On Saturday 14th we got some rescued ex-bats via the BHWT () and they are so sweet! I just thought I'd post this and see who else has got them (or had them).
We collected our girls on the 14th December. Queenie, Bunty, Marlena (after the film star - the one with the hair flopped over one eye - M's coxcomb droops over her eye in the same way!), Audrey and Sybil. When we got them, they had almost 2 feathers between them - I spent 2 days non-stop knitting, and made them all little jackets! Now they are absolutely beautiful. Each has their own character, and they are completely fearless! However, my new garden has been destroyed - or redesigned - by them - but that is the price you have to pay for free-range! We get 2, most days 3, eggs per day! I love them to bits, and may have to go back and get another bunch!
I re-homed 3x ex-batts last year. They were almost naked! Luckily enough though, they've grown their feather back, and 'Barefaced Barbara' has a peachey colour with dark freckles.
They're amazing arent they? They seem to be a lot more feisty than my other hens, but then, they've been through hell and back.
And yes, garden re-design seems to be a natural past time for them!!! 😉
We picked up 8 in September last year. One didn't make it, died after about a month, but at least she had a month feeling the sun on her back and the wind through her feathers.
There was one, Honey, who I didn't think would make it, she was under huge stress and drawing unwanted attention from the others by her behaviour. We had to keep her separate but with them IYKWIM, and gradually the on tap supply of food and water without being pecked at and being treated with flower essences did the trick 😀
From being in the battery shed 🙁 they now have a shed with nesting boxes for the night, which is opened up for them in the morning to go through a mesh tunnel into a 25 ft by 12 ft polytunnel style run, part of which is protected from wind and rain, the rest open, two outside nesting boxes (which they never use, they always go back into the shed) but there's a little ladder that goes onto the top of one, and other bits to interest them. (Toys my husband says....) And they like being let out for a change of scene :)... and the shed and tunnel is towed onto new ground every couple of weeks.
They give about 4-5 eggs a day at the moment, not bad for the time of year. But from the straggly and very aggressive bunch in September, they are now on the whole contented, and physically in much better condition. Their individual pesonalities are now showing. Honey is a bit of a loner, and tends to stay on the edges of the group, but she is definately a group member. She just likes her space (hence why the battery had an even worse effect on her). She has taught me a lot about stress.
They very rarely want to stay in the shed during the day other than to nest. They choose to stay out in the run even in bad weather, but they've experiened natural light, wind, rain, sun, sleet, snow, hailstones ..
We are lucky in that we've got a fair bit of ground, and yes I know we've probably gone way over the top with their facilities. 😀 My husband thinks my daughter and I are mad, and has drawn the line at an extension to the shed to provide en-suite facilities :hidesbehindsofa:but they are fabulous!
Lots of luck Eskimo Jo!
please post some piccies of them!
i would love to get some but my garden is tiny! i dont eat eggs so dont know what i would do with them, give them away i suppose. shame that people have to rescue them as they shouldnt be housed like that in the first place. its disgusting:mad::mad::mad:
Our garden is not big enough at the moment but one day I would love to rescue some battery hens! Have always wanted to keep my own chickens, but sadly need more room. Also, slightly concerned our cat would spend the rest of his life worrying them!
We have two cats and a dog - plus the 5 hens. The cats simply ignore them, and even tolerate being pecked at if they are sleeping in the garden! Pressing all the wrong buttons here, but if you look sideways, this is Bunty - we have a cuddle every day!
lucky little bunty! cuddles everyday, what a life change.:D:):D:):D:)
I dont eat eggs as eggs either, but i use them in cakes and other baking.
I would LOVE to adopt some, if we ever get more space I will seriously look into it.
I never buy cheap eggs, really I don't have the heart, so it's free range, 'free to roam' chicken's eggs only.
They are so much more expensive but I simply cannot be a part of battery farmed eggs or chickens.
Little hen rescue is another place which rehomes ex battery hens, here's the link if anyone is interested:
[url]LITTLE HEN RESCUE[/url]
and a pic from the above wearing their jumpers:
Aw love em....I really, really wished I could take some NOW.
I'm going to see if I can talk my would-be brother-in-law into rescuing some hens! He has a huge back garden, lots of free time and is an animal lover so he may be convinced, if I offer to help with cleaning them out and building a run for them maybe I can convince him to rescue some hens!
I don't really know much about hen care though... do they cost much in terms of food and vets bills? How much space do you need per hen ideally in a run? (I'm going off to do some internet research now!).
Thank you Curious George, did you see my post about Little Hen rescue? It would be great if you could rescue some from there.
Thank you 🙂
I will have a look at their website vegan! Thanks for the links. Seriously, I would take them all home with me today if I thought I could feed and house them all! My uncle took me to a battery hen farm in belgium when I was 6 years old and the images have never left me, it just makes me feel sick.
little hens are soo cute!!! bless them xoxo
Did you all get them from the same two places? ( Little Hen and BHWT ? )
Or is there lots of hen rescue places around Britain?
And how did you transport yours back?
And.... I would need to check if it is okay for me to keep chickens wouldn't I?
But,.,,, my garden is big enough and I would love to have 3 to start with.
And perhaps I would call them Henny, Penny and Pecker?
But I don't know truly till I have met them.
And I would love them and talk to them.
I once met a hen and I never forget how she sat and listened to me talking with her. She moved her head and blinked most movingly. Her feathers rippled like a most beautiful moving flowing stream.
A few work colleagues have then and we have regular updates plus their surplice eggs. They only have two each, but we are amazed on how well they have done and are producing lovely eggs in a happy environment.
Thinking about it I cant remember when I last bought shop eggs, as we seem to have a constant supply.
Fudge
I have 6 girls and the different characters that have appeared since we got them last October is amazing, it takes quite a while to get to know them. Their fantastic and have had hubby and I in stitches so many times! We recently had some builders clearing months of earth from the sides of our driveway and as they piled it up ready to be taken away the girls proceeded to do their best Micheal Jackson impersonation digging for bugs (anyone who has ex batts will know what that looks like, just imagine the moonwalk) lol.. hilarious, i obviously had to tell them off in front of the builders 😉 and for escaping for the 3rd time that day! They also get lots of attention from our neighbors, when let out, one in particular called Madge,(after Madonna), very independent lady, used to leg it up the garden to the neighbors kitchen window for her daily piece of bread! i could ramble on all night, they really are fun and are very sweet when you talk to them. What i found very humbling and touching was watching their faces when they heard other birds and new sounds for the first time ever. To think they've been deprived of that for the first year of their lives is so sad. So come on guys, adopt an ex batt today! they don't need huge amounts of space, just food, warmth and love, they're so worth it. The BHWT are amazing people who work tirelessly to save these poor girls from certain death and i would like to take my hat off to them!
Ta Tar for now x x x
clarice08, thank you for sharing.
It is so lovely to read about your hens and their names and the things they do!
Thank you again!
Flit, you asked earlier:
Did you all get them from the same two places? ( Little Hen and BHWT ? )
Or is there lots of hen rescue places around Britain?
I can't answer specifically about hen rescue places, but I know of two general rescue centres in my locality that take in poultry as well as other animals.
One is a well known national organisation with branches all over, and the other is a single, private enterprise, so it may be worth asking around or looking at websites of centres near you to see if they have any hens needing homes.
Holistic
Laura, thank you...
I know of two general rescue centres in my locality that take in poultry as well as other animals.
I didn't realise this...
I will look around what there is locally when I have checked if it is okay for me to keep hens.
And thank you... I have been doing some reading about how to loook after them.
Have to sadly report that Sybil Chicken had to be put to sleep this evening. Can't believe I got so upset, but I 'spose its because she was a pet and I had got very attached. She had been off her food for a few days, so I took her to the vet to get checked, but she confirmed that it was probably something quite nasty, as she had a very high temperature, and her crop was blocked. I had her a year - rescued from a battery farm. I like to think she enjoyed her time with us. When she arrived here, she just stood, with the others, in one place, for about 2 days. A farmer neighbour told me not to worry - they had never seen a 'floor' before - once they got used to it they would be fine. He was right.