clarea1 Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Hi there, I have decided to rehome 8 battery hens and they are hopefully coming n the 25th August. I was just wondering I some people who had already been here could give me some advice on what to expect and how I can give my hens the best recoperation from their former life. The hens have a large area to free range and will be residing in a 6x4ft shed which OH is reroofing and making some perches (though I understand they prob wont be able to use these at first?) and some nest boxes. Would they require any feed supplements to help with feather regrowth etc? Many thanks, Clare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickybaby Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Hi Clare I wouldn't worry too much about feed supplements, other than hen grit, although some may disagree with me! I got my 3, slightly bald, ex-bats last December and was worried about them being out in the cold but they were fine. Their feathers began to grow back quite quickly and they seemed quite happy with the cold weather. I gradually introduced treats after the first week, just so i could make sure they were eating their layers mash. Apparently it is better to feed them layers mash rather than pellets as this is what they are used to. As soon as i got my hens home i put them in their eglu and left them alone to explore. For the first few hours they just stood there but slowly they began to move around. You may have to 'put them to bed' the first night as they won't have a clue where to go. I let them out in the garden to free range the next day, some recommend keeping them in the run for a few days but i couldn't do that to them! Straight away they were scratching around, pecking etc so it doesn't take them too long to find their natural instincts. The second night they took themselves to bed, which i was surprised at. From day 1 they seemed to look after themselves so i had been worrying for nothing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Oh how lovely I wanted to get ex battery but DP wanted youngsters and as he was good enought to let me have chooks I felt obliged to go with what he wanted. Maybe one day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Hi Clare and welcome aboard the forum! I have rehomed 3 sets of ex-battery girls and love them all dearly and im sure you will soon feel the same about yours If you are rescuing via the Battery Hen Welfare Trust your chooks will have been taken from the battery farm the morning that you pick them up. Depending upon how many hens were kept in each cage at the farm usually depends on how bad they are when they get to you Expect every hen to be missing feathers and they will all be quite shell shocked Remember that before the day of rescue your chooks will have never seen the outside world, experienced wind, rain, sunshine etc and they will need time to take all of this in. Some of my girls took to their new life very easily and others needed a little more time but all of them love to free range and scrabble around for worms and bugs now The chooks will have usually been fed on layers mash - a type of powdery food - whilst in the battery farm and i always find it useful to feed my newly rescued girls on this when they arrive in their new home afterall they will have had so many other changes they will need 'comfort food' I mix the food up as follows - layers mash, poultry spice, grit and bokashi bran. The bran is to help settle their tummies as all mine had very runny poos when they arrived and i have found the bran helps a lot In terms of them perching - this can vary depending upon the condition the chooks are in when you get them - some of my girls hobbled around for quite a while and would never have made it onto a perch, others would have been fine. Whilst in the cages the girls will not have had any room to walk about so building up strength in their legs will take time. It may be good to have some straw on the floor for them to next in if they cant get to a perch. Im sure your girls will be very thankful to you for giving them a second chance and a loving home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 I got an Eglu and three ex Batt girls earlier in the year and having never had chickens before I have to say they have been one of the most rewarding pets I have ever had. Seeing them transform from confused frightened little things into the characters they each are now has been lovely but as the others have said they will find everything very strange and scary at first. I think it would probably be best to keep them quite for the first few days and let them adjust a little to their new life before letting too many people and pets etc near to them. Good luck with them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarea1 Posted August 12, 2007 Author Share Posted August 12, 2007 Thanks guys, i will get some Mash as I feed pellets to my 3 existing girls. I have poultry spice in for moulting times. I will be keeping them seperate from the eglu girls until the ex-batt girls get settled. They will still be able to se each other but not get to. I was also planning to give the ex-batt girls a small run outside the shed and leave the door wide open (it's a stable type shed) so they could get some fresh air and grass or stay in the shed. That also means they won't have to negotiate ramps or steps until they have built their legs up a bit. I would open the run out after a couple of days when they are used to going in the shed at night and the big world is not so overwhelming! I will post pics when I get some. Thanks for your replys - I'm so excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melons Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 All of mine blew away in the first gust of wind they didn't know how to lean into it. They learn very quickly, so make the most fo their first few days, it's so heart warming to watch, even 10 weeks on they still have mad flapping moments up & down the garden, I think they wake up & just think yippeee every new day They made me cry, it was so sad & sweet all one one hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Claire that sounds like a brilliant and a really caring idea, sounds like you have thought of everything, They are very lucky chooks to be coming your way, ( and of course to everyone else who has rescued battery hens ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigglestiger Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Hi, I am after some advice i have just ordered my Eglu and this is my 1st time i have ever kept chickens... are rescue batterys a bad choice for my 1st flock? Any advice considered! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Hello and welcome. Congratulations. They might just need a little more TLC than the average hen to start with ....that's all. Poet's first flock of hens were ex batts and she has managed OK. There is heaps of advice to be found on the forum so have a good read, and if you have any questions......just ask! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I got an Eglu and three ex Batt girls earlier in the year and having never had chickens before I have to say they have been one of the most rewarding pets I have ever had. Seeing them transform from confused frightened little things into the characters they each are now has been lovely but as the others have said they will find everything very strange and scary at first. I think it would probably be best to keep them quite for the first few days and let them adjust a little to their new life before letting too many people and pets etc near to them. Good luck with them! ditto to all that except we don't have an eglu and have 4 girls. They were mesmorised by the sky and stood staring upwards for ages the day we brought them home but soon started exploring their new home and run. We had to wrangle them to bed for 3 nights and then they started to put themselves to bed. We didn't let them out of the run for a couple of weeks, until we felt they'd built up enough strength and wouldn't be quite so scared. They're as good as gold, extremely cute, lots of fun and we love them dearly. Wish we'd done it years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Poet's first flock of hens were ex batts and she has managed OK. ! with lots of help from you guys I was just saying, wish we'd done it years ago! xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I've taken BHWT ex batts from the farm and done nail clipping and the whole adoption process except owning my own. So I know how you feel, they'll be fine and so very wonderful to have as pets. They take about 2 weeks to build up their strength and you can bake and grind egg shells to give them extra calcium for their bones. These are weakened from standing for 1 year and they also need to develop muscle. I mix up poultry spice and need to get some bokashi, good thinking Em. I'll also give them arnica and aconite. Ours come end of feb BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I was amazed at how quickly mine adjusted. I had to put them to bed for a week (much to the amusements of my mates!) and then they got the hang of it. I had mash and pellets and they ate the pellets straight away and the same with corn. After 6 weeks the feathers on the worst one have all grown back around her neck without any supplements. The best thing was the first time I let them free range round the garden. It was like kids at Christmas with their new toys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 i think i want more! maybe another 2. Will wait til the spring and see if DH is up to extending the run. He'd jump at more but I want to wait til the weather is better, sounds like there's a long waiting list now too but I've gone all broody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
