Ex Batts

[walldanzig]

Hi All

I was preparing my spare hen house getting it super fox proof in the thought of perhaps getting some ducks. Got home checked my emails and an email from my local rescue centre advising my application for some ex batts has been approved for February.
Does anyone have know of anything extra I should be doing for them given that it will be so cold in February.

[Hans Mum]

i got my girls in Feb when there was snow and it was freezing, i put loads of straw in their coop and they had knitted jackets as they were really featherless, gave them warm water on their pellets then they found the porridge my original girls were getting and they loved it, spice to build them up, they survived (and if you want the 6 jackets i've got you're welcome to them)

[tlck9]

can I ask a stupid question here...

If they wear jacket and go out in the wet, wont they colder?

and if not, where do i get these jackets from?

[Hans Mum]

Heres a link, you knit them (or get your mum to like i did)

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ens_29538.html

Yes you need to make sure they dont get wet in them, you can pop them on at night if its really wet weather

[Eco-Chic]

There are patterns for knitted jumpers and fleece jackets on the link attached. I think you may buy them from their shop and I have seen them on eBay too.

Help us make hen jumpers!

[walldanzig]

Would they survive without them?

[Hans Mum]

i think so, they'd be confined to their coop & run for a few days and if its really cold you could keep them in their coop, it also depends how featherless they are mine were really oven ready but a friend got some a couple of months ago and they were quite well covered

[tlck9]

what is the acceptable price to give for a ex-batt, some say 50p a bird and the BHWT just say donations, I think the last few I was told average about £2 a bird

Seems not a lot for what they do to help these chickens out

[vicky]

We got some 2 weeks ago and they cope very well with the cold - huddling up at night and not going out side when it's raining (tho to be fair they're a bit nervous of being outside at all at the moment!).
Lots of straw in the coop and lots of grain in the afternoon (helps keep them warm through the night) is my advice.

[MaureenHall]

what is the acceptable price to give for a ex-batt, some say 50p a bird and the BHWT just say donations, I think the last few I was told average about £2 a bird

Seems not a lot for what they do to help these chickens out

I've always gone "over the top" when getting my girls from BHWT, I gave them a fiver for each but could have given £2