The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Lisa on May 04, 2009, 04:59:01 pm
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Hi everyone,
My partner and I are thinking about getting some ex-battery hens. We have 3.5 acre field and have bought 2 ewes (each with 2 lambs). We would like to get some chickens in the summer - once we're confident and in a routine with the sheep.
We both like the idea of getting 4-5 ex-battery hens as we have plenty of space. I know they wouldn't necessarily be the best egg layers but that doesn't bother us - 1 egg a day would be enough for us!
Does anyone have any experience of acquiring/keeping ex-battery hens? Any advice/thoughts? Can't bear the thought of those chickens not getting a chance at a decent free-range existence - but want to go into it with my eyes open!
Thanks Lisa :)
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Last spring we got a number of Ex-batts - we brought home 31, gave 3 to a friend and 11 to another friend. TBH I have found the whole experience incredibly rewarding. When they arrived they were a scraggy agraphobic lot. For the first few days we kept them in a very small area until they settled in and then let them have the run of the field. The first 2 weeks they stayed pretty close to their shed, but then slowly explored further and further afield. It was fascinating watching them rediscover what it means to be a chicken and learn to follow their natural instincts. They didn't really recover all their plummage until they had their first moult August/September and now look like any other chicken except that their top beak is still a bit short from when it was trimmed at the battery farm.
They do tend to get poorly easily though - I don't know if this is because they were heavily vaccinated at the battery farm or whether its just that they are so spent that their immune systems are bit low. So we have had a few deaths.
The only other difference I've found is that they are more aggressive than any other chickens I've dealt with. This was the case both when they arrived and sorted out their pecking order and also when we introduced new hens to the flock. I know there is always going to be some argybargy whilst they sort themselves out, but the ex-batts really don't take any prisoners.
All-in-all I would go for it if I were you, but be aware that there will be some deaths! This is only my experience and I have no idea what other peoples experiences are. I've included some photos too.
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/MiriamVernon/DSCN1929.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/MiriamVernon/DSCN2905.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/MiriamVernon/DSCN3102.jpg)
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I agree with most of that, except that mine have never been aggressive. I have had a few deaths, and I've put that down to withdrawal of all the nasties(anti this that and the others - biotics, histamines, etc etc) they pump into them to keep them alive and laying every day. I usually give mine extras like porridge oats with honey and milk (and poultry spices if you can get them), I also worm them with verm-x - so my present six seem fine, have had them since last September.
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imagine being kept in an isolation unit all your life. Then the next day your exposed to every bug going how would you do. I'm not shocked to hear that some die is amazing that so few do. So you ex bat owners well done. It maybe worth keeping in isolation until fully fit and then gradually introducing to the nasty world.
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I wish I had been prepared for the losses, but we hadn't been warned that it can happen. At least you can be more prepared Lisa. I hope you do decide to get ex-batts - they are fascinating to watch.
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Hi Lisa
Sara and I got 17 ex bats 2 weeks ago and they have been fabulous.
There are 1 or 2 that seem to be the Top Dogs so to speak but they are laying every day and over the weekend we have just introduced some other chickens
Tomorrow is the day they will be let out to roam. The field is prepared, their wings are clipped and the fence if up.
I love the pictures of how well they look after a little tlc xx
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We are picking up 10 hens this Saturday and have been told that we will have deaths due to the shock.... www.bhwt.org.uk (http://www.bhwt.org.uk) is who we are getting them from and got lot's of advice. We are told you need to gradually introduce them to corn etc and purchase some food that they are fed at the bat farm....
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Don't worry, they will very quickly adapt to their new surroundings and they are very rewarding. They will soon eat anything you can give them. Mine love porridge oats with milk and honey. I only have 6 at present, as well as my 3 LS hens and an LS cockerel, but the ex-batts are so much more friendly
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Don't worry, they will very quickly adapt to their new surroundings and they are very rewarding. They will soon eat anything you can give them. Mine love porridge oats with milk and honey. I only have 6 at present, as well as my 3 LS hens and an LS cockerel, but the ex-batts are so much more friendly
We are told that "layered mash" is what they need and slowly introduce them to other food and to make sure they are watering.
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the little red hen is a very friendly girl we have highlines and isa browns they share a very simular family history but the isa's are less scared. its good to rescue ex bats but remember theres going to be loads of ex free range birds nocking about. just be careful you dont introduce bugs into your flock. we rescued some blackrocks and they have only just come out of isolation. one had to be killed on the day we got them and the others needed worming spraying and treating for a very nasty case of scaly leg. its amazing what a few weeks of treatment can do.