[joyfull]

try the battery hens welfare trust - they rehome birds several times a year. You make a donation for each bird and then watch them change from flopppy combed bald straggly things into pretty little chickens. These birds range from 1 year old to 18 months and some will lay for a few weeks others for a couple more years (it tends to be pure breeds that keep laying until the age of  7).

[orchardlady]

Think carefully about getting ex battery hens as a novice. Yes it's absolutely wonderful to re home some of these poor birds that have been pushed to lay as many eggs as possible (extending day by lighting their houses etc) but I do believe they can come with health and behaviour issues. They will have lived a tough life requiring them to fight for every necessity, food, water, space etc. so expect to be faced with behaviour problems. Battery farms tend to heavily medicate their birds to help reduce mortality so they can come to you with poor immune systems. Also battery farms only treat their barns and cages for Red Mite once every cycle so your new birds could very easily come with Red Mite. This mite does not primarily live on the birds but in the very fabric of their accommodation but you only need a few stray mites that didn't get off the hen at the right time to be introducing a whole lot of aggravation. I personally have never taken on ex batts because of these issues preferring to ensure the hens I have receive the quality of care and environment they deserve.

However if you are a confident and able person that is prepared to face problems practically and sensibly you may experience a baptism of fire but you and your hens will be all the better for it and you will also be able to feel that lovely warm glow inside that you have offered a home to some poor unfortunate birds for the last year or so of their lives.

I've just re read what I've written and it reads in a rather negative and possibly condescending manner, please be assured I'm not wishing to be either of those but do your home work, maybe start a new topic on ex battery hens. There are lots of people on this forum who have them and I'm quite positive they will be able to guide you well on the highs and lows of ex battery hens.

OL

[joyfull]

One very important thing to consider before getting any birds (whatever breed you get) is if you have a local vet that will treat them - not all will or do but have very little knowledge of poultry and their problems.

[Pertelotte]

Amber Stars!
Amber Stars!
Amber Stars!

They are lovely birds: soft and cuddly, really tame and totally dippy.

I started with Ambers. they have the softest feathers going, are really tame and will be eating from your hand inside of a fortnight. They also lay well, nice brown eggs although they may forget to use the nest box. My lot wound up laying in the rabbit hutch until they moved to under the brambles. Lots of fun, that!

But that's just me. Whatever you hens you fall in love with, you have started on a very happy road and I wish you and your girls all the best. And you will never need to buy another egg again.

[jinty1911]

Amber Stars!
Amber Stars!
Amber Stars!

They are lovely birds: soft and cuddly, really tame and totally dippy.

I started with Ambers. they have the softest feathers going, are really tame and will be eating from your hand inside of a fortnight. They also lay well, nice brown eggs although they may forget to use the nest box. My lot wound up laying in the rabbit hutch until they moved to under the brambles. Lots of fun, that!


The Amber Star looks lovely.  Are they broody?

But that's just me. Whatever you hens you fall in love with, you have started on a very happy road and I wish you and your girls all the best. And you will never need to buy another egg again.

[cejx]

Think carefully about getting ex battery hens as a novice. Yes it's absolutely wonderful to re home some of these poor birds that have been pushed to lay as many eggs as possible (extending day by lighting their houses etc) but I do believe they can come with health and behaviour issues. They will have lived a tough life requiring them to fight for every necessity, food, water, space etc. so expect to be faced with behaviour problems. Battery farms tend to heavily medicate their birds to help reduce mortality so they can come to you with poor immune systems. Also battery farms only treat their barns and cages for Red Mite once every cycle so your new birds could very easily come with Red Mite. This mite does not primarily live on the birds but in the very fabric of their accommodation but you only need a few stray mites that didn't get off the hen at the right time to be introducing a whole lot of aggravation. I personally have never taken on ex batts because of these issues preferring to ensure the hens I have receive the quality of care and environment they deserve.

However if you are a confident and able person that is prepared to face problems practically and sensibly you may experience a baptism of fire but you and your hens will be all the better for it and you will also be able to feel that lovely warm glow inside that you have offered a home to some poor unfortunate birds for the last year or so of their lives.

I've just re read what I've written and it reads in a rather negative and possibly condescending manner, please be assured I'm not wishing to be either of those but do your home work, maybe start a new topic on ex battery hens. There are lots of people on this forum who have them and I'm quite positive they will be able to guide you well on the highs and lows of ex battery hens.

OL

I'm a complete novice and re homed 6 ex bats 2 weeks ago.  I have to agree with a lot of what you've said, but seeing them SLOWLY regain their feathers, being handled and eating out of my hand is brilliant.  However, I was un prepared for the bullying aspect which I've found quite difficult to witness, but these forums have been invaluable in helping me solve my issues.  Hens are amazing, I'm so attached to my girls, I can't ever now imagine a time when I didn't have chickens.  I cannot wait till the summer where I can spend more daylight time with them.

[orchardlady]

I'm so glad to hear you and your new girls are doing well cejx.

[Chookiechook]

Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekins!!!

[Brushcutter]

We have allways had a pair of pure bred bantams. We had a white star hybrid once but this was a rather aggressive bird, obviously bigger than the bantams, gave it away in the end. The friendliest bird we ever had was a white bantam leghorn, unusuall for a leghorn. Lighter, flighty birds can be independant, but when they are freindly its because they want to be, not because they cant fly off! Its really hard to choose breeds, then birds are individual personalities also. Personally i would go pure bred not hybrid. Would consider ex-bats personally, but not as a beginner. We no longer rear chicks as i cant bare getting rid of the boys.

[joyfull]

sablepoot bantams, very pretty, very friendly and very chatty - they love to fly up onto your shoulder and chat away 

[evie2]

We have 3 Ambers (they come a close second to the poots) they're everything Pertelotte says, ours like to poke their heads through the cat flap and follow us everywhere, they're even happy to stand for wee Evie too stroke them

[farmerGiles]

Wheaten Marans