The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Roxy on February 27, 2010, 10:57:16 pm
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A very early start, feeding all the livestock, before heading off to the battery farm. Lost count of how many crates we carried to various vans. Filled our horse trailer, made stops at other co ordinators with hens, before returning home for the local rehomers to come to us for their hens. Such nice people, who want to rehome the hens. One lady, bless her, was so nervous, having her first three hens today. Hopefully she will not regret her decision. Had to feed all the animals late tonight......this did not go down well with Paddy the big billy, and little Bob the kid was yelling his displeasure too, that tea was a little late (not the end of the world, it was only an hour!)
Did have a bit of a disaster, when the Range Rover gave up the ghost, on the slip road coming off the motorway....handbrake got stuck on. Half an hour later, when OH had lay underneath the vehicle and given it some hammer, it released and we got on our way again!! Was a bit worrying for a while, wondering what on earth we would do with all those hens at the side of the motorway!!
I am very tired tonight ......but as usual, its worth it, to get those hens to their new homes.
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Love my re homed hens, soooooo worth it!
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I have done this a few times and very hard work although you dont notice it at the time, and what a fantastic feeling when you box up the last few hens when they are being collected by their new homes. Although I remember well how awful it was when you have to make the decision to stop as you take the hens out of their cages and the next cage full of hens are looking at you waiting their turn! We always did the last cage plus one but it didnt really help. Also the last farm we went to the hens in the top cages we couldnt reach so had to take out the ones below us whilst the ones above watched. OMG it breaks you heart doesnt it. So many birds and although we took out 700 - 800 at a time it didnt even make a dent in the row upon row of cages.
However we still have our exbats wndering around here, we only lost a couple in all the times of doing it and its something I am very proud to have been involved in!
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I would very much like to be able to re home battery hens, but i have no idea who to contact, if anyone could give me any advice it would be very much appreciated.
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http://www.bhwt.org.uk/
theres a good starting point
i think i'll get a few ex bats, but i really want my own birds for the table, so these would have to be pets!!
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http://www.bhwt.org.uk/
theres a good starting point
i think i'll get a few ex bats, but i really want my own birds for the table, so these would have to be pets!!
Mine aren't 'just' pets! They earn their keep by giving me at least one egg every second day from now till October!
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Annie do you eat them when they come to the end of thier productive lives?
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Excuse me whilst I choke on my glass of wine lol, although we have had these a year or so now, these still have no meat on them and I couldnt possibly think of eating henrietta and co myself, but maybe Annie is made of sterner stuff than me1 :D
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Excuse me whilst I choke on my glass of wine lol, although we have had these a year or so now, these still have no meat on them and I couldnt possibly think of eating henrietta and co myself, but maybe Annie is made of sterner stuff than me1 :D
Not me, Julia. :'( :'( :'( I've said it before and I'll say it again - I'm quite happy to eat other folks animals but never my own. ::) ::) Anyway you're right, ex batt chooks are egg layer hybrids - not meat birds. I must admit I've cooked bits for the dogs on occasion - but only the ones that didn't kill the demised victim ;) ;) The perpetrator is on bread and water as punishment ;D ;D ;D
No, JAckie, my chooks are pets as well as providing me with eggs, so they get a decent burial - in a black bag. Just hope the bin men never look too closely ;) ;)
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Ok thank you for replying Annie, then these rescue hens are not for me.
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Jackie, if you want meat birds that are good layers too you could try light Sussex - they're pretty too. All white with a black lace collar. I have a hen and a cockerel - Jamie is a stunner!
There are other breeds that are dual purpose, more experienced chook people than me will be able to tell you what they are.
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Annie do you eat them when they come to the end of thier productive lives?
theres no eating on a bird for eggs!!
So they'd be kept for the entertainment factor alone - and to pass the eggs onto friends, family and others that can be bought for the price of a few fresh eggs. (Actually i might look into using the eggs for selling through my business)
but utility birds are a different matter. I've no qualms naming them, whatching them grow and then wringing their necks and putting them in the pot.
Though I'd like to think they have a longer, more fun filled life before they met their maker!!
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Ex bats are definately not for eating but mine are still good layets. Whilst all the other local hens have stopped laying mine have still layed all winter. Granted only 1 egg every other day but not bad.
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I will certainly look towards light sussex then Annie. ;D
As a matter of interest do the rescue hens die of old age or how does it work?
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Sometimes they die quite soon after they are rescued. While they are caged they are opn antibiotics and vitaminsso when they come off this they can succomb to bugs. Some of them are unable to eat properly due to their beaks having been cut (to stop them pecking the next bird or themselves), and their food is crumbs rather than layers pellets so you have to introduce those gradually, some of them don't know how to drink from a drinker or bowl as they have been fed from a dropper. But most of them live a normal hen life after rescue.
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I lost 6 of the ones I rescued over the winter, they had been out between 4 and 6 months but it seems their immune systems were shot. The others seem to be fine and perfectly fit and well.
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Such a shame how those birds have been kept and how it carries on impacting their lives.
I would love to keep some but everything I keep has to pay its way.
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There's nothing that says they don't pay their own way. I got four about last August. Fair enough we lost one within about 3 months, but the other 3 are all fine, they have laid right through the winter, with maybe the exception of the coldest days (a couple of those -15 days we had in early January). The only trouble I have with them is that they free range, and we have a wee competetion to see who can hide their eggs from me!
Mine don't get anything different from my other hens, except to begin with they got a bit more tlc, and some nice porridge and bread and milk. Ours have definitely laid better then out Black rock and Isa Brown pullets, and have paid their own way.
Beth
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Last summer my ex batts laid and laid until mid October. I could not fault them. They have just started to lay again now.
Some of the hens don't last long at all, yet, I have had some live three years and more. I don't think they are any more likely to drop dead than any other hen, but prolapses can happen more than with other hens. Having said that, I have only lost one to a prolapse. And all our rehomers have been very pleasantly surprised that the hens we supply to them do have feathers. Some of those from the latest rescue were big plump birds - usually they are small, and never grow into big hens, but these ones could almost be meat birds!!!!
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OK you have all convinced me to try a few to see how they go. ;D
One more question though if you would please?
Because they have had their beaks trimmed off (no defence) can they run with chickens that have beaks and not be bullied?
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My girls didn't have their beaks trimmed off and I have to say there would be no bullying several of them. I can honestly say rehoming ex bats is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done if you do take some on you will never regret it. I'm thinking of having 6 more to replace the girls I lost. Just got to convince OH to let me have more ;D
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They don't take much off so it's sometimes difficult to see its been done, and there are differetn methods I understand. Believe me they can hold their own anyway. ::) No different to other chooks once they have settled. I isolate them from my flock for a few days to make sure they are eating and drinking properly then put them in the hen house last thing of an evening so they wake up together and think they have always been there ;) ;D
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Never had a problem with beaks, just a couple had misaligned top and bottom beaks, but they could eat and drink ok, and were not in a beauty contest so no worries. Sometimes have funny feet though, with standing on mesh floors, but I let them heal on their own, and they are fine.
I keep my ex batts separate for a few days, to get them used to the outside world, and get their strength up. Although, they can hold their corner against other hens, and are not shrinking violets. Don't put them with cockerels either, straight away, as they are not used to being treaded, and not got the strength to cope with the boys constantly at them.
They are definitel rewarding, so trusting and friendly - thats the problem, no fear of anything. Only thing is, they sometimes need getting in their shed at night at first, and will lay where the fancy, until they realise whats what.
There is no guarantee as to how long they live, and their egg production too - but at the farms they have to lay a minimum of 6 eggs per week, so thats why they are ridded. Six eggs per hen per week is adequate for most people I would say. In fact, one every other day is good, although ours do seem to lay every day once the nicer weather is here.
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Ive just followed the link that was posted earlier and the next pick up in my area is in May so I'm now going to order 20!!!
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Good news. You won't ever regret it ;D
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Agree with Helen, you won't regret it. Didn't realise you were with the BHWT Roxy :) I have a great amount of respect for all the volunteers, as well as the ones from other battery hen rescue organisations. They are tireless and dedicated. Good job on the rescue!
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No, not the BHWT ....completely separate hen rescue. BHWT do a fine job though, and I have had hens from them in the past.
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Well well done you Roxy. I have thought about volunteering with the BHWT but just not sure if I'm strong enough not to bawl my eyes out on every rescue. Must be really tough I have huge respect for you.
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I've offered to help BHWT, but they didn't come back to me. Must have plenty of folk up here.
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That's too bad they should have at least said thanks but no. Maybe they didn't receive your mail?
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Read receipt received. Maybe just forgot - I'll ask them again sometime ;D
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I'd have thought they would always welcome helpers. Maybe not then, might be worth asking again as you say
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Yes, it is hard, but there is no time to get sentimental, getting the hens out is the priority, and it is hard work. Only a few people actually go to the farms, and it is frowned upon if you start to cry, or make comments about how the hens are kept ......thats not what we are there for. We have a good relationship with the farmer, and do not want to jeopardise that, nor interfere with his work, so the hens are moved as quick as possible.
Thats not good of the hen rescue not to at least come back to you - we appreciate helpers, whether it be area co ordinators, drivers, or even someone to just store a few crates. New co ordinators are always wanted in different areas. The more places we cover, the more hens we can help.