Ex-battery Hens & Chicken Advice Generally Please

tracyk

Please could someone tell me how long you can keep eggs once they've been laid please - I have some from a friend - she's written the date they were laid in pencil on them - but I don't know how long they last....

Thanks folks.....

Magentasue

tracyk wrote: »

Please could someone tell me how long you can keep eggs once they've been laid please - I have some from a friend - she's written the date they were laid in pencil on them - but I don't know how long they last....

Thanks folks.....

About three weeks, I think. You can put one in a jug of water to test - fresh eggs sink and lie flat. Floating to the top is a bad sign.

I keep a box in the kitchen. If I get to a dozen, it's time for meringues or giving them away. That way, our eggs are only ever a couple of days old at the most.

Poet_2

I think we might be being persuaded (hubbie and me) but I have a question, are there any garden plants that would be poisonous to hens? Fot example, we have a huge laurel bush that produces purple, grape looking berries in late summer. As far as know, they're poisonous to humans but what about chickens or do the hens instinctively know what to eat and what not to eat?

emmahip

Looking to get some chucks from the next battery hen rescue in Carmarthen.

Hopefully going to be getting a lovely "new" recycled playhouse for them this weekend too!

laineys_girlies

Hi
I picked up 4 ex-battery hens from the Battery Hen Welfare Trust yesterday. I've made a ramshackle wood hut and run, with 4 easy to clean garden seed trays and filled them with shredded newspaper, which they've been throwing all over the place; put in some grit and fire-ash in a tray, and some water. They've already started the pecking order, but are so easy to handle, and have settled in already. One is almost completely bald and they all have long toenails and beaks, but I'll let them get used to things for a week or so, before allowing them the free range of the farm. It feels good to give these animals a home. It does concern me that by taking them on, I'm making it easier for these battery farms to continue to treat the hens badly. But they've already started wee conversations with me and I was surprised to get 2 fresh eggs this morning. They don't need much, and are well worth the effort. I've been smiling all day. Highly recommended!

MC_Emily_2

Battery hens will soon be a thing of the past in the UK...and not before time. However, the next big concern is that most of the cages being sold already seem to be going to Eastern Europe, where there are no bans. It looks like cheap eggs will be produced there and exported to the UK :eek: Not much incentive then for the large food producers to start using more ethically produced eggs :mad: Unfortunately, until the whole of Europe bans caged hens, the large food producers will continue to fund battery eggs :mad::mad:

I took on 24 Ex-batts earlier this year from the BHWT. At first they hadn't a clue what to do. They just stood there. They had no idea about scratching around for food, as they're used to it appearing on a conveyor belt in front of them It took them about a month to get into their proper 'chicken' habits. It was lovely to watch them stretching their little wings, though :j I have 18 left now. Some died straight away, they were just too weak. I want to get some more but I'll wait until the Springtime, when it's warmer. I'm very lucky because all my poultry live free range 24 / 7, as my dogs do too and keep the foxes away. In 15 years I haven't lost anything to a fox :j

For anyone wanting to keep chickens for the first time I'd say just do it. However, I would wait until the Spring for Ex-batts, just to make sure they don't suffer from the cold.

SailorSam

I've thought about getting a couple of chooks but i live next door to a secondary school and am more worried about the 'inmates' from there than foxes eating them.
There are plans in the air for the school to close so when that happens i think is the time to look into rescue of a couple of birds.

smileyt_2

I got three ex-batts in June - Rita, Deidre and Mavis - and I love them to bits. I am in an inner-city area so I had to get written permission from my HA. They have a little hen house and live most of the time in a 6ft square pen, which has a wire roof covered also with corrugated plastic. When I can, I let them out in the yard to have a scratch round, but I have to be out there because of local feral cats (one in particular which is a killer cat). I know it's not a perfect arrangement but it's better than being in a battery farm or being dead. They seem happy, and it has been lovely to see their feathers growing back and to see them stretching and scratching. They soon get to know you and mine will jump up to try and snatch treats out of my hand, the cheeky things!

I think you can get the pattern for the hen jumpers off the internet somewhere. So maybe you could get knitting a few jumpers and then rescue your hens :rotfl:

Intastella

I miss having chickens, they're proper characters! You definately need a proper run if you grow veg tho...fresh chicken poo is not good for your plants or veg, neither is them being constantly scratched up, as i found out!

I used to go round the local veg and bread shops/stalls and get all their damaged or stale stock to feed them, cold in summer, warmed up a bit in winter. In winter i'd insulate the hen house with old carpet and they were fine.

Can't wait to have a garden again...they'll be first on my list!