Cost or donation for ex battery hens

[Spreckly]

We have been to enquire about ex battery hens this morning, and were amazed to learn that the proprietor was asking ten pounds per hen.

On one website, I see that a donation is asked for, and the average price is between three and four pounds.

I am not a mean person, but I thought ten pounds was rather steep. Can anyone on the site advise me, please.

We have our hen hut organised, just waiting until our holiday is over, and then we hope to have our hens.

Spreckly

[Robert]

I think cost and value is two things to consider here, the cost being what they want for the hen, and the value is what you get out of it.

The value from ours far exceeds the cost after a short time.

I take it you're not talking about a rescue? Personally I favour going through the rescue route rather then buying direct, through a rescue you at least get a basic health check and back up should you need it.

When we got our five £3.00 per hen was suggested, I gave £30.00 for the five and we're also collecting egg money and a few extra pennies at the gate for their story, which will be sent periodically to the rescue, every little bit helps.

Working in dog rescue I know rescuing is a costly business and donations for an animal rarely cover the costs, a lot of rescues are struggling on the bread line, and are desperate for every last penny.

Having said that, I know there are also rescues that plead poverty while using the funds they do have ineffectively, other rescues are sitting on piles while actually doing very little in comparison to the franchises they operate who do all the dirty work and really are struggling.

Sorry, went off on a tangent a bit there

Robert

[Mo]

I buy mine Point of Lay, and the prices vary there too.
I phoned round to see who had Black Rocks last Autumn and prices were between £8 & £20 (if I remember right). I think the dear ones were just buying from the people who actually reared them, and selling them on.
But since you can get a hen with it's best laying time ahead of it for £8, I think £10 for a worn-out exbat is not an economic proposition. You are being taken for a ride, and your compassion used to make money. The farmer would have paid less than £8 for them with a quantity discount, and is getting rid because they are no longer economic to feed.

[Mo]

Mind you, if you've approached a farmer he may feel it's not worth his time to sell a few hens, so is pricing for the bother.

[Spreckly]

Thank you Robert and Mo for your responses. We thought we were going to a poultry dealer, instead it was a place with Rhode Island Reds, and ex-battery hens, in a garden.

We really don't know what to expect, to be honest. Our thinking was that buying locally, instead of travelling several miles, would be much better for the hens, but they had obviously been imported from somewhere else.

Spreckly

[skinnydogs]

There is a rescue by fresh start for hens next saturday, their donation
is £2.50 per hen.
There is collection points all over the country.

There is also

http://www.bhwt.org.uk/

[ock]

We thought we were going to a poultry dealer, instead it was a place with Rhode Island Reds, and ex-battery hens, in a garden.

really ! I don`t think you are allowed to sell the ex-batts on, sounds like someones trying to make a bit of money out of the poor things