new girls for a new keeper

[hodge911]

well thier here went out for drive yesterday and ended up with 10 yearling birds from a battery farm we passed displaying a sign on the roadside saying
" yearling hens 50p each " so anyway thier now in my shed .
they have got a few feathers missing on thier breasts but they aren,t as bad as a lot of them i,ve seen thier wattles have got a few marks on them but nothing bad i,ve bought some layers pellets for them and fed them some greens inc clover any advice on how to build them up a bit please tell
should have the run finished tomorrow
is a run 45 foot x 15 foot ok for them ?

[Hilary B]

well thier here went out for drive yesterday and ended up with 10 yearling birds from a battery farm we passed displaying a sign on the roadside saying
" yearling hens 50p each " so anyway thier now in my shed .
they have got a few feathers missing on thier breasts but they aren,t as bad as a lot of them i,ve seen thier wattles have got a few marks on them but nothing bad i,ve bought some layers pellets for them and fed them some greens inc clover any advice on how to build them up a bit please tell
should have the run finished tomorrow
is a run 45 foot x 15 foot ok for them ?

Should be fine for the ones you've got. What have you got by way of housing, and is there a 'roof' on the run?

[moola]

if they are exbatts they've probably been raised on mash, so if it looks like they are not eating their pellets you will need to switch. (don't worry you can wean them onto pellets later). Some poultry spice in their food and some apple cider vinegar in their water will set them straight. Easy on the greens - they won't be used to them and it will take time for their guts to adjust. Keep it simple and basic for the first month, then add in. They may go off lay in a week - just through change of circumstance - but eggs will come back. if they are yearlings and just starting to moult then you have done well. You should get another 6-8mths of daily eggs then a slow down over the next 18mths.
They will need a secure covered area and a nesting box. Run size is fine

[Eco-Chic]

Looks like those chooks have finally lucked out in finding you
I add garlic powder to my girls feed for 1 week (good for digestion and keeping down internal parasites) and Poultry Spice the next week - a supplement/tonic which has the benefit of smelling gorgeous.

Don't forget that you should only use plastic drinkers when you add ACV.

Good luck.

[hodge911]

run is going to have a solid roof and is attached to a 14foot x 8foot shed with insulated walls with nest boxes and pirches about 16" off the floor .
shed has electricity so i can have a heater in .
have ordered plastic drinkers from [mole valley farmers web site] just using large ceramic dog bowls at the min .
whats best to help them regain thier feathers?
they look so vunreble without them

[MaureenHall]

Just give them a bit of poultry spice in their food for a week or so. Honestly, they probably look a lot worse than they really are. Their new feathers will start coming through within days (though it might take a few months to grow their knickers ). Keep having chats with them so they get to know you and before too long they'll be dashing to the gate as soon as they see or hear you. Well done on getting them

[Flummery]

I wouldn't put a heater in. Chickens are warm creatures and far more likely to suffer from over-heating than from cold. You should make sure there's good ventilation in the shed. - something like a small window high up which is covered with weldmesh instead of glass. As long as they aren't in a direct draught they'll appreciate fresh air.

[moola]

another issue with the heater may be that using it may delay their feather regrowth. I'm not entirely sure BUT when you raise chicks you have to get them off heat in a timely fashion in order for their feathers to grow....if you keep them on heat too long they fail to grow their outer feathers quickly and well. I would imagine it would be the same for moulting.

[hodge911]

haven,t got a heater in yet sorry for the missleading way i worded it i will put a few closeable vents around the top of the shed walls.
they are in my house garden shed 10' x 6' [ put some perches in on mon morn and covered the floor in a couple inches of wood shavings ] will probably be moving them to the allotment on fri/sat this week .
oh nearly forgot when i checked them this morning i had 3 eggs

[MrsC]

Well what lucky hens they are what with you driving past and rescuing them! Sounds like they are loved already, but where are the pics?

[hodge911]

will put some pics up once i,ve got them in thier new permanent home

[Hilary B]

Being ex-batts (I assume) they may feel the cold of their first winter of freedom rather more than 'proper' hens. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother too much about closing ventilators unless there is rain or snow blowing in (and even then, only if they can't get out of the way of it).

[hodge911]

well should be moving the girls to thier new home tomorrow spent most of today [my birthday ] placing galvanised steel plate around the bottom of the run and burrying it to about 8 inches and screwing it to bottom spar on the run all thats left to do is put some roost perches in the run and shed