Ex-Battery Hens

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Ex-Battery Hens
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Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 05 4:28 pm Post subject: Ex-Battery Hens

As some of you will know Lundy and I (well, mainly me!!!) have been looking into the possibility of getting some chickens, purely as pets and to have a few eggs.

As well as the excellent support we are getting from downsizer I've been looking on the internet and came across the following website:

https://www.thehenshouse.co.uk

This organisation is run by a lady called Jane Howarth - who you may have seen in magazines like Country Smallholding, etc., regarding the plight of battery hens.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28237
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 05 4:38 pm Post subject:
Interesting, not too sure myself about the "rescuing" thing though But it does seem the sort of sire where we should develop links. jema

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 05 5:40 pm Post subject:

We've seen her in the Country Smallholding. I think there are some people here who have rescued hens. They need some care when first rescued but people seem to say they are happy.

For myself I would tend to go for POL or raise my own and I can see us having a large assortment one day

. It may be cheaper to rescue and you will be saving a couple of hens but by keeping a few native breeds you are also helping them stay alive.

Sorry to be a little negative, but I was more sceptical until I read some posts from people who have rescued hens.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 05 7:13 pm Post subject:

I see where you are coming from, Treacodactyl.

I have to say that Lundy and I are thinking more along your lines and get a few POL - don't know enough to think about raising from eggs.

Perhaps I would like a couple of rescue birds to live out their days happily (even if they never lay an egg again), I'm too sentimental for my own good!

Although she is out of our area, I have to say hats off to Jane and the sterling work she does and say that if anyone was wanting to 'adopt' some ex-battery hens, Jane is the person to speak to.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 05 7:37 pm Post subject:

Gertie wrote:

Perhaps I would like a couple of rescue birds to live out their days happily (even if they never lay an egg again), I'm too sentimental for my own good!

Although I wouldn't get ex-battery hens I believe you will still get quite a few eggs from them.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 05 9:01 pm Post subject:

I got my second lot of hens from jane, at the begining of the month. In the summer we had 60, form the publised rescue she did, and then another 65 on the 8th jan.

As of 3 days ago they had paid for themselves, in cost of food, how much we paid for them in eggs alone. They haven't taken any more care, than any other chickens. We will put them through the moult and then expect to get about 4 aeggs a week each from them.

It is a sight to see a chicken going out on grass for the first time, and I am not all theat keen on birds, don't forget!

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 7:25 am Post subject:

Alison, thanks for your comments. I bet it's lovely to see them outside enjoying themselves.

I would like to get a couple (er, a drop in the ocean compared to you, I know!). Have e-mailed Jane and waiting to hear from her.

As I said before, hats off to her and people like her her take on rescued birds.

P.S when I get any girls I still have to get over the feet phobia - hmmmmn, may need to see Bugs, if her knittings that good she might make them some leg-warmers (that way they'd be covered up!!!!)

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 9:23 am Post subject:

I really like the chickens' feet. They're little marvels of engineering

.

They're also nice and chunky unlike those on wild birds so you can examine them closely without fear of hurting them.

Maybe if you can get someone else to hold the bird while you take a look more closely you'll see them for something pleasant

Of course, many other cultures eat chicken feet. I think they look rather less attractive by the couple of hundred in a freezer

(try a Chinese supermarket or grocery), but it's an admirable way of making full use of them.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 4:27 pm Post subject:

Bugs, I'm probably being harsh when I say I don't like chicken feet. It's irrational. I think it goes back to when I was a little girl and I used to go and feed the chickens on the farm, I was quite small and I think I just got frightened of their beaks and feet being close to me - as I've grown up the fear has stayed with me, but not enough to stop me getting some chickens and overcoming this stupid thing.

I'm also wary of picking them up, I know how to do it, it's just doing it the first few times (I had a pet Bantam as a kid - called Fluffy). It's a challenge and I am looking forward to it.

Thanks for your advice and support, we really do appreciate everyone's comments (good or bad keep 'em coming).

Madman
Guest

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 5:29 pm Post subject: chooks

Go on, go and get them!...I once bought half a dozen from a battery farm when they went off lay. Cost me fifty pence each. Within a month they were laying an egg a day, which was lovely. Strong dark yolks too. Sadly, I got home after dark one night, when I had been in the habit of tucking them up each evening, and a fox had killed the lot, and just left them lying there. Didnt kill them for food, just for fun. I'm now planning a River Cottage style coop up a stick with a wobbly ladder up to it

Also, my battery hens proved to be very tame and affable, all with their own character, bully, coward, affectionate, etc.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 6:54 pm Post subject:
Thanks for that, Madman. Sorry to hear about your hens run in with the fox I'm getting Lundy (the hubby) on the case this weekend to come up with a design for a hen home. (er, not that he knows that yet we have more than enough on our plate trying to get our allotment sorted!!!!!!!

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 10:56 pm Post subject:
madman, out of interest, how will you clean it out, especially on a clod windy day

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 11:13 pm Post subject:
I've got some old telegraph poles up the garden, cut to 8 feet long, so I plan to have two feet below ground, and a removable ladder for the six feet above. with a door at the back I hope to muck out and remove eggs from this access point. I think I will make the door about 2feet wide by 1 foot high. I hope to begin the build in a day or two.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 11:20 pm Post subject:
I'd like to see that!

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 05 11:31 pm Post subject:
Don't hold your breath, its blowing a hooly here and below freezing most days right now! I've got an old piggery up the garden though, and can't decide whether to take the plunge and buy a pig or not. It would also be a fox proof chicken coop with run, so I've got to make a decision on up a pole or in a shed for the chooks.

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