Can ex batts and current hens get on?

andy5898 · Post by **andy5898** » 13 May 2014, 21:48

Now I have created more room for our lasses I was wondering can we have our 3 girls and then sometime in the future introduce ex battery hens? I don't plan to do that until the earliest next year sometime but just wondered if they would all get on?

Ta

Post by **Richard** » 13 May 2014, 22:15

Hi Andy,

I've mixed them before now without any bother, other than a couple of days of "I'm the Boss around here" (invariably the Ex-Batts!!).

Ex-Batts are a bit street wise and although stacks of fun to watch, they are a hardened type, quite understandable.

If you had breeds in first, watch out introducing any worse for wear ex-batts though, they could get feather pecked, especially if they haven't many.

But as I say, I've done it quite a few times both ways round with no probs.

Richard )t'

aceface · Post by **aceface** » 13 May 2014, 23:33

hi andy I have ex batt girls bantys and posh girls all sharing a run quite happily now including a pair of teeny quail too lol

ex commercial girls as Richard has stated are lovely little hens full of character and such loving happy little souls and its so rewarding watching them come on in leaps n bounds is amazing ,I volunteer for www.freshstartforhens.co.uk please fell free to have a look around our website we do have a rehoming in june on the 28th actually if u fancy adding a couple of wonderful little hard working ladies from us ,we are always looking for excellent forever homes and your new coop n runs offer excellent accommodation which im sure they would appreciate ,quite a few laners on here rehome from us and im sure they would be happy to share their experiences should you require any further help eyc regarding these lovely ladies please feel free to ask away any questions queries you may have xx )t'

bmpsands · Post by **bmpsands** » 14 May 2014, 13:18

We introduced 5 ex-batts into our little flock of 8 at the weekend. There was a lot of noise and some chasing about, but I was in the garden just now and they are all sunbathing happily. The ex-batts are in one area and the original girls in another, but I remember introducing new hens over a year ago and posting on here about having 2 separate flocks for weeks.

tosca100 · Post by **tosca100** » 14 May 2014, 18:29

We had hens when we got our first ex-batts too. They were together in a couple of days, hardly any bother with mixing, just the routine. To a certain extent it probably depends on the space yo have too, so they can get away from each other. Go for it.

HazellB · Post by **HazellB** » 14 May 2014, 20:01

My ex batts are a bit SAS for young purebreds to be introduced to, but I'll happy do it the other way round (the pure, more docile hens having home advantage).

We use a system where the ex batts are inside the usual hen paddock within another small house and closed run. In a week or two, having gained strength and gotten used to new food, etc. they have the roof left off their new run and they usually pick that day to start trying to fly. The result is some get into the established flock and integrate themselves.

There's generally some bloody noses, but never anything too nasty.

Go for it - they're BRILLIANT!!! )t'