Unsecure chicken perches

[GeorgieB]

I was planning on rehoming 3 ex-batts to go with my existing one girl tomorrow but I now have a dilemma. The lady who rescued them has told me she has 4 that need a home and I know how difficult it is to rehome just one into a flock.

 

When I had a cube we found that we'd have up to 8 most nights just in the nest so I was thinking that 5 would probably be ok in an eglu. What does everyone else think? I need to give her an answer asap as we're collecting them tomorrow, so quick responses would be gratefully received.

 

They wouldn't be kept in the run by the way as they free range all day here and I let them out first thing.

 

Thanks,

Georgie

[zakjon-98]

In my opinion yes if they had a bigger run or free ranged. I have four in a eglu go and they squish up to fill about half the space.

[Redwing]

I wouldnt do it, there is enough room for them to sleep in an Eglu but if you fail to let them out first thing at any point they'll cause chaos in the run

 

Maybe just rehome two?

 

They'll need to be kept separate to your lone hen to start with, they wont be strong enough to cope with a lone hen on her own territory

[Egluntyne]

It is an improvement on what they have been used to, I guess, but still not enough room as there will be nowhere to escape from trouble. Also, the recommendation is one nesting box per 6 hens.

[GeorgieB]

Thanks for the quick replies. There would be 5 hens in total so the one nest should be fine then if its 1 per 6 hens. I would also let them out as soon as it's light to prevent any trouble, until they get on well.

[Egluntyne]

Oops sorry ... that should be 1 per 4 hens

[Olly]

I would say its ok as long as you have a WIR of decent size. They will sleep together ok but the Eglu run even with a couple of extensions is nowhere near large enough. I've had five sleeping and laying in an Eglu and they were fine.

[GeorgieB]

Ok, great! Like I said they won't ever be shut into the run, apart from when they've gone to bed and then first thing they'll be let straight out the run into the garden, which is a plenty big enough for them all. Mine have always preferred lying down to sleep so I will just carry on putting straw on the perches and that way they will have lots of laying space too.

 

Thanks very much guys. You've been a great help

[Henchanted]

Hi

I just want to add a reminder that size does matters more in terms of the run. There would be enough space in the eglu (if its a classic) but not in the standard run. For 5 hens you need 5 metre long run OR be able to provide full time free ranging (ie daylight hours).

DERFA's standard for free range chickens is that they have access to at least 1 sq metre of ground where they can scratch about and have natural daylight.

[Goosey Lucy]

I'd say yes, too many, sorry. Being ex-batts, they are used to fighting for space and although you are going to let them out first thing in the morning, this can be as early as 5:30am at the moment.

It's a heart-breaking decision I know. I was luckily able to take 12 girls on when I got mine, I'd originally only thought about having 6 but re-jigged things to give them more space.

Also, they really ought to be kept separate for a quarantine period of ideally 2 weeks so that your current girl doesn't pick up anything from your newbies.

I recommend Redwing's advice.

[chuckmum6]

I would say 5 is too many for a harmonious life, if they were bantams you could get away with it , but five big girls will be under strain.

[Hens@HalfMoonLane]

I have 4 ex bats in my classic and over winter they are in the run with an extension most of the time. Whilst I think one more could fit in to sleep OK probably, it would be a squeeze and probably too hot in the warmer weather. I personally wouldn't risk it, they can be really nasty to each other and need a bit of room to get away. Mine have been OK more or less since I got the last 2 about 9 months ago but last month I have had feather pecking and a bit of bullying, I worked out they weren't content with the lack of grass in the walk in run and have returfed it to restore harmony. 5 chickens will poo a lot and take some maintenance, my 4 go max 3 days in winter before it gets really grotty. I would go for 3 rather than 5, I think you will end up with 3 happier chickens.

[GeorgieB]

The Eglu is a classic. I have checked the sunrise time at the moment and it's just before 5am, so that's when I'll be setting my alarm and getting up to let them out, as I agree that it's not fair for them to be in the run for any length of time. I don't mind this as I wake when the sun comes up anyway most of the time. So they will be able to free range from sunrise until they go to bed every day as we've never had problems with foxes.

 

I want to make this clear,there is no way I would have 5 in a standard run if they couldn't have full time free ranging, this would be cruel.

 

Regarding quarantine, as these girls have only been out the battery cage a week and been kept in someones conservatory during this time then they won't have been able to catch anything to give my current girl.

 

I'm not worried about them getting too hot in the warmer weather as last summer (when we had a cube) we had 8 hens most nights piled on top of each other in the nest area alone! The other 2 hens that couldn't fit in slept in the main bit. I don't know why but they chose to do that every night, whatever the weather. I didn't have the heart to move them anyway as they looked so content.

 

Really looking forward to giving them a happy home

[Sam]

Could you perhaps get a cat carrier or roll away nest box to use as another nest box, just so the queue isn't too big? How excited you must be

[poppy ben grace]

How wonderful for the hens you will rescue for the chance of a happy life! Imagine how they will feel when they get to wander around your garden for the first time! So it may be a bit of a squeeze in the nest box, so what! They wont care, they will be loved and happy for the first time in their poor little lives, i say good for you , cant wait to see some pics, have loads of fun with them. p.s your oh deserves a big hug too!

[Henchanted]

ditto what poppy-ben-grace said

Well done and enjoy

[GeorgieB]

Thanks!

 

Our ex-batts have always preferred to lie down to sleep so I've always put straw on top of the perches so they're comfy, and then just change it every morning. So 3 could lay an egg comfortably at the same time.

 

Will definitely post photos

[suzannejoy]

how exciting looking forward to the pics .

[scrambledhead]

Hi GeorgieB,

 

Was wondering the exact same thing myself, one of our new girls sadly died last weekend so we now have only 3 and I was hoping to get 2 more ex batts later in the summer as realistically my 2 older girls are getting on and I'm worried that 1 will be left on her own.

 

Would be very interested to hear how you get on if you do go for it.

 

Good luck

[GeorgieB]

Well I have my 4 new girls now and they had ventured out the run, loving roaming around the garden until Pokey (my exisiting hen) started on one brave hen who walked onto her favourite patch. She pinned her down for a couple of mins and that seems to have put her in her place now as she and the others are staying well away. They are all choosing to stay in the run mostly, away from Pokey and the rain. They seem perfectly happy at the moment though, just munching on their mash and scratching the ground. Pokey is making a lot of complaining noises but she'll come round. It's going to be interesting come bed time

 

Scrambledhead- Sorry to hear about your hen. I would have just got 2 more girls instead of 4 as I think 3 is the ideal number to have in an eglu but the lady I got them off said that she had one who she still needed to rehome and would find it hard with just one hen.

A few days later the lady ended up being given another 4 by the farmer instead of 3 (which she'd already got a home lined up for) and had the same dilemma again. I didn't have the heart to turn either down as they would have really struggled being introduced to existing hens.

I have heard from a lot of experienced hen keepers that you should really introduce more hens than what you have and I definitely agree with that. Seeing my existing hen intimidating all 4 newbies has confirmed that. I would strongly recommend waiting until you are down to 2 girls before getting another 2 otherwise they will have a real hard time. I would personally wait til your down to 1 though before getting more. Are you able to let them free range?

 

Pokey was on her own for a week before the new girls arrived and after the first 2 days she actually seemed no different in her behaviour than before. Still scratching and roaming about the garden etc. I was concerned at first but think for a week or so a single hen should generally be ok on her own, if she can free range that is.

 

Sorry for waffling on. Photos coming soon

[fluffy chick]

for taking the ex bats Would love to see pics!

 

I have 6 bantams in my . This is the maximum recommended but tbh they all sleep squished up together leaving space for 3 more! (No I mustn't ) I currently have 3 broodies and until I put one in the broody cage I had all 3 laid together in the nesting box. Daft birds.

[migsy]

Good on you for rescuing 4 hens! I must say that my ex-batts are great! They have learned to be proper chickens and have become really friendly now. It is lovely watching them dust bathe and scratch around for bugs.

[majuka]

Congratulations on the new arrivals! Glad that Pokey has her new friends, although it may take her a while to fully appreciate them!

[fluffy chick]

How are they settling in?

[GeorgieB]

My 4 new girls are settling in pretty well. Although I'm having to medicate a couple (Bodie & Loris) with metaclopromide as their crops aren't empty in the morning. Pokey is still the boss, which I'm pleased about, then it's Bernie (the lady we got them from named her Bernard as she thought she looked like a Bernard Mathews turkey, but thought Bernie sounded quite sweet, then it's Bodie (named after Boudica - as she's a very bolshy, fiesty girl and has been the only one to challenge Pokey. Next is Loris (named after a slow loris- cos she's slow!) and then there's Tiny (we kept her name as she's small).

 

Thought I'd post a few photos for people that asked for them (although I'm pretty rubbish at taking photos). Anyway, here they are-

 

Tiny on my knee

 

Bodie, Loris & Bernie

 

Bodie & Loris dustbathing

 

Tiny, Bodie, Loris & Bernie

 

Bernie having a good flap

Edited June 11, 2011 by Guest