Free Range Shock !!

[Dee]

Had a call from a friend this morning who knew i was looking for some more rescue hens ..
A lady very near to me has taken in 13 free range hens who were going to slaughter, a couple of thousand did
The lady is doing her best but the girls are in a terrible state...far worse than any ex batts ive ever had..
When i got there one had died overnight under the coup and as she helped another poorly one out she just fell over where she is so weak ..
She has been feeding them on cooked pasta and corn ! ive told her what to get and she went straight our and bought some layers mash so thats ok..
Thay are all very smelly , dirty and pitifully thin...apparently there were alot of birds and not alot of feeding troughs ...
I asked her if she had tried feeding the poorly ones , giving them some water with a syringe and she said no .
She handed the one who had tumbled over and asked could i take her so i have..
Got her home ...she drank lots of water and ate ..it was right in front of her so she could get at it.
The vet has given me baytrill as she is snuffly..i left her at 10 this morning and have now come home and she is still alive ...just gave her some wax worms and a few meals worms...
She smells awful and the flys kept tring to land on her so have her in with me , dont want to bath her as i just dont think she will cope..
Anyway, im going back to the lady tonight just to give her a few tips ....she is lovely and really wants to help them....
Im not letting my Roxy near this one as im not sure if she is ill or just starved !!
I cant believe the Farmers can get away with this .......i would'nt be able too !
So much for free range hens ....its really opened my eyes and really upset me to see them this morning....
I know she is trying to rehome them so if anyone is interested let me know
Dee

[manda]

Poor things ...I'm not going to start because if I get my soap box out I might never put it away

[wendy]

Oh yes. They live in large sheds and the doors are opened so they can 'free range'. But often only the higher up the pecking order or those near the doors get to go from the sheds. .......Hence I don't eat chicken.
Poor little things. I hope you and your neighbour pull these little hens through and give them some type of life.
Well done and

[Steve the Gas]

Indeed, Free Range don't mean that goes for welfare, even with pigs Wendy.

[Dee]

Ive just had to bath her the smell is awful....didnt really want to .
She sounds like she is snoring , but her nose looks clear...
She is now wrapped in a towel on my lap snoring !
Keeps putting her head under her wing and sleeping ...strange thing is she is so relaxed being cuddled.
All my family are away for the weeked so guess what i will be doing .....not much housework thats for sure
xx

[Steve the Gas]

It is very rewarding though,
better than cleaning..... soz Mrs B. didn't mean you

[wendy]

even with pigs Wendy.

[Steve the Gas]

FR pigs - you will eat- you implied. Some hens and pigs don't get great welfare when FR - it's not a cert of good husbandry.
It was a dig 'cos I love pork and reared 1000s of them...
Yummy.

[Scooby88]

What?? So even though you buy chicken which says its free range, it actually isnt..?? So where are you supposed to buy chicken that hasnt suffered before its eventually eaten? I honestly thought free range meant exactly that! Oh dear after the youtube video I watched today, and this I am almost definatley not eating chicken ever again. fullstop!

[Steve the Gas]

The only way is to rear your own ........... and why not?
You just don't get attached and have the males only, unless a meat breed.
There are a few on here that do or have.
If I had more room - I would, the one male I reared was the best chicken I have ever tasted - Fact.

[Dee]

Ive not eatne meat or fish for 24yrs , still cook it for the family ....mind you have had chickens for about 3 years now and have only cooked chicken twice in that time and now i cant !!
Just dried little hen off with the hairdryer and wow she is beautiful...all her feathers seemed to have been matted together...she looks a little shell shocked but is now sleeping , ive put a hot water bottle under her to keep her warm , not too hot though
xx

[Scooby88]

Oh Dee I want to hug her, and you! Sounds like you are doing a great job. I hope she pulls through.

As for rearing my own chickens to eat, I think ill turn veggie - easy option!

[LisaB]

Oh how awful, really does make me sick at the thought
It's sad how much they can get away with false advertising too, "happy egg company" or w/e it's called, showing chickens running around on green grass having the time of their lives, when really it's like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9h10hRziXA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Revolting.

Well done that lady for taking some of the hens, at least their lives can be helped, so sad for the others.
Hope the really poorly one makes it, sounds like she's in great hands!
Best of luck

[Scooby88]

Oh dear just watched that vid on youtube, shocking. Im so glad I have my girls to provide me with eggs. Im going to sell mine to family and friends, and encourage them to buy from local free range farms rather than buy from the supermarket. Happy eggs are truely shocking!

[wendy]

Sorry in the other thread. I didn't say I'd eat pork, Although I see them in fields.. Only lamb and beef, I eat very occassionally, as it is 'more' difficult to factory farm those.