Not a good day out today....

[polo]

Really disappointed today. Me, my daughter and her friend went to a well known open farm near us today and was very sad and annoyed to see a pair of bantams in a coop with the wrong food (it looked like livestock nuts - far too big for a bantam to even attempt!) AND no water - their dog bowl was dry. They also looked very ropey - probably really thirsty in the sun.

I found someone and asked them to give them some water and she said they all get water in the evening and they must have drunk it all. I replied saying, if that's the case you need to give them more and in something more appropriate for hens as they are likely to knock that bowl over. I checked back after 10 minutes and they had water but in that daft bowl.

I hope they sort it out, it's just not good enough.

I think I may report them..

[RichmondHens]

Yes, report them. And let us know how you get on. All animals should have access to water at all times.

[elizajay]

Yes go for it, not good enough.

[Glutton4...]

Disgusting. It's bad enough that 'private' animals are kept in appalling conditions, but you would have though those on public display would at least have the bare essentials.

[petal]

and as I found out - there is very little you can do! at least a call from the rspca might keep them on their toes?

[polo]

Well, thanks everyone. I reported them to the RSPCA and I'm not expecting to hear back from them. I don't believe the farm is cruel or deliberately neglecting animals so I hope a check up from the RSPCA will just give them a kick up the back side and make them look at what they are doing. The large farm animals all looked good.

Will keep you posted of any developments..

[jessmorris]

..and hens drink a heck of a lot when its hot. Much more than anyone would think looking at the size of them. Mine can't really manage growers pellets so I get smaller ones or have to dampen them down. Sounds like they had rabbit pellets or summat.

Some folk have no imagination to put themselves in the place of the animal they are supposed to be caring for!

[polo]

Well, the RSPCA rang back much to my surprise and told me they had done a surprise visit. Then carried on to say that they were very helpful and showed the officer around the whole farm. Annoyingly she wittered on about the rabbits and Guinea pigs and Vitamin C (rightly so) and said very little about the bantams!

I let her finish and asked her if she had seen the bantams that I have reported - she said yes and had no problems with the dog bowl for water even though I said hens would knock that over as soon as you turn your back.

This lady was very nice but obviously had little experience of hens - a mistake considering the amount of back garden hens now!

Hopefully the RSPCA visit has made the farm look at its feeding watering training/regime now. Still worth reporting though - its the only was the RSPCA and other 'bodies' can get skilled up!