mrsatroy Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Hi, After losing 2 girls, 2 weeks ago I have decided to rehome 6 ex-batts at the end of November. There is a charity here in Ireland doing a rescue of 7000 hens so I wanted to help out. I currently have 5 hybrids, 2 pekin bantams, 1 pekin cockerel and 2 cochins. I would appreciate any advice/hints/tips anyone has regarding rehoming these girls and on integrating them into my current flock. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 That's a really nice thing to do, they are very rewarding I would say take the introductions slowly as ex commercial girls can lack confidence, although no-one has told my current girl flora! they are usually healthy but generally unfit. Give them time to recover and gain a bit of strength then introduce them. I am doing exactly that at the moment. they are a joy to behold and to watch them flourish is rewarding...good luck and I look forward to seeing any photo's you may want to post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Thanks for the reply! I have a dog run in the middle of my larger run area that I used for my last intro so planning to put the new girls in there to start. My OH has made me a temporary coop out of discarded furniture so tehy will have somewhere warm and dry. I am so excited about getting them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 You will love them In poultry erms there is nothing quite like watching ex batts flourish and doing chickeny things for the first time. Good luck, enjoy and dont forget the pics Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Ex bats are lovely. It is very rewarding watching them flourish, and bless them they give you eggs from day 1. I really felt I didn't deserve them. However, I have found mine to be very feisty and have never mixed them with my bigger flock. I think it's the Brown Isas that are more feisty. See if you can find out which breed you will be getting. That's not to say you will never be able to mix them, just that it will have to be a careful intro. Don't be put off though. I probably just spoilt mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I loved my three ex batts, just one left now. My original plan was to mix them in the WIR with my hybrids but I never did. I kept the three in the eglu with a bigger run and they were quite happy, sadly I now only have Agnes and she lives in her eglu in a sectioned off end of the WIR. She can see the other hybrids, just three of them now and seems happy. With the loss of Marshmallow I am wondering about taking the divide down and see how things go. I was just saying to OH that I think I need to get some more ex batts soon. They are great to watch and you give them a life that they wouldn't have had if you and others like you didn't offer them lovely homes. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
