Nacktschnecken omlet Cube

[loumabel]

I know lots of you have rehomed ex batts and any tips would be gratefully received. We are picking up six next Saturday and I have a fresh new cube waiting for them in a WIR. My Bantams are staying seperately in their cube and WIR though they will be right next to each other and fully visible, do you think it will get very noisy for a while? I am worried about the condition they may be in and hoping I can build them up before the colder weather arrives. Should I louse powder and worm them immediately? or wait for them to settle. Any advice and tips would be most welcome

Edited August 7, 2011 by Guest

[sage]

Hi

I would let them settle in for a few weeks before worming etc. You will find the ex batts cannot use the ladder into the cube to start with. I made a ramp for them to use for a few months then I put a brick at the base of the ladder to use a a step. Take things slowly and enjoy watching them transform into stunning hens.

 

Good luck

 

Sage

[Tweety]

They will be used to eating mash rather than pellets so you need to get some in ready for your new arrivals. Mine love the Ex Batts Layers Crumbs. You can then gradually introduce them to pellets if that is what you usually give your chooks.

Good luck - you will love them!

[loumabel]

They will be used to eating mash rather than pellets so you need to get some in ready for your new arrivals. Mine love the Ex Batts Layers Crumbs. You can then gradually introduce them to pellets if that is what you usually give your chooks.

Good luck - you will love them!

 

I give my chooks layers mash at the moment but should I get the ex batts crumbs as well? Does it contain extras to give them a boost?

[Jennifer Jane]

The ex-batts crumb and pellets are supposed to contain added extras to give them a boost, though we're still feeding ours the ex-batts stuff over a year after getting the last lot of hens. There is supposed to be a donation for each pack sold to the BHWT (I think that's right, someone may correct me, I'm not at home to check at the mo). You should be able to buy some ex-batts crumb when you pick your girls up.

 

Whereabouts are you getting yours from? We are picking up 3 more on Saturday from Allesley near Coventry. It is so rewarding to watch them blossom.

 

Ah, I've just noticed your location - I'm pretty sure you won't be going all the way to Coventry!

Edited July 28, 2011 by Guest

[Purplemaniacs]

I gave mine the crumb especially for ex batts and then gradually moved them onto pellets but still the ex batts ones, I feel they need all the help they can get.

 

My three were in a much better condition than I expected, they had come from coloney cages which may help.

 

Good luck, ex batts are lovely.

 

Chrissie

[fluffy chick]

I'm pleased you've got a walk in run for them. I had 4 exbats and had to rehome them (a lovely farm down the road) as they could fly like nothing I've seen (with hardly any feathers and wings clipped!) they just kept flying over my electric fencing so I knew I couldn't protect them, also they were practically wild so I struggled to catch them. We back onto the wolds so we had no chance. I never got to see them blossom but I know they went to a lovely home.

[Mercedes55]

We gave ours the crumbs too and then went onto the pellets and over a year later we still buy the ex batts food for them. Ours were in the Eglu back then, so we didn't have any problems with them having to climb up to their coop at night. The next day we were getting eggs too which was good, although I believe a lot lay the next day as they already have the egg being formed inside when they are being rehomed but can stop laying for a short while due to all the stress. I don't know if they ever get as fit as non batts. Even now although ours are all feathered up they can't jump up onto things with the same ease that our newer girls can, but the day they suddenly run across the lawn with their wings out and their little bums and legs waddling you will see how worthwhile it's all been

[Lavenders_Blue]

It will probably take a while for your ex batts to get the hang of putting themselves to bed and laying their eggs in a nest box as they will never have had to do this in their cage.

 

For the first few nights you will probably need to put them into the cube at bedtime, the first night I found mine still wandering about in the dark, not even roosting. After that they roosted down on the ground and I would lift them into the coop. 3-4 nights later they worked out where they needed to go.

 

My girls worked out for themselves how to use the nest box. We had a few weeks of eggs being laid in the run, on the patio etc until one day I found an egg in the nest box Once one of them got the hang of it, they all followed pretty quickly. Their instinct is so strong, it's amazing.

 

I would recommend putting out several food and drink stations until they settle down and become friends. A dominant hen can chase the others away from the food and water but if you have several stations she can't guard them all. I found I only needed to do this for a couple of weeks as the pecking order settled down pretty quickly, then they were all happy to share.

 

Looking forward to hearing more about your hens and seeing some photos when you bring them home. They'll soon be settled and acting like ungrateful spoilt little madams in no time!

[loumabel]

Thanks to everyone for your help and advice it is much appreciated. It is really lovely to hear all your stories and nice to know that ex batts can live happy lives for a good few years.

 

We are picking the girls up from Biggin Hill, Kent and are looking forward to pampering them and getting them as healthy as we can. The BHWT email said that we can buy ex batt crumbs when we collect them so will take extra money with me for this.

I was hoping to let them free range for part of the day but after reading some of your comments I am worried that I may lose them over the fence. I am very worried about clipping wings I only have my little bantams at the moment and they never try to fly away but I guess they havent been couped up like the poor ex batts. I was not going to let them free range for a few weeks until settled but is this not really a good idea and should I keep them in their WIR?

Can't wait to get them and will try and post pics, if I can work out how to do it (I am a technophobe!)

[Purplemaniacs]

We bought our ex batt crumbs when we collected the girls. I had bought a small bag of normal crumbs just in case they had run out

 

I would let them settle down for a while before you let them free range, everything will be so strange to them at first. It will take them a while to get used to life in a run.

 

Hope you can sort out putting photos on here, can't help you with that as I have not managed it yet!!

 

Chrissie

[lisa3scinot]

Hello everyone

 

This is my very first posting to the club but I've really been enjoying reading everyone's thoughts and comments. We collected our ex-batts yesterday (Wednesday) and as complete novices we weren't really sure what to expect. They had a lot more feathers perhaps than I expected and I've been really surprised by how quickly they have settled in.

 

We had a Cube for 6 ex batts and they seem to have plenty of space. It took them around 2 hours to work out how to use the ladder (although my husband had made a wooden ladder for underneath it). Today, I have collected 6 eggs through the day (although one was smashed) and I'm not sure if that's usual. Perhaps it's a sign of how they've settled in so quickly?

 

I had a bit of a surprise this morning when on rising early I was potching around the garden sorting out the dogs. All was calm. Then I made the 'error' of sorting out the water dishes etc. in the run. Hens heard me and blimey did they tell me that they wanted to be out of the coop! Fortunately I spoke to the neighbours later and they said they hadn't heard any sqwarking. Phew!

 

Still feeling like I've got a heck of a lot to learn but am so thankful for the Cube already since it makes things pretty easy. Would love to have a walk in run though rather than having to 'walk' around on my hands and knees! Not ideal especially when the hens decide to go under the actual cube because they don't fancy heading to bed!

 

All the best everyone

 

Lisa

[j00lz_12366]

hi, thought I'd add some of my experiences to the list..

we got 4 ex batts in April, they have laid nearly everyday-we get either 3 or 4 eggs each day. The girls were in quite a poor state when we got them, but they seem very hardy and although they still haven't feathered up completely they are in a much better state. We used 1 bag of ex batt crumb, then got another 1 and some pellets and as soon as they tasted the pellets they only wanted them-i still give them crumb as a porridgey treat on occasions though.

I suppose what I have learned is that they are all different, just take time to get to know your girls and enjoy them!

[jaspersmum]

Very best of luck with your new girlies - you're doing a wonderful thing! We got our first ex-batts from Fresh Start for Hens in April this year; they weren't in too bad a condition really but they did smell really awful and the feathers they had were quite greasy. They're all looking much better now and although they're not fully feathered up yet what they do have feathers-wise is lovely and shiny and soft.

 

Expect them to be quite shell shocked for a few days, we were surprised at how surprised they were at things like the wind blowing through their run or leaves rustling. Makes you realise what restricted lives they've had up til now. By the way, the shell shock soon passes, our ex-batts are now the cheekiest most confident hens we've ever had and soon established themselves at the top of the pecking order!!

 

We feed all of our hens on layers mash but add a little scoop of Poultry Spice to each serving as we find it really gives them a boost and has worked miracles on our other girls when they've gone through a particularly spectacular moult. They won't know what treats are to start with and will only eat anything that looks like what they were fed on the farm - it's amazing how quickly they learn the ropes though.

 

And get ready for a few 'lump-in-throat' moments - our favourite so far was the first time they all sunbathed together in their dirt bath.

 

Enjoy every minute!

[Lavenders_Blue]

I wouldn't panic too much about free ranging ex batts. I'm not sure mine even know they have wings, or at least what they are supposed to be used for. Mine FR all day in an outdoor pen with a 4ft fence and they have never ever gone over it. Pushed their way under it a few times, mind, until we fixed the bottom down properly with some boards

[counturchickens]

Our ex batts have never tried to fly anywhere either, apart from launching themselves from our decking when there are treats about!

[beach chick]

we got ours from biggin hill! June 19 tho, so they have now had almost 6 weeks of freedom, and were integrated within the existing 8 within a week.

 

I had one (Beyonce) who was almost fully feathered, Rhianna about half, and Gaga and Cheryl were the worst.

whoever said they were smelly was right! it was a long journey home with all the car windows open...

 

day 1 they were in a rabbit run about 2m x 1m with a home-made nesting box and a couple of feeders and drinkers.

day 3 I added an extension of chicken wire so they had a further couple of sq.m to move around in.

day 4 and 5, old girls were jumping in to see them (actually to snaffle the ex-batt crumb ), and by day 6 the ex-batts were making determined efforts to escape.

so day 7 I just let them all get on with it, altho kept them in the rabbit run at night as they hadnt tried the steps to the WIR.

 

for the first couple of days they were a bit wobbly on their legs, but started with the scratching at the ground and the dust-bathing almost immediately. at the end of the first week they could flap their wings without falling over, and I would say within 2 weeks were doing the steps to the WIR.

 

mine are now on ordinary layers pellets; and have learnt about treats, especially mealworms! and if I chuck in some left-over veg or roasties or something in the last week or so they have learnt that these arent missiles but edible.

 

in terms of personality, they have it in spade-loads! much the most entertaining chickens I've ever had, and also the most approachable (I dont tend to be a chicken-hugger).

 

sorry, that was a bit long! enjoy them, and we definitely NEED to see photos!

[loumabel]

pics of new girls at the following link (I hope) :anxious

 

well we picked the 6 new girls up yesterday and they are settling in well. We have had to put up a screen on the mesh between the walk in runs to stop my Bantams from screeching at the newbies and I caught Ethel trying to peck Marigold through the mesh, but the screen seems to have done the trick. Three of the ex batts managed to put themselves to bed last night (put torch in the cube) and the other three needed a bit of help but I am impresssed that any of them managed it to be honest. They don't seem to know what to do with the dust bath and seem to be pecking each other a bit too much for my liking, I hope this will stop when they realise there are other things to do. I have hung up a pecking ring and they are ignoring that at the moment, any other tips for distracting them would be helpful??

Oh forgot to say we got four eggs from them too

Edited August 7, 2011 by Guest

[Lavenders_Blue]

I found the best distraction at first was just lots of different food and water stations placed around the run.They don't really recognise treats at first so I think it might be difficult to use those as a distraction.

When we got our ex batts, Bella was a terrible pecker, she was quite obsessive about it. We think it was just a behaviour learnt in the battery farm, either out of boredom or survival, or both After a couple of weeks or so, when the pecking order had well and truly settled down and she realised there were more interesting things to do, she stopped. She was quite a horrible hen when she came, now she is really sweet and docile and loves to sit on my lap for a snooze It's heartbreaking to see how this unnatural lifestyle forces them to behave, but it's so rewarding to see them learn how to be 'real' hens after they have been rescued.

[poppy ben grace]

Love the pictures! What a lovely set up for them. They look pretty good for exbatts(apart from the pale combs bless them). I like the "dog" water bowl in their run! Loving the lambs /sheep , are they yours you lucky thing?

[loumabel]

Hi PBG,

Thanks, the ex batts look a bit more moth eaten in the flesh with lots of bald bits!! The sheep are mine, they are two orphaned lambs that we inherited from a friend with a small holding They are called Florence and Beatrice and they like to terrorise the chooks by going in their enclosure and eating the chicken food . The pics are quite old and they are a lot bigger and looking more grown up now.