Have you adopted battery hens?

moanymoany

I'm thinking about adopting two battery hens. I would expect to get 10 eggs a week after they are returned to health. I know nothing about hens except that I like them.

Any information will be gratefully received.

Quasar

Ohhh what a charming, humane idea! :T I had no idea one could adopt battery hens, but if I didn't live in a flat I would look into it.

Hens eat anything. All your food scraps are good food for them, which they turn into excellent eggs. However, their ideal food is seeds and grains, particularly maize. Back at the farm I grew up in we fed our chickens with our table left overs, plus lots of maize. Old bread, carrot tops, anything vegetable will be good for them. I expect you have a garden or grounds of some sort, and the hens will find grubs and stuff of their own, which is the most natural way of living for them. Lucky hens.

The egg yolks will vary in colour but their nutritional value will be unaffected. At least you will be eating healthy eggs.

Bonbon

I've had battery hens before,many years ago.They seemed a bit quiet at first, I suppose the freedom and daylight was a bit of a shock.You might see that part of their top beak has been removed. I 'm not sure, but I think it's to stop them pecking at each other. Mine laid almost straight away. I hope you have thought about a secure pen as foxes will very soon know that they are there.You will need a hen house for them to sleep in and lay the eggs. If you are keeping them in a small pen in your garden it will soon get very muddy so it's nice to let them scratch around in the garden.They will destroy all the flower beds so need supervising.Chickens can fly awkwardly, short distances, and will be able to get out of the pen. You can stop this by clipping their wings. It just means cutting a few flight feathers and it doesn't hurt them. I just did one wing to make them lopsided. Hope this helps a bit.

poppyjay

battery hens are great they love you mine follow me everywhere and would come in house if would let them(had to block cat flap)to start with found mine laid for first few days then stopped for a week but then everyday.you will need to flea powder them got that from horse feed shop and worm them .if they are kept in a run they like a dust bath and grit .have fun they are great

dook_2

We had lots when I was little, they used to sleep up in a tree to keep away from the foxes! We fed them on kitchen scraps, corn and layers pellets (I think they were called that). We got lots of eggs and the yolks were the brightest orange ever. One of them (henny penny...) lived to be 14, so it just goes to show how long they can live if they are looked after.

Good luck! I am a bit envious now... I will definately do this when I have kids.

kianicky

thats a lovely thing you've done

Muppet81

We adopted 6 the Easter before last. They have given us plenty of lovely eggs, enormous pleasure and a few sleepless nights.
We knew nothing about hens before we got them so when any look a bit peaky it is panic stations.
Would suggest that you have a look on the Omlet website which has a fantastic forum.
When you get your girls, any questions, worries will be dealt with on here. It has been a great help to us.
Big thing to remember is that they do need protecting from foxes. We live in dread of a fox attack.
It is a wondrful thing to do though, they are so affectionionate and each has a very distinct personality, and we have put our names down for two further girls in October as we did lose one of ours a few weeks back.

Go for it, it is so worthwhile.
Pam
x

dannahaz

THere's a great website dedicated to rescuing battery hens
http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/

kayjay1809

Kit_Barbari wrote: »

how high can a fox jump? I have a 6ft wall around my garden, could they jump that like a cat? or are they more like a dog?

I keep rabbits and belong to a rabbit forum and members there have lost rabbits from foxes scaling a 6ft fence easily

rigsby1967

Kit_Barbari wrote: »

how high can a fox jump? I have a 6ft wall around my garden, could they jump that like a cat? or are they more like a dog?

My neighbour has a fence about 7-8 feet high and the fox jumps that, he even got into our garden and took our 2 rabbits:mad: . Apparently they take a run and jump at the fence rather than just jumping as a cat would.

I dont know about hens but we have a duck, we get her special pellets to eat but also give her some scraps, shes a bit of a canibal as she LOVES chicken lol.

We let her out during the day under supervision as she can fly (am getting her wings clipped next week) but during the night she stays indoors as i'm not risking the fox getting her.
If chickens are half as good as ducks you will love them to bits. Crispy (the duck) has a lovely personality, loves company and is my favourite pet....and we've had LOADS of various animals.

rigs

rigsby1967

Kit_Barbari wrote: »

I never knew a fox could jump that high, I wonder how much of a repellent cats are, I recall a fox came into my garden in my old home, but my two tom cats went mental on it and we never saw it again , I have since read that foxes tend to avoid cats like the plague, are cats ok with chickens? I mean most farms have cats dont they?

We have a cat, and up until recently my neighbour also had a cat but the fox still comes round, but then again my cat is a wuss....he's scared of our duck LOL.