talk to me about battery hens

Ex-Battery Rescue Info, Other hens needing homes & Hens wanted
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boosmummy
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talk to me about battery hens

Post by boosmummy »

I know a lot of people rescue them, it's something ive been considering then convincing myself i cant. so give me a realistic idea of how its going to be, now excuse my naiveity (and spelling!) are they likely to have illness thats going to make the other hens ill etc..... i want the good and bad of this. xx
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

Any reputable rescue organisation (like the ones Richard allows to post on here) won't rehome hens that have health problems etc which will make them a danger to other hens, or will be too difficult to care for. Mostly you'll find they're weak, lacking in feathers & often with sore patches and/or broken skin. They might not be able to perch straight away, might have damaged beaks, where they've been trimmed. Other than that, they're just hens. A little bit of tlc goes a long way, and most of us have been amazed by how quickly they start to regain their health.
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aceface
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by aceface »

)t' agree with all of above but i find their personalities are so fantastic and they are clever girls too ,they are vaccinated and ive never had a poorly one just weak and very bald but i love the baldies i love the effect that being allowed to run and eat and just be a chicken has on them ,i havent found them any prob at all just Queenie who didnt recognise pellets but i crumbled it up and that was it for a couple of days she never stopped eating and then she dived into the pellets and found they were the same and that was that she ate pellets )t'
they will be fully feathered in 8 wks approx

please be aware they may not lay eggs and can lay softies sometimes so be ready to deal with those but hardy little hens who have so much love in them they are fab with the kids and all my exbatts have been cuddlies theyre arent flighty at all )t'

very rewarding ill always have a battered brown girl in my life i love them {hug}

just get a couple to start with see how you go theres plenty of us on here with them that will help you out at anytime )t'
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julie62
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by julie62 »

I echo what Ace says about their personalities - they are the tamest of the hens I've had and love to follow you around. They aren't unhealthy but my personal experience is that they are prone to laying softies/peritonitis etc I guess because of the intensive laying system. However their personalities and the pleasure of knowing you've given them some freedom and a sense of what it is to be a chicken kind of makes up for that. If your primary concern is egg laying I would say get some young hybrids. If you want the pleasure of bringing some happiness to a much put upon creature get some ex batts.
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sandy
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by sandy »

All I can say is I am 3 days in and I cant stop smiling with my new additions. Ace certainly put my mind at rest before I plunged into it
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manda
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by manda »

They are less likely to have infections than any other hen because they are vaccinated....they can be a bit shocking to look at sometimes if you get some that are really bald.
They will usually have some bald spots - some can be completely bald. This can be for a couple of reasons and it largely depends on which farm they are from.
They might have been pecked in the cage by other hens and some farms stop feeding them - this can be a few days before and they go into a forced moult as a result.

The main difference with batty's is they often have larger, paler, and floppy combs (largely due to the heat inside the farms, they release heat through them..and it seems hens at the top of the cages have bigger combs - hot air rising etc). They're usually pale because they are kept in dimmer light so there is less fighting....but so they lay more regularly.....their combs will soon redden up but they might take a while to shrink down to what you'd consider a more normal size.

They'll often do one of two things when they first get out...go absolutely scatty or withdraw completely...both I think are because of a total information overload...they've never seen proper day light, never felt the weather in whatever form, rain, sun, wind etc, never felt earth ..just wire.....can you imagine that? (blows my mind just thinking about it!!).
You might find they lay any old where but they soon settle down once they get the idea of nest boxes.
You might find they need extra calcium because they're skeletal system is being used more but that's cheaply enough done with calcium flour.
They might need putting to bed initially until they get the idea and it is usually a good idea to feed them layers mash not pelletised feed to begin with because they don't recognise pellets as feed.

The only thing you will need to do will be careful integrating them with other hens ...they are more at risk of strains when they first come out of the cages purely because they haven't used their legs properly...but if you can section off the run then there's no problem there...and then you do introduce them together a water pistol is always good just in case .....and time...but that is no different to any other intro really just the batty's are a little more vulnerable.

Yes they may be prone to more problems laying wise ...they will still give you eggs most of the time though and there's plenty of people here to help if you do get any problems...I know often you may read of another batty girl leaving the roost but even a few days out of the cages to me makes a difference..the alternative for these hens is pet food {cry}

They DO have feisty personalities ...they have had to draw on everything just to survive the cages....they are awesome hens...and I don't think for one moment you'd regret getting some.

Do you think I think you should get some hens?? {rofwl}


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aishakali
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by aishakali »

I've only had batties and ex comms and I can't imagine not having them :-D They are lovely little hens and will repay you over and over again for their safe new home )t'
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by wendy »

Yes Manda....awesome hens.
I am totally smitten. My girls have been really healthy, that's put a hex on it :? , Not many health problems at all and I have had them since 2005
If you don't want really bald ones, you can ask for those wearing more clothes.
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boosmummy
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by boosmummy »

Well I've ordered them, just two, getting them a week Saturday. :-) I'm knitting jumpers for them but I'm totally rubbish aft knitting so if anyone has two spare they wouldn't go a miss here, if not they be partially covered by my knitting hahaha.
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Mo
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by Mo »

I'm not convinced about the jumpers, though it is very cold at the moment. How many rescuers here use them?
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by LisaB »

Echo what everyone else says. I have had quite a few health issues with mine, crop problems, softies, peritonitis, respiratory infection, so be aware about these issues, but saying that, they are fab little girls.

In my personal opinion, jumpers are a waste of time, I got girls in Oct 11, a few of them were quite bald, we had wind, snow, rain, but as long as they have shelter they will be fine.
I've read about hens getting tangled in the jumpers, and they also cannot get wet at all, especially not in this weather, wouldn't be good for the hen.

Just shelter and a nice helping of bedding and they will be fine )t' {hug}
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boosmummy
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by boosmummy »

good thinking about the jumpers xx i wont bother xx
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Bridgets Mum
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Re: talk to me about battery hens

Post by Bridgets Mum »

I knitted (slowly and painfully) one and a half jumpers for my first lot of girls before their arrival. Then I read of horrible tangled up tales and gave up on the idea. My girls were in various stages of undress but all were fine. Mind you, the weather was a tad warmer! I'm sure that with good shelter and lots of lovely nosh your ladies will be fine.

I agree with everything that's been said here about batties - they are wonderful little animals. Lots of happy days ahead for you and them.

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