[chasechicken]

Hi all

I'm due to collect four ex-bats on Saturday and just wondering if you can offer any tips to make their first few days as stress free for them as possible.

The house is ready (bar a few little accessories here and there) and I'm off to the store tomorrow to get some layered mash and containers etc.  At the moment I believe they like the layered mash as it's all they know, and so it's the best comfort food.  Should I avoid giving them corn / sweet corn / vegetables for a while just so there aren't too many changes at once?

Also, should I be around them a lot so they get used to me or are they best left alone for a few days?  (I don't intend to spend hours petting and grooming them, but will probably be pottering in the garden anyway...)

Please feel free to tell me about your experiences - no doubt I'll be seeking more info over the coming days.

(note I'm new to keeping chickens all together and whilst I've researched a lot, nothing is too patronising)

Thanks!

[andreadon]

Hi!
Good luck!
We just put them into their enclosure and left the door to the house open - gave them food and water and left them to it.
The poor things couldn't work out that they had to go into the house in the evening and before it got dark, they went under the house to make a nest for themselves.
We had to pull them ou from under there to put them away.

It might be an idea in the first couple of days to put them in the house way before it gets dark - if you get them home in the late afternoon, let tme eat and drink for a while then put them in the house.
then let them out in to the run first thing in the morning.

[chasechicken]

Thanks andreadon

I've heard about them not knowing about going to bed at night bless them!  Will let them explore and get their bearings first I think - I have a feeling it'll all be too much for them at first!

Keep a look out for photos......

[Vember]

I always find it's best to put new birds straight in their coop
Leave them in for an hour or two to settle and then let them out, you may find they will make there own way back at bedtime then.
Mine always have

Food wise any changes in diet need to be given gradually and you might find in time it's best to get them on to pellets rather than mash, you can get a lot of waste with mash.

I would potter around with them once they are out let them see you You'll stand watching them for hours It wont take them long to work out where the feed comes from.
If you want them to eat out of your hand dried meal worms are the way to go, but again in the begining only a couple so as not to overload their systems


Sarah

 

[andreadon]

We were warned to feed them on mash for as long as possible because that's what they're used to - we did try to give them pellets as we weren't sure whether they were eating enough, but they couldn't pick them up!! (they have the cauterized top beaks) It was a long time before they could pick up anything other than mash.

One thing I'll warn about is pecking - ours were separated  from the originals, but they kept really going for each other.  after about two days of constant gauging, we put a divider in their little run and one in their little house too - they couldn't even go past each other without starting. we did it with mesh so they ould still see each other. and down the centre longwise too so they were both able to use the nestbox.  which they did - for sleeping in!!
am i allowed to mention my website? it's not a business one - it's just about keeping chickens and it's got quite a bit on our experiences when we first got the ex-batts.

[mickwood]

Andreadon - mention ya website!! I always like to hear from other keepers, reassures me about things!

Chasechicken - I'd do what was mentioned and put them straight into their coop for a good while, let them settle in. Don't worry if you feel guilty about being 'cruel' and keeping them cooped up! What I think that does is re-establishes their notion of 'home' so as was said when it gets dark they know where 'home' is and they are more likely to head back there.

As for your role, stay in the garden, potter about just try and keep large, quick movements to a minimum to stop them getting freaked and try and keep the noise down. That way they'll get used to you and the surroundings in one go and I don't think it'll be too much for them. Just open the door of the coop and loiter...they'll soon come out when they feel comfortable with or without you in the garden - so you may as well be there!?

Good luck!! We want pics and an update 

[nicchick]

Hi, we separated with wire in the big run too. The other thing we did is for the first two weeks we let them sleep in a small rabbit hutch without perches as it takes them a while to find their legs. We put up an old gateleg table which had struts close to the ground and they practised perching on them.
It's lovely watching them go from machines to chickens, one of ours will just run and flap for no reason for ages. I was so chuffed when the new girls went to bed in the old girls henhouse on their own.
Two of ours were very bald and didn't cope with the cold very well so I bought them inside to a garage to warm them up. One was quite bad so I gave her sugar water and apparently it makes them want to eat and it worked! Nic.

[andreadon]

okay - here are my pictures - i thought they might help....
just resizing them - won't be a minute....

[andreadon]

they spent most of their time under the house - must be used to the cramped and dark conditions...

[andreadon]

Sandra

[andreadon]

Rita

[andreadon]

the run they had in the gardnen - separated down the middle to stop fights!!

[andreadon]

me again!

another thing that struck me when our ex-batts were new was the smell!
they smelt very sweaty and funky for quite a while - which isn't surprising, but it was so much that I could smell it on my coat all the time! you'll understand when you get the - it just smelt hot and sweaty.

but the first time they sunbathed was amazing! and just watching them explore and be all chickeny was well worth it.

[bloodhound]

Hi andreadon,

My ex batties are now free for 3 weeks, they scratch for worms and do all the things a hen should do .
Do you have some poultry spice for food and battles poultry drink? Make sure the mash has a higher protien as some are lower than others, and this will help regrow the fluffy knickers and lovely duvets i mix 50/50 and they seem ok with it, you can buy small bags of layers to add to the mash.
I have one hen Paz has a crossed beak so she eats her food from my rather large dogs' bowl, she seems to cope very well with it .
The smell will go after those feathers grow back, put a little lice powder in with the bedding.

I, like you had no idea how to look after hens but forums like these are a great source of
information.


Well done for taking on these lovely girls and good luck in the future

fran

[nicchick]

Yep, they do stink! It's the ammonia that they have to sit in. It struck me when we were standing in a field and you could smell them. I apologized to a client for the smell and she said "they just smell like chickens". My chickens don't smell like that and now the ex-bats don't - they smell like duvets! It really is very lovely to watch them develop, Nic.