seeking some chicken keeping advice please

[chookies]

Hello all, I'm new to this forum.
We are going to be saving some ex battery hens, but before we do we want to find out as much information about keeping chickens as we can as this is completely new to us.
We have already arranged getting a large chicken coop with a big walk in run.
It will be going on the decking we have but im thinking of putting something underneath so nothing falls down the decking.
My question is what I put down in the run? Sand? Soil? Woodchip?
Is it hay in the nesting area and sawdust under the perch where they sleep?
I've read all about red mites how to check for them and things to use to get rid of them.
Bringing the food in at night.
Worming regularly
Grit
Hanging the veg up
Sand baths with cover from the rain.
We are all so excited to be giving these girls a second chance in life , we just want to get it right.
So any tips you have or any advice will be so helpful.
Thank you
Ali

[KarenE]

Hi Chookies

Well done for rehoming some ex batts - you won't regret it. They are such wonderful animals to have around, and will repay you over & over again.

First things first - good to hear they will have a large walk in run, the more space the better. For your own sake, get a roof on it as it's no fun cleaning out a chicken run in the winter when it's turned to wet sludge.

Don't use hay in the nestboxes, as it can contain spores that cause breathing problems. Straw is better, or you can buy bedding material such as easibed, aubiose or use sawdust. I use straw and my girls are fine with it. The ex batts may not perch and might just snuggle in the nestboxes but you could always put a few perches in there for if/when they start

On the run floor, you could use wood chips (not bark though) or sand or soil. Anything that they can dig up. Make sure there is an area where they can dustbathe, whether that's a section of soil or a container of sorts with soil in. I say soil but they can dustbathe in sand just as easily.

If they will be staying in the run, put some things in there to keep them occupied. They will like branches and logs that they can hop around and perch on. A little bit of height is good but not too high especially for ex batts as their muscles and bones are likely to be under-developed at first.

Worming - use flubenvet, either in powder form or in pre-treated pellets, and worm either 6 or 4 monthly (or when you see worms)

I would get some poultry tonic and limestone flour as well, this will come in handy for ex bats who will be calcium depleted and will need building up. Use a dash of limestone flour whenever you are getting thin or soft shelled eggs, but don't over use it. Oystershell grit and eggshells are also good to feed to them (i roast my eggshells in the oven then grind them up and the girls love them)

Bear in mind that the ex batts may be very unsettled when you first get them, so the best thing you can do is give them time and space to get used to their new surroundings. They may feel quite overwhelmed at first so patience is key but they settle down soon and within a month should already have started to feather up, change that pasty colour they come out with and will start to show you their distinct personalities. How many are you getting? Don't get less than 3 - ex batts don't always live a long time so do be prepared to lose them along the way. It's sad, but inevitable.

If you have any questions just shout - we#re always happy to help. And think about starting a diary in the diary section. It's a great way to keep a log of the girl's (and yours!) progress. Plus, we just love reading about each others' chicken adventures

[chookies]

Thank you so much Karen for the advice x
We are getting 4 girls.
How long do they live for?
How are they about introducing other ex battery hens just thinking about if we lose one we can maybe save another.
I just want to make a difference, they have had such a rough start in life instead of being killed I would love for them to enjoy some of their life and know what love is.
I know it will break my heart but I will know I did my best and at least they enjoyed some part of life.

I will be letting them out of the run when I'm in the garden , I'm just getting all the bits I will need, I've got a ball you fill with treats to keep them busy and a hanging thing to add treat sticks , was thinking about getting a swing too but not sure if they will use it? But yes good idea about logs and branches.
Also cover for the run! Is that just for when it rains ? Something like tarpaulin.
I just want them now ! But I need to get things in place it needs to be perfect for them.
I will Deff be doing a diary.

[KarenE]

Hi

It's difficult to say how long they live for really. I have had ex batts that were with me for 2 years, or 2 months. sometimes they will live longer, sometimes they may die within days or weeks of being out of the cages. Even if only 1 day out, that's better than the alternative. You have to take each day as it comes with them, so take lots of pictures

Also - there's no such thing as perfect when it comes to chickens so don't sweat it. Do what you can & above all enjoy them, because they will enjoy you, and they'll love your garden. Chances are you won't after they've dug it all up and eaten it

You don't have to buy the special treat sticks - hang up a cabbage or other fruit or veg and that will keep them busy for a while.

A tarp is fine, anything that wil keep the rain off really.

Introducing new hens to an established flock is hell on earth. It is not a good idea to introduce 1 hen at a time because she will be picked on something terrible - better to add 2 or more as that dilutes the attention of the oldies. They will fight over territory, food and water until they settle the pecking order and it is awful to watch for us but it's just what they do. So don't be tempted to add hens as you go along unless you are adding numbers, or unless you find you have a particularly placid flock (even your most placid and henpecked bottom hen will turn into a holy terror with new hens). Or unless you have a nice boy chicken who will keep control and stop any handbags.

When it comes time to add new chickens, we will be here to give you advice and make soothing noises!

The best advice I can give really is to spend as much time with them as you can, get to know them and they will see you as their head hen. Mealworms will really help!

When are you getting them? Thought of any names yet?

about the diary

[chookies]

I'm glad I've found this forum to seek advice when I need it.
Well I said 4 but it could change to more? As my husband said the chicken coop is really big and could house more.

We have names picked , I have 4 children an almost 14 year old, almost 13 year old 10 year old and my 4 year old.
My eldest is disabled with special needs she wants to name one Mrs Woolley (after her teacher) I quite like that name although it could change
Next is Zoella
Then Lissy
And Hetty

I think I could get quite obsessed with them! I will probably have more chicken pics than any of the kids

[Mo]

Most on here advise 10 sq ft / hen run space. Inside the house it doesn't matter so much as the snuggle up together.
I think it's a good plan not to fill the run at first. If you do they will all be the same age, and egg laying does slow down as they get older (which is why commercial people cull). If you leave some space then in 12 -18 months you may have lost 1 but you have room to introduce 2 or 3, and bring in fresh blood to keep up the egg supply - all your customers will be clamouring for them and saying how much better they taste.

You may not intend to sell eggs, but sometimes from 4 there will be too many for you. I ended up sell to friends at dance club (£1 a box just to cover feed costs) - there was a race to get them when I was seen with them.

[chookies]

I just said to my hubby maybe we should take in 6 so we will see.
I wasn't getting them for the eggs but I see what you mean about having too many eggs !
I think I will speak to one of my kids school as they used to sell the eggs for £1 a box at the reception and put it in the news letter and text mum's about it.
They only have one chicken left and she no longer lays.

[Mo]

I also used to freeze a few in summer, to make sure I had enough for my Christmas baking if they were all moulting when I needed lots of eggs.

[lancashire lass]

Hi chookies + welcome You might like to set up a journal in the chicken keeping diaries and then you can post all your photos (via something like Photobucket) - I agree that "before" photos are a great way to see how the girls are doing and make you proud of your achievements.

Inside the house it doesn't matter so much as the snuggle up together.

the coop does not have to be big as Mo suggests but bear in mind ventilation - especially in summer when it is warm, and the girls also give off a lot of body heat too, so not too small either (although the girls quieten down after dark, there can be a bit of bullying before they settle down and the lowest of the pecking order might want to steer clear of the others until they get used to each other)

The only other thing I can recommend is making sure the run and coop are secure from foxes - don't ever under estimate their persistence and cunning (and it is so sad to learn of a members loss from an attack) Good luck with your venture and I hope you enjoy your new girls.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi ,life is about to change.
Blackberry picking ,hand picked dandelions , chicken thinking most of the time.
Try and get some D E powder mites . Do not get disturbed by them as most girls will eventually acquire them at some point . Easy to deal with and will not harm you ,mites anyway.)
I am sure meds like sudacream etc people will advise . Best if long dates to use to have in hand . Try and find a vet that is pretty close and check prices and chicken vet availablity .Chickens do not let you know in advance when sick and a quick response time sometimnes helps (even a phone call for advise.)
You are very lucky and children will love them all.
look forward to reading your up dates .
Best -Name the flock .
Bob

[sandy]

Having ex bats was the scariest and the most amazing journey in my hen keeping life. I had my first three in March 2013, dear little girls all scared and moth eaten. They come with a smell and worms and mites Wormed them and got rid of mites after a week as wanted them to settle in first in their new coop snuggled up against the snow that had fallen. How long will they live? Well within a week Gwen was up the vets very poorly but got better and survived for another 2 years and 3 months (and became the instigator of The Henpals Diary) , Ruby and Georgina both made it to just under 2 years old. Believe me how ever long they live, just experiencing freedom and a good home is a miracle to these little girls. Good luck and as said please record your wonderful new adventure on the Chicken Diaries forum, Gwen would expect no less