Here is Minnie with Maud just after we got them too:

 

And here is Blanche enjoying her freedom and sunbathing:

 

I love my girls so much but worry about them incessantly!

[Trougher]

I must admit that seeing Minnie, now I do feel like crying. I worry so much about my ex-batts, yet they are in pretty good condition. I don't know how I would cope with worrying about a hen that bald. Thank god she's found a good home with you. I look forward to seeing updated pictures of her.

[mostin]

I remember the first time I saw my ex-batts learn how to dust bathe and join in with the other girls. I couldn't see to take a photo because of the tears.

 

My plan for this winter is that once all of this years babies are past 18 weeks and all together in the big run, then my name can go on the BHWT's waiting list for 4 more girls. they can live in the broody pens in the shed when they first arrive as it will be cold, and then when they've hardened up a bit, they can go into one of the smaller pens used for teenagers over the summer.

 

OH doesn't know yet...........Mwaaaa haaa haaaa

[MadWelly71]

Hi All,

 

I was wondering if any of you has come across this odd behaviour with your ex-batts?

 

I picked up my 3 ladies (Lizzy Taylor, Rita Hayworth and Mae West) from Guildford a couple of weeks ago and they seemed to have settled in well and are loooooving their daily treats (porridge, mealworms, maggots). However when it comes to bed time, 2 ladies go into their coop without any problems but Nr.3 (Mae West) insists on staying outside. She starts by jumping against the outside wall of the coop (where there is no door) and then ends up on one of the beehive bins where I keep their bedding. I keep putting her back into the coop (together with some goodies) but she insists on coming out again and again and again... so I wait until the automatic door has closed and then put her in.

I don't know what the sleeping arrangements were at the Battery (assume just plonk yourself down) and would have thought that after 2 weeks this should stop. I don't mind so much if she wants to sleep outside during summer but NOT during this horrible rain.

 

Any advice?

[the bradley bunch]

we were really lucky as our ex-batts (rescued in may) have always put themselves to bed at 7/8pm since day 1! don't know whether it's because i'm at home all day so they get the luxury of FR and tiring themselves out getting up to tons of mishchief! and they don't get up until 9/10am. i think they just love their snuggly beds so much (which they've made out out of their nest boxes ).

 

what type of housing have you got? if it's an eglu try taking the roosting bar floor out as this might be why she doesn't like going in. also, have a look inside the house when the others are settled and see if there's a comfy spot she can get too (no roosting bars in the way, etc. if it's a wooden coop) with lots of nice bedding for her - ex-batts tend to sleep sitting down so make sure there's space for her to do so.

if there's no probs with the actual sleeping quarters, then is there anyway you can over-ride your automatic door? so that you can encourage (aka 'shove' ) her in before it gets dark? ...she'll get the hang of it eventually!

[the bradley bunch]

forgot to ask (MadWelly) - where did you get your ex-bats from?

[MadWelly71]

Heja,

 

I got my ex-batts through the BHWT from a place near Guildford/ next to Puttenham Golfing Club ( got my first lost from there last year as well).

 

The chicken coop is actually a big proper wooden Granary House style on from New TImber Products and is for 16-20 chickens so they have plenty of space and soft bedding (and yes, they snuggle up in their nest boxes - I guess that will last until they've learned how to sit on a perch). We have an automatic coop door opener and the 2 girls go in there as soon at about 18h30 these days but with Mae I have to wait until it's dark and the door is shut so that she doesn't climb out again.

 

As I said, all my other girls got used to bedtime routine very quickly, it's just Mae that jumps against the wall and then decides to sleep on top of the storage bin. Guess I'll have to wait and see who's the more stubborn creature : her or me

[the bradley bunch]

i got my girls from the bhwt too maybe i'll see if i could have some white girls at my next rescue, i travel quite far at the moment so it shouldn't make a difference to that.

i love my gorgeous brown girls but it would be cool to have a mixed flock

 

hope you're winning the battle with mae! good luck x