Rescue Hens

namurt

Just wondering if rescued hens would still be anyway decent layers? My parents couldn't get hens this year from their usual person so I might try to convince them to go the rescue route. Also benefits me because I can take the extra eggs.

Sigma Force

It's a long time ago now but when we transported 31 ex battery hens they laid a few eggs along the way, once they are given bit of tlc and good food no reason why they shouldn't lay. Good idea getting at least 3 that way if one isn't a good layer another one might be.

namurt

Thanks for that. They normally get 5 at a time and it's just for themselves so, as you say, even if just one or two of them lay each day it's plenty. Nothing like your own free range eggs. Would love to have some hens myself but unfortunately don't have enough space for them.

Graces7

Thank you for this; it brings back so many happy memories. Yes, they are good layers and so wonderful to see them revert to eg scratching for food etc.

Jungo

namurt wrote: »

Just wondering if rescued hens would still be anyway decent layers? My parents couldn't get hens this year from their usual person so I might try to convince them to go the rescue route. Also benefits me because I can take the extra eggs.

I got hens off this guy in galway brown egg layers pm me for details

Whispered

I'm looking to find out how to get them. Are there rescues or do you go directly to a battery?

Also, having been locked up for so long, what can you expect from their behaviour? Are they usually very nervous? Do they know how to feed themselves? Do they need any special care beyond that of a normal chicken?

They will be going to a home where they have an acre to wander around, then are shut into a coop at night. Would it be better to fence around the coop at first and slowly extend their space? How should a rooster be introduced? Would it be better to introduce a young rooster after a few weeks?

Any tips appreciated.:)

Graces7

You don't need a rooster unless you are intending to hatch chicks. Hens lay - period. I know of course that you know that, but it is surprising how many people don't.

And if you did that you would need a broody hen and they might not take to that.

Ask a rescue place or seek a battery unit in the phone book; they tend to know each other. The rescue place I knew had a few hens.

They wil be shy and hesitant at first, and will limit their own patch thus. Let them make the running; as long as they are safe at night.

And they soon discover how to scratch the earth etc, and then to nest.

Ask the place you get them from what they are used to eating; they should sell you a supply. And they will soon adapt to new food, although the change will sometimes put them off paying for a wee while.
Most use Layers mash or pellets.

I took in one that had been fed only on white bread; to watch her demolish a slice was an education.. As long as she had her fix of white bread she would then eat anything.
Needless to say we got her on a better diet. ....With the bread as a treat.

Sweet memories here! I really enjoyed my rescue hens. And they tend to be tame and friendly and even cuddly

helena.ryan wrote: »

I'm looking to find out how to get them. Are there rescues or do you go directly to a battery?

Also, having been locked up for so long, what can you expect from their behaviour? Are they usually very nervous? Do they know how to feed themselves? Do they need any special care beyond that of a normal chicken?

They will be going to a home where they have an acre to wander around, then are shut into a coop at night. Would it be better to fence around the coop at first and slowly extend their space? How should a rooster be introduced? Would it be better to introduce a young rooster after a few weeks?

Any tips appreciated.:)

Whispered

Thanks very informative.

As for the rooster, yes they will want to hatch chicks I think. Is there a certain way to introduce them when the chickens would have been battry?

Jungo

Battery hens have been kept indoors so letting them out as free rangers aint the best idea this time of year. when you first get hens you need to keep them in for a few days. They learn that this is their new home. they go home to roost. always keep the roosts at the same level. Best go for the free range breeds like blackrocks or bluebells.

No need for a rosster unless breeding. however if you are intending to hatch out chicks you should go for the hens that go hatching like bantams or silkes.

A rooster would want to be big enough for the hens, you have heard of the expression hen pecked well if the girls dont like him they will and can peck him to death:mad:

Whispered

Ah well the coop wont be ready until into the new year. So I will tell them to fence around the coop and not let them out for the first few weeks.

I didn't realise that there were different types of battery hens. The Ignorance of me. Can you mix breeds and have a few different types live together?

Can any type of rooster breed with any type of hen?

Would they be better off getting a rooster as an adult and give him a few days to establish himself in the coop and then introduce the hens? I think I just worry that they wont know what he is and it might hurt their rehabilitation. I wonder if it would be better to allow the hens settle then introduce an adult rooster later? But then would having an adult rooster who knows how to scratch etc might be a help for them?

Sorry for all of the silly questions. The people getting the chickens probably all ready know the answers to these questions but seeing as how I've offered to find rescues for them, I should have some idea as to what I am doing.

Graces7

My reply went awol...

Hens are very simple; and yes any breed and mixed breeds and any breed of cockerel as long as you are not seeking to breed pure .

I would not fence the coop either; they will set their own pace. They will emerge when they are ready.

And spring is perfect.

They will show they are thinking of a mate then.

And they know who is what; simple critters not like us:)

helena.ryan wrote: »

Ah well the coop wont be ready until into the new year. So I will tell them to fence around the coop and not let them out for the first few weeks.

I didn't realise that there were different types of battery hens. The Ignorance of me. Can you mix breeds and have a few different types live together?

Can any type of rooster breed with any type of hen?

Would they be better off getting a rooster as an adult and give him a few days to establish himself in the coop and then introduce the hens? I think I just worry that they wont know what he is and it might hurt their rehabilitation. I wonder if it would be better to allow the hens settle then introduce an adult rooster later? But then would having an adult rooster who knows how to scratch etc might be a help for them?

Sorry for all of the silly questions. The people getting the chickens probably all ready know the answers to these questions but seeing as how I've offered to find rescues for them, I should have some idea as to what I am doing.

Interceptor

Fizzy Witch are in Galway and sometimes have rescue hens - drop them an email.

'cptr

The Sweeper

Guys please do try and get your hens either FREE OF CHARGE from the battery, or take them through a rescue. Rescues often don't or won't pay for them because they're in a position to take the entire job lot of last year's layers that the battery is trying to get rid of.

If you pay for a battery hen, you're rewarding the people who battery farm - not only can they keep these animals in shocking conditions for a profit, but now they can make a few quid out of selling the scraggly shadows to bleeding hearts at the end of it - that's how they think.

Graces7

But take care as some will refuse to let them go if you pay nothing. I would rather pay that pound sterling and know the bird is safe.

The outlawing of battery units will take time.

The Sweeper wrote: »

Guys please do try and get your hens either FREE OF CHARGE from the battery, or take them through a rescue. Rescues often don't or won't pay for them because they're in a position to take the entire job lot of last year's layers that the battery is trying to get rid of.

If you pay for a battery hen, you're rewarding the people who battery farm - not only can they keep these animals in shocking conditions for a profit, but now they can make a few quid out of selling the scraggly shadows to bleeding hearts at the end of it - that's how they think.

Interceptor

The Sweeper wrote: »

Guys please do try and get your hens either FREE OF CHARGE from the battery, or take them through a rescue.

Fair point!

Get your friends hooked on the taste of free range eggs - they'll stop buying battery farmed eggs.

Keeping a few hens and giving away a few eggs to our friends is the best way I can think of to reduce the demand for battery eggs. The more people keep hens, the less demand for factory produced eggs.

'cptr

luckat

You mightn't need a cock, but your hens might like a boyfriend

Your hens mightn't like a fence, but Ms Fox will like it very much that lunch isn't fenced away from her

Seriously, you're doing a good thing. Don't pay battery farms for their hens - they throw them out anyway when they're 'past their best' (which doesn't mean anything from your point of view; they're still grand little layers, just no longer egg machines).

At first they'll be freaked by freedom. Take it handy. And when you're introducing a new hen to a flock, take out one of the old girls - preferably a high-status one - at night when she's sleepy and put her to roost separately with the new girl. Next night, or after a couple of days together, put them back together, put them on the general roost but side by side, and the new girl will wake up as part of the flock known and guaranteed by an existing member.

Whispered

I have to say. I am very taken with hens after this thread. I suppose I never thought about them much until I heard my father was building his coop.

The replies are very helpful. I'm suprised at the amount of people who know a lot about chickens. I can't wait now for them to finish the coop. It's a pity I don't have room for a few myself. But then I suppose if I get an extra one or two for my dad I can take some eggs when I go down to visit.

Graces7

Hmmmm. as long as you don't mind the noise... 3 am in summer...

You and your neighbours... there have been wars about crowing cockerels

Hens do very well without a cockerel

Thought the battery units sold them off for pet food?

And it can obviously be as simple or as difficult as you make it; we had an acre and let them sort themselves out.

But then we lived where there were no predators so they did not even need to be shut in at night. Ireland is different

luckat wrote: »

You mightn't need a cock, but your hens might like a boyfriend

Your hens mightn't like a fence, but Ms Fox will like it very much that lunch isn't fenced away from her

Seriously, you're doing a good thing. Don't pay battery farms for their hens - they throw them out anyway when they're 'past their best' (which doesn't mean anything from your point of view; they're still grand little layers, just no longer egg machines).

At first they'll be freaked by freedom. Take it handy. And when you're introducing a new hen to a flock, take out one of the old girls - preferably a high-status one - at night when she's sleepy and put her to roost separately with the new girl. Next night, or after a couple of days together, put them back together, put them on the general roost but side by side, and the new girl will wake up as part of the flock known and guaranteed by an existing member.

Orion

namurt wrote: »

Thanks for that. They normally get 5 at a time and it's just for themselves so, as you say, even if just one or two of them lay each day it's plenty. Nothing like your own free range eggs. Would love to have some hens myself but unfortunately don't have enough space for them.

You don't need a lot of space for a couple of hens yourself. You can get a self-contained ark and keep them in that in the back garden. If you don't let them out to wander the garden you just need to make sure you provide a dustbath and grit for them in the ark. If you do let them out then they'll get all the grit the need just from scratching for insects.