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

[Mrs Webmuppet]

As you can see from my signature we now have an empty Cube due to the demise of Meribel ( Custard has decided to move in with Bromley and Bling in the Eglu). Little Miss Webmuppet has suggested we adopt some Ex-batts.

 

We have contacted the BHWT and are waiting for them to get back to us. Apart from getting the Ex-batt food is there anything else we would need in addition to all the normal chicken stuff we already have ( I have a selection of lotions, potions and sprays for chooks) or any words of wisdom for us. I know Ex-batts need a little extra TLC when they first come home.

 

I will have to warn my lovely neighbours that the chickens are coming as they 'chook watch' out of their windows otherwise they will worry about the state of the newbies!

 

I forgot to add I realise that the Cube ladder would be a bit much for ex batts so Mr W is going to knock up a ramp to go over the ladder and I will remove the roosting bars to start with.

[Miss Millies Chicken]

I used diferent coloured leg rings on my ex batts when I first had them. Two of them were very similar in looks. Took them off after a couple of months once they started to feather up and their own liitle personalities started to shine thru.

[LottyJ1]

You will have to put them to bed for a while as they will tend to huddle up in a corner of the run as they don't know to go to bed, and they shouldn't be allowed to jump on or off anything for a while as there legs will be weak and can bruise.

 

But apart from that they will be great an within two weeks they will be growing feathers back and acting like normal chickens.

 

Its great to see them scratching and dust bathing for the first time! and the cute noises they make when they first taste grass and meal worms.

 

Love ex batts

[gongladosh]

Yep, love my ex-batts.

 

As long as you have ex-batt food (don't use normal food for a month, then wean them onto normal food over a few weeks) - and they do eat a lot of it, you should be fine. I left mine locked in the eglu run for 2 weeks to recover. They need a week to accept their new home, and a week on top to allow them to start building strength and confidence is a good idea. I also covered the run with a see-through plastic decorator's sheet from B&Q as the last thing the girls will want while recovering is to get soaked (I live in Manchester...)

 

I let them out for the first time on saturday - they LOVED it! (the existing girls were not so impressed however, locked in their walk-in run).

 

Getting them in is easy right now as they don't have the stamina to run away yet!

 

You could give them a little corn on an afternoon as a treat if you wanted, but don't do it on a morning as you want them to fill up on ex-batt food as it has the nutrients they need.

[sandyhas3chucks]

they are used to layers mash dusty looking food and wont recognise pellets as food sometimes ever!

I personally do not like the special ex bat stuff due to the revolting mustardy stinking poo this seems to produce..

This was reminded to me on Saturday when I rehomed 8 oldies with this food... after 5 days remembered and swapped to my food resulting in almost immediate effect nice normal poos...

You would do well to create a long wooden ramp from ground to door as the cube ladder is not suitableat all.

Although that said technically they are not ex batts and enhanced caged girls that I understand some may be stronger than the ex batty girls were.

Another must is multiple feed and water pots. as rhey still are used to having to fight for food.

Also personally I would not have what looks like a lovely spacious clear run...

I personally find that lots of things in the run to hop onto get behind etc works best as any chased girls can get away pr hide behind things. Flower pots (also used as dust bath) square trellis (at ground level) and I risk it with a straw bale.

My first ever girls I left in the run, but have not done so with any others.

Day 2 and free range, lots of space to get used to each other.

oh oh oh a must dried mealworms from the start.... they learn like lightening the pot or treat bowl... teach them rattling pot = mealie from the very start and you will get them where you want easy peasy..

Also prepare to have yuor heart stolen in a split second, and enjoy...

[Lavenders_Blue]

Nothing to add to the above really. As you already know you will need either ex batt crumb or layers mash. I like the ex batt crumb but it is expensive, so bog standard layers mash and a bottle of Lifeguard tonic is fine.

 

You'll need to put them to bed for a few nights until they get the idea, and it will take them a couple of weeks to work out what the nest box is for, so you will find eggs in funny places for a little while. I've never bothered with pot eggs to show them the nest box, they have all just worked it out for themselves so far. The ex enriched cage girls I think will be used to laying in a nest anyway, so you might not have this problem.

 

Multiple food and water stations are a must as they can be quite nasty to each other in the early days.

 

Other than that, just treat them like the rest of your hens. Apart from the odd poorly girl, they really are tougher than they look.

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Thank you. I have a plastic tarpaulin to cover the run, I hate soggy chickens and hemcore! and I have spare food and water containers.

 

I am tempted when the chooks arrive Chez Mebmuppet to squirt them all with anti- peck spray ( I have a big squirty bottle of this left over from when Meribel thought a good idea to bully everyone).

 

I have some small terracotta troughs that I could turn upside down and pop in the run, sufficiently big to hop onto but heavy enough not to fall over ( and strong enough to support a chook).

 

I have to go to Barnards the feed store on my way home so I will look to see if they stock Lifeguard and Ex batt food.

[Lavenders_Blue]

I've never needed anti peck spray (thank goodness). Usually the girls are quite polite to each other for a few days until they start to settle, then they start squaring up to each other. There's usually quite a bit of posturing and flapping at each other, but I've always just kept an eye on them and let them get on with it. It usually only lasts a few days then, when the pecking order is sorted, they are best friends With both my groups of ex batts, I've had one hen who has been very quiet and hidden away in the coop away from the others Both times I've given them their own food and water and left them to it (again keeping an eye on them). After a week or so they both plucked up the courage to come and out and join the rest of the flock. Interestingly, both of them have gone on to become the best layers of the group. I think they both just came to me really exhausted

[gavclojak]

Hello there

I am about to take on 4 ex batts....i have ordered the cube with a 1 meter extension then the walk in run on the end. any advice anyone can offer on ex batts, feeding, housing, medication to have ready, anything will be of great help as i understand ex batts need a little more TLC

many thanks

[LottyJ1]

Hello and welcome

 

You will be suprised at how quickly the adapt.

 

You will need to feed the ex-battery crumb for a few weeks and introduce pellets slowly as they won't have seen pellets before.

They won't know to go to bed when it starts to get dark so for the first few nights you will need to lift them into the coop. This won't take long and you may only have to do this for one or two nights.

 

They might struggle with the cube ladder for a while so a pot or something at the bottom will help.

 

It won't take them long to realise the pleasures of corn, dust bath and sun bathing

 

I use life guard as a general tonic and herban for when they need an extra boost.

 

enjoy your ladies

[Cheeky Chooky]

I would buy small bags of Ex-Batt Pellets and Ex-Batt Mash or Crumb...our Ex-Batts didn't recognise the mash and ate nothing at first until I swapped it for pellets

[gavclojak]

Oh thank you for taking the time to reply, I am very excited but scared at the same time. I want to do the bast by them and am worried I will be rubbish.

Thanks again xx

[sandyhas3chucks]

Whilst using phone just a few thoughts. When assembling the wir. Think about the roof slope. You don't want it to slope into the cube extension when or if covered! Do purchase at least one cover for the cube run.think about this also providing a shaded area if we ever get a summer again.I have mine totally covered to stop driving wind rain snow. I use clear tarps but am thinking of your initial costs. Lots of feed stations or heavy dog bowls or cheap D cups so all have somewhere to eat.as they may not initially get along and may not appreciate they no longer need to fight for food. At least two water bowls.. Also I find that whilst wide open space looks good something to hide. Behind! More suggestions to follow when on laptop sorry if odd typos and punctuation.

[sandyhas3chucks]

Looked ok so will carry on. The best thing I ever got was a bale of straw. Something to get on and behind if chased. Need access all around for escape. This may not be needed as your 4 might just get along. I also found putting a food and water point behind it lets the quietest a chance to eat and drink in peace. It can also be positioned. To provide a wind break. And mine posh and ex bats like to sunbathe on it.mind you come summer.... If.....I will need to dump it as gets pooey and will attract the flies! Some of the new system birds arestronger than the old ex bats on release. And may manage to fly up to bed. Some I have heard are much the same weak. They then won't manage the cube ladder at all. You might like to have a wooden ramp ready with a gentler slope up to bed. Ithere are photos of ramps people have made in the. Runs section on here! A chair for you to sit on is also essential for enjoying watching your lucky lovely ladies. With some meal worms to help them get to know you. Your life will never be the same again your heart about to be stolen. !! Enjoy and good luck.m

[charly1979]

When I had my ex batts Pudding and Pie I wasn't told about the ex batt food ??? I was given enough mash for 5 days then told to put them on layers pellets ??? I was also told I would have to teach them what food was and how to go to bed well within minutes of them FR in the garden they were inside the house eating the cat food (much to the horror of both cats). I only needed to put them to bed once . I got mine from a local animal shelter I do wonder if they had been there longer so had already learnt what they needed to know . Both became very clever loving girls

[Leicester_H]

Great thread - saved me posting a similar question.

 

We are due to collect 6 ex-cage birds on Saturday 18th May from Allesley - will any other omleteers be there ?

 

This is where they will live (with 2 eglu classics inside)

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=92908

 

H

[LottyJ1]

Wow they will think they are in heaven!

[Leicester_H]

Wow they will think they are in heaven!

That's the idea - after the year they'll have had, they will deserve it.

H

[gavclojak]

Oooo i have been given a provisional date of the 18th to collect 4 ladies from Biggin Hill, just waiting for the email to confirm....must be a big resuce that day....have no idea what to expect.......they have a cube waiting with walk in run then a Harrods agriculture cage 6x6 meters over that so no chance of mr foxy coming near my girlies..XxX