Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[surfer_chicken]

I got my first ex batts from Brackley on Wednesday, and I'm a little worried about them

Here's some pictures...

That's George. She seemed quite cheeky and lively to start with, riding home with her head poked out of the box and she was the first to venture outside the eglu.

 

And Fred.

 

They're living in the eglu and run at the moment, with my other three girls free ranging around them. Yesterday they came out of the run quite early on, George was first. She was being really adventurous and cheeky. Unfortunately she stood very close to the edge of the run and allowed Mildred to peck at her comb and I only noticed after it had started bleeding I sorted out the wound, but she seemed quieter for the rest of the day and has hardly ventured out of the eglu at all. Fred has been in the run most of today and yesterday, but also seems quieter today.

 

I'm also worried about how much they're eating and drinking. I have seen neither of them drink. They have water in the glug. I read somewhere that they're not used to drinking out of bowls and to splash it around when they're looking to help them understand, which I have done but they're still not drinking. They also don't seem to be eating. They're on ex batt crumb, which I only gave them in the grub feeder yesterday, but after some advice I put out one of these with feed in the run:

There's also a large pile of feed on the floor where they knocked over the grub and a takeaway box-type-thing with feed in both in the run and in the eglu (for George as she's not coming outside). I still haven't seen any sign of them eating. George ate about a teaspoonful when I held it in front of her, but that's all. Everywhere I've read has said that ex batts are very fond of their food and spend most of the day eating

 

I'm going out today so won't be back to check up on them until late afternoon and tomorrow I'm at work, but my family will be around if there's anything they can help with.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Guest

[goodinparts]

First, congratulations on rescuing your girls. It's such a lovely thing to do. I'm by no means an expert (have had my 3 ex batts all of 3 weeks now) but I too thought they weren't eating or drinking to start with...but they seemed to learn over the course of a few days. In that time I offered mash (utterly rejected), lex batt crumb (mostly thrown on the floor) and growers pellets. They eventually settled on a mix of crumb & pellets, which they seem happy to find in coop cups and in the grub - and they got very keen on their water when I added ACV to it. I worried horribly but they learned, all by themselves.

 

I'd guess that with so many adjustments for them, they are playing it safe and avoiding any more contact with your other girls. Just having the freedom to go from eglu to run is a huge deal for them, remember....

3 weeks on, mine are still distinctly oven ready in patches but learning to peck & scratch about & behave like real chickens and it makes me so happy.

 

Hope someone who knows more will be along soon to reassure you.

Keep us posted...

[Chicken shack]

My 3 ex battts were very quiet for the first day and walked around dazed in and run. The next day all hell broke loose I thought they were going to kill each other and there was quite alot of blood from their combs. To be honest I was unsure as what to do as I couldn't seperate them they are in my spare . I had to leave them to it and it was quite distressing to watch. By the thrid day they had all settled down but it was about a week before I really new they were eating and drinking well and at least 3 weeks before they new what meal worms were. Now they can't get enough of them. All my girls and Harvey live together during the day now taking theselves to the cube at night all by one who insists on going into the on her own so I have to lift her out and place her in the every evening. I am sure yours will settle down and be like normal chickens in no time.

[Space Chick]

Give them a few days... They are used to a tiny cage and the indoors, the change (whilst good) is a huge culture shock for them initially.

[Patricia W]

I've had three losts of ex-bats and they've all reacted to freedom differently. I'd just keep an eye on them and I'm sure you'll see them settle down.

[Millie-Annie]

A little tip for bullying is Vaseline on the combs. It stops the bullies getting hold. I thought my bullying was sorted but it turns out bully was the one that daren't come down the ramp. I helped her and as soon as her feet hit the ground she was off again. She really is vicious to the others, so I have vaselined them. They don't seem to mind where the food is, hopper, floor, dish and they had no problems realising what mealworms were. They are now eating some grass I picked for them.

[surfer_chicken]

Thanks everyone. You were right

When I got back the pile they had tipped on the floor was gone and they were eating out of the red upside down feeder. They are also drinking now

I put another pile on the floor as they seem to like eating from there at the moment.

I just started to worry after they hadn't eaten/drunk in nearly 48hrs!

[Leicester_H]

Brilliant news - I'm so pleased for you and them.

 

Happy New Year, H

[jimnpaula]

Another thing to consider: I believe that they are used to drip style drinkers and not bowls of water. Certainly my batts had no problem with the superglug with the nipples when I got them. However, Tara had them for their first few free days as my cube hadn't arrived in time, so I didn't get to observe their behaviour then.

 

P

[surfer_chicken]

They're both eating and drinking normally now, I've just got to try and train them to use the grub and...

Fred laid her first free range egg today!

She did it in the nest box and did the egg song afterwards (It's massive )

Edited January 2, 2012 by Guest

[Leicester_H]

GREAT - you must be a proud 'mum'.

 

H

[Lewis]

Congrats

We have sister chickens from the same rescue too

 

 

I was worried about mine not eating to start with too, esp Tracy Beaker with her twisted beak, but think they're getting the hang of it now!

[surfer_chicken]

Fred and George have completely got the hang of the grub feeder now (though they make a mess ) and they're starting to eat layers pellets too I moved Willow in with them quite early on as she is just coming into lay and is a gentle giant (plus she isn't really friends with my other two) and after a few pecks each way they've all being getting on pretty well

 

They've been meeting my other two monsters this morning, as I really need to get them together asap (Lily and Mildred are sleeping in a rabbit hutch atm, but I don't really trust it and shove it up against the fence every night to try and stop Mr. Fox getting in). They've been able to see each other but not get to each other for a week and a half, and today I can watch over them. There has been a couple of fights but over all it's been okay (mostly because Lily and Mildred are too busy eating all the ex batt crumb that has been spilt on the floor to pay anything else attention).

 

From left to right that's Lily, Fred and Willow

 

George there (please excuse the trowel )

 

Lily clearing up (apparently irresistible) ex batt crumb, George in the back eating pellets out of the grub , and Willow walking out of shot

 

I have a few more questions! I was told to take the roosting bars out of the eglu for the ex batts at first, when can I put them back in?

Also, after Fred laying her first free range egg we've had nothing from either of them since, but they both spend a considerable of time sat on the nest box chatting to themselves and moving the straw about (as if preparing to lay), but then leave the eglu and start singing the egg song (but leaving no eggs behind). How long does it take them to start laying properly after the shock of moving?

 

There were more questions but I've forgotten them now

I'll post again if I remember.

 

EDIT: I remembered my other main question. Yesterday I found Fred trying to dustbathe in the nest box. Part of me was proud of her for doing something so natural that she was restricted from doing in the battery cages, but the other part of me was really confused as to why she had decided to do this in the eglu nest box (filled with straw). My girls have always been encouraged to dustbathe in spots around the garden when they are free ranging (we don't have a container full of dirt for the purpose). How can I encourage her to dustbathe somewhere more 'normal'?

Thank you

[surfer_chicken]

I spoke too soon, since my last post we have had two more eggs from the ex batts. However, they have really REALLY thin shells that break with the slightest pressure. I know this is normally due to diet, but they are on ex batt crumbs and layers pellets only (with mixed grit available on floor/peck block) and no treats (I tried giving them some cauliflower leaves yesterday but they didn't know what to do with it ) . Could there be another reason for the thin shells?

[jimnpaula]

My batts laid 'production line' style for a week or so before taking a few weeks off, and that was in Sept/Oct time when the days were longer. It wouldn't surprise me if yours are having a stuttering stop as they come down from the effects of 18 hour intensive lighting to natural light. If I remember correctly you need calcium, D3 and light for good eggs.

 

P

Edited January 9, 2012 by Guest

[Miss Millies Chicken]

I had the same problem with my ex batts last year. I added a calcium supplement to their feed which I got from the The Birdcare company. It did help Brunhilda & Griselda but unfortunately not Matilda who kept laying soft shells and evenutally succumbed to peritonitis.