Ex-Batts

[walldanzig]

A friend asked if I wanted to take on some ex batts and as I have only ever really had chickens I raised myself I agreed they turned up yesterday and to say I was shocked would be an understatement. They just look so bad hardly any feathers very very pale and huge combs. I have 4. 3 are wondering around the place alright but one wont come out of the nest box so she is going to be turfed out later. The eggs they lay are very pale looking(although at this point I'm not interested in the eggs) they just look what I imagine a chicken zombie would look like.

[julesapple]

I've heard these poor girls referred to as 'oven-readies' when they are first rehomed.

Maureen says the feathers grow back, and I'm sure that aftert a few days they will start behaving like chickens are supposed to.

They don't know anything else at present. They've never seen the outdoors, or foraged for food etc. Never tasted sunshine (ok, they may have to wait a few days for that, although the forecast says it will get better)

I wonder if they can suffer agorophobia (sp) or fears about other birds, as even though they had close neighbours in the battery cages, they've never come face to face with other hens on the loose.

I'm sure they'll be fine and it'll be lovely to watch them bloom.

Jules

[Bramble-Poultry]

if you look on my blog, this is how the ex-batts looked when we had them

Pictures of my ex-batts Meekle’s Blog – An Insight into Downsizing

they are now fully feathered and in with the others. its hard to visually tell the difference between them and the others now.

[Suechooks]

Horrible isn't it - and this is the price the birds pay for human demand for cheap food.
Well done for taking them on. You'll be rewarded by their recovery and find out just how lovely they are and so grateful for everything you do for them.
They are usually quite stressed when they come out but generally adapt quite quickly when they realise they can actually lie down or stretch out their wings and scratch the ground. I'm continually amazed by mine.
You need to be very patient with them and they may not recognise pellets as food so may need either some layers meal or break up the pellets for a few days till they get used to them.
Some Poultry spice and cod liver oil occasionally plus extra calcium will help strengthen their fragile bones (they can have osteoporosis due to lack of exercise and minimal diet)
I'm sure they'll come on in leaps and bounds and good luck to you and them!

[walldanzig]

Thanks all two of them are now scratching around and eating fine. Like I said just a real shock they look so ill

[MaureenHall]

Thank you!!!! On behalf of all rescued ex-batts, thank you for giving them the chance to be chickens don't rush them, they've had a lot of stress just being released, but they'll reward you 100-fold in affection, comedy and of course eggs. The feathers might take up to a year to grow back, but they will. All my girls love a cuddle now and I do this every day even when they're soaking wet and muddy

[walldanzig]

My friend who is the local butcher commented this is why I don't buy eggs from supermarkets. Where going to sell their eggs in the butchers shop which will pay for their food. So they are no trouble and are earning their keep. I just have to be carefull not too many more appear by magic.

[Bramble-Poultry]

give them some marmite on toast. the extra vitamins in it give them a real boost.

careful selling your eggs to the butcher. if someone complains to trading standards, unless you have registered as an egg producer and have date stamped and flock marked the eggs you could run into real problems with Trading Standards.

Private sales to the butcher for his own consumption is ok, but if he sells them on then you are classed as an egg producer and DEFRA get their claws into you - which is why i "farm gate" sale my eggs.

Having said that, thios only applies to hens eggs, so you can sell duck, goose or quail eggs happily and they cant complain.

I wouldnt have thought you would have a problem, but it only takes one whining member of the public who is used to pappy mass produced eggs to complain to trading standards that the yolk was too orangey or the shell was too bumpy and you are on the radar!

personally i like my eggs to have rich orange yolks from eating the grass etc, and i like the odd bump in the egg shell as it shows you that they were laid by hens, not machines, but hey - joe public can be a funny creature

[walldanzig]

Thanks Bramble. I noticed the bumps and lumps on the eggs my bantams produce. I let them out yesterday and two of them spent the day sat under a chair they are in the run today as they panicked when it rained think it confused them

[Hans Mum]

well done you for giving these ladies some dignity in their lives, mine are really different creatures 6 months on and I''m so glad they're here.
The eggs are just fantastic and i've managed to convert one or two people into at least buying free range instead of the cheapy eggs (they live too far from me to buy ours)

[Hashette]

What Maureen said

They're terrified, everything is new and strange, but it will quickly become fascinating and an adventure for them when they find their feet.

My ex-batt girls have been with me for 9 months now. One is sleeping under the walnut tree, but the other three are going great guns. Their eggs become gorgeous to eat as soon as you start giving them greens and a decent varied, diet, which they've never had before.

They have planet sized personalities, we get more pleasure out of having them around than we'd ever have imagined, any eggs we get are just a bonus. We get home from work and they come running up to greet us, flapping and shouting. One of them jumps up onto my hands when I'm trying to prepare their food - so much for hating being handled. Oh, and when the weather was nice in June, we were sitting in the garden reading the Sunday papers when we heard a glugging sound - someone had a beak in hubby's beer!

[CoraxAurata]

My ex-batt girls have been with me for 9 months now. One is sleeping under the walnut tree, but the other three are going great guns. Their eggs become gorgeous to eat as soon as you start giving them greens and a decent varied, diet, which they've never had before.

!

But if they only just arrived not too many tidbits as they won't be used to them... didn''t someone on here have rescue hens with poorly tummies that folks thought might have been the change in diet? Slow and gentle like newly released hostages and they will bloom (says she with no rescue hens at all - I don't think I'm in range of anywhere...) we'd love some pic of them exploring they're new home however naked the poor girls are.

Well done you!

[RedThorn]

have patience they sure do improve quick. They seem to have stored all their personalities up and cannot wait to release them. I cannot help but bang on at people that say ohhh you got chickens( with that daft almost roll eye's look) about battery hens and the way they're treated.... I wish they had to put pics of the girls on the egg boxes in the same way they put pics on fag packets....

Good luck to you and your new girls

[HayleyB]

Good on you, my ex batt girls are now 'normal' amazing how they adapt, like everyone has said they just need a little time..........

[walldanzig]

This is the only picture I have at the mo not a very good one will do more when I get a chance. The other two pictures are of a mixed bunch I hatched including a big Silkie cockeral who I think is ace.[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]