tara Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Good morning everyone l have a ex battery chicken that is really feeling the cold dose anyone know were l could get a wolly jumper l thought of ebay but can't see any on there my poor hen is so cold please please help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon888 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Happy chicks in preesall sell them. www.Happychicks.co.uk. 01253 813178 Sarah is usually very helpfull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Hi thanks sarah l have foung this do you know if it covers the tummy as well ? http://www.happychicks.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/Happychicksshop/_590/-/EGGStra%20Snug%20Christmas%20design%20HEN%20CHICKEN%20COAT%20JUMPER%20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon888 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I'm not sarah. Sarah is the lady that runs Happychicks. I'm Jon but you can call me sarah if you want. I've been called worse. The jumper/coat covers the front of the breast and their back. Not sure how far under they go though. I saw them at the weekend and they looked quite cool although i did overhear her telling someone that they were just for fun and that chickens didnt actually need them, as someone like yourself was concerned about their recent purchase of ex batts. She instead offered them a supplement to help promote feather growth. What it was i cant recall. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Sorry jon l feel like a not reading properly as l have a child climbing all over me and screaming roll on her nap time.Might call them see what the lady comes up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Hi, My mum bought me some from off eBay for when i get some Ex-Batts( She got me 2 at £1.50 each).I'm going to Test them out on Orakiah later lol Here's the eBay user we bought them off http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/pumpkin131108/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Maybe I am wrong, but I thought the BHWT recommended not to use jumpers for hens, unless you are there to supervise them full time? They can get caught up and injure themselves? Feeding a good diet with slow release energy like corn will help her keep warm tara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 I found her last night sitting in the corner of the run cold and when l put her to bed she comes back out again when l put more straw in she was in and stayed in but until now she's been fine going to bed with the others .She's got hardly no feathers or tho they are just starting to grow she sits huddled up through the day.This will help until those feathers come through.Thanks Raina l just brought a hen coat of ebay were you got yours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaloo Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Maybe I am wrong, but I thought the BHWT recommended not to use jumpers for hens, unless you are there to supervise them full time? They can get caught up and injure themselves? Feeding a good diet with slow release energy like corn will help her keep warm tara. You're right, they advise against their use: Established healthy hens should have sufficient feather coverage to provide ample protection in even the coldest weather. In order to give new hens the best care in winter months here are our top 10 tips which will ensure your birds are comfortable. Ex-bats may need physically picking up and putting under shelter for the first day or two if the weather is bad, as well as lifting into their coop at bedtime. (Newly released ex-bats can easily catch cold if they decide to stand out in the cold and wet.) If you have an outbuilding with an electricity supply, heat lamps or oil filled radiators can be used to provide extra warmth, but only do this for feather bare birds and do not make the environment ‘warm’. We do not advise use of knitted jumpers, it is easy for hens to become tangled and this may cause considerable stress. You can cover the coop overnight with an old carpet, blankets, bubble wrap or flattened cardboard to give extra insulation. Deep (10cm+) dry bedding of chopped straw or wood shavings on the floor will help keep birds warm. If you have just a few girls in a large coop/stable or converted shed, putting a large cardboard box on its side, half filled with chopped straw/wood shavings in a corner within the coop/stable will help conserve body heat. Check after dark that they are all sleeping together in the box. Smearing hens’ combs with Vaseline will help prevent them getting frostbite, especially if they have large, floppy combs. Access to fresh water is vital. Drinkers will freeze if left out overnight and may split when you try to defrost them in the morning. Bring drinkers in at night and refill in the morning with warm water which hens enjoy, topping up with more warm water during the day. Give your hens extra corn in the afternoon as this will heat them up internally as they digest it overnight. You can also give them a warm meal using Smallholder Ex-bat crumbs mixed with hot water. Just feed enough to ensure it all gets eaten within 30 minutes and repeat the process as necessary. Ensure the hens have shelter in their outside run, they dislike the wind chill and driving rain as much as we do. Erecting wooden boards/plastic sheets/tarpaulin/straw bales against the windward side of their run will help, as will providing some cover above to keep them dry. Cold weather and snow means other animals are hungry too; make sure food is stored safely away from rats and mice, especially at night, and regularly check fences and coop security; hungry foxes are more daring and determined in winter. Finally, look on the bright side, if it’s freezing, at least it’s not muddy! Taken from http://www.bhwt.org.uk/cms/will-the-hens-need-heat-in-winter/ With so many other options, is it really worth risking their health with a knitted jumper? Hens can trip or fall and break their brittle bones...be strangled by a caught or twisted jumper...or even choke on lose threads. If you feel you absolutely have to use a jumper, never leave the hen unsupervised. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 the coat ive brought has not been made with wool l will see how she gose and might only use it for night time.Feel better that she will have somthing as she's hardly got any feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I saw this and remembered someone was after chook jumpers. It might be useful if you want to give making your own jumpers a go. There's a pattern for a fleece one with velcro fastenings and a knitted one. http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/jumpers.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 The jumpers become filthy and can be hazardous, as stated above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punxatoni Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Instead of a Jumper why not try something like a wheat bag or snugglesafe. Saying that, they are hardy animals so nothing that some porridge wouldn't help if you were really concerned. Just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
