[Bigblacktaximan]

What was your intention/ethos or reason behind it ?

I ask as I recently contacted the bhwt by email about rehoming some ex batts on my allotment plot along side my table birds

I received a rather curt (I think) reply to the effect that as the ethos was to rehome birds and give them a chance at as normal a life as possible and not to eat them or expect them to lay eggs the lady writing the mail was unable to help.

now pardon me, but I rather thought what hens did naturally was to browse/graze, scratch about, get fed, looked after and lay eggs (don't they lay eggs naturally or only when evil poultry keepers force them to  )

Well, the chicken huggers are obviously inundated with homes for the however many millions of 'ex batts' (not a term I like but saves typing ex battery hens every time) that they claim on their website to be unable to save.

I'm really not that bothered about eggs,  I dont even eat them (yes ok I know egg is in lots of things I do eat) and Im running out of people to give em away to,
Would I had thought to do was give up some of my plot to rehome a few 'ex batts' along side birds I was keeping for table

Your, Spitting Feathers   

[SMD66]

is it your intention to eat them or just keep them with or without egg production?

I can see why the lady may have thought it was a bit sad for them to go from the cage only to be fattened up to be eaten, but that doesn't excuse her curt reply and it's still better than going from cage to dog food with no time in the great outdoors being a chicken.

TBH I wouldn't have expected there to be much meat on them even after fattening up, they are bred to lay, not to lay down meat and it would also be tough.

If you just want them to live out their lives then good on ya, maybe the BHWT got the wrong end of the stick?

[AmandaH]

Hey BBTM.  Stop spitting feathers or we'll think that you've eaten them already! 

My thinking behind getting my ex-batts began with the idea that I wanted another pet for my daughter (we have one rather grumpy old moggy and a few fish - and that damn tortoise - but nothing she could really get involved with).  We thought about a rabbit/hamster/guinea pig but just didn't like the idea of some poor creature stuck in a hutch.  Then my sister went on holiday to Devon and came back raving about chickens.  And we went "Hmm, hadn't thought of them"!

Did a bit of research about chicken-keeping and couldn't see any reason why not.  After checking there was no legal reason why we couldn't have them and OKing the idea with the neighbours, I started looking into where to get the chickens from and found the BHWT.  It seemed logical to us - if we wanted another cat, or a dog, we'd go to an animal rescue place, so why not chickens?  I've always hated the idea of battery chickens anyway and it seemed a nice idea to rescue some and give them a nice retirement.  It also - in some small way - was a good introduction for my daughter to start to learn about where food comes from (i.e. Tesco doesn't magic it all into existence).

My understanding is the same as SMD's - that battery chickens are bred for eggs, not as table birds, and aren't very good to eat.  That's assuming you want to eat them.

I think the BHWT do a great job finding homes for birds that would otherwise be slaughtered (my four were from 40,000 about to go for slaughter) but I think their thinking is for the chooks to go and live out a pampered retirement so you probably scared the life out of her even talking about table birds (she probably had to have a nice mug of camomile tea to calm her down).  Don't get me wrong - I love the BHWT.  They gave me four wonderful girls and have helped me with advice no end but I do suspect that there is an element of tree-hugging, lentil-eating, sandal-wearing, Guardian-reading, middle-class do-gooding about them.  And I mean that in the nicest possible way 

[Casey76]

Hi there, I think the lady may have gotten the wrong end of the stick if you said that they would live along side your table birds.  Even if your intentions are purely to rehome the batts, she may have thought that you wanted either a: expecting a supply of eggs or b: wanting to eat them as well as your table birds.

I would write back and say that you were only enquiring about a home for them where they could live out their retirement in peace (whist smiling very nicely )

[Bigblacktaximan]

My thanks to those of you who have answered, I feel slightly vindicated at feeling a bit miffed

Im of the opinion that the ladies reply may well be as  result of her getting the wrong end of the stick and further jumping to conclusions as to my intentions.

1. As we all know, theyre bred to produce eggs not put on meat.
2. As I have previously stated, I do not, will not, cannot eat eggs, the very sight, smell and even the thought of it makes me decidely queasy,   I give away the 4-5 a day I get at home to family & neighbours and manage to not think what they're going to do with them.

However what I' thought of doing was to cut down on my proposed number of table birds and give over a little of  the space I have to rehome some 'ex batts'
These 'girls' could then have lived out their days with the sun/rain on their backs, wind in their feathers doing what they do naturally, ie scratching about fer food and maybe /maybe not laying a few eggs as a bonus.

Anyways, shame,  next time the bhwt are clearing birds and they have to leave some behind,   hopefully, they'll  take a moment to convince themselves that theyre better off there or going for dog food rather than an allotment in Essex.

And Amanda,
thank you fer the laugh,  I echo alot of your thoughts in your reply towards the end, regarding sandle wearing lentil eating cammomile tea drinking chicken huggers    (I wonder if she wears tank tops knitted from natural fibres, maybe coir or coconut, and thats why she's prickly)

Incidently,  I don't have feather pillows, quilts or down filled jackets as Im allergic to feathers lol

[AmandaH]

I'd give up on chooks if I were you!  Get a goldfish    Oh, no, not much meat on them.

BBTM, you do make me laugh.  I just can't get my head around keeping chooks when you don't like eggs and are allergic to feathers.  That's as mad as me, say, keeping tortoises... 

[SMD66]

I bet they knit yoghurt too! 

[judrop]

Never mind! I think this "lady " did get the wrong end of the stick, shame for the poor birds who were not allowed to be "adopted" by you, I had a similar experience when i applied to re home a springer spaniel, and it is not nice, needless to say I did not re home either!
I guess they believe they are doing the right thing, but they are so blinkered !
All the best Ju

[GrannieAnnie]

It definitely seems like the wrong end of the stick to me too!  We hae re-homed ex-batts and ex free rangers a couple of times now.  the last time we had 75, and sold the excess eggs, then within 6 months they were only laying around 8 eggs a day and more and more people were wanting eggs, so we re-homed them to buy POL's, then got into raising chicks.

However a lot of people are under the impression that ex batts will carry on laying for a long time, or that they can be fattened up!  Wrong in both cases.  And I think the BHWT are getting so many people now, taking on these spent hens then getting rid of them for whichever reason.

Sounds to me like the lady you spoke to thought you wanted them to eat!  Why don't you try again, explaining to her that as you can't eat eggs and you don't want them for meat, that you would just like to re-home a few ex batts to give them a happy retirement?

Good luck with it!!!!

[judrop]

Hey BBTM.  Stop spitting feathers or we'll think that you've eaten them already! 

My thinking behind getting my ex-batts began with the idea that I wanted another pet for my daughter (we have one rather grumpy old moggy and a few fish - and that damn tortoise - but nothing she could really get involved with).  We thought about a rabbit/hamster/guinea pig but just didn't like the idea of some poor creature stuck in a hutch.  Then my sister went on holiday to Devon and came back raving about chickens.  And we went "Hmm, hadn't thought of them"!

Did a bit of research about chicken-keeping and couldn't see any reason why not.  After checking there was no legal reason why we couldn't have them and OKing the idea with the neighbours, I started looking into where to get the chickens from and found the BHWT.  It seemed logical to us - if we wanted another cat, or a dog, we'd go to an animal rescue place, so why not chickens?  I've always hated the idea of battery chickens anyway and it seemed a nice idea to rescue some and give them a nice retirement.  It also - in some small way - was a good introduction for my daughter to start to learn about where food comes from (i.e. Tesco doesn't magic it all into existence).

My understanding is the same as SMD's - that battery chickens are bred for eggs, not as table birds, and aren't very good to eat.  That's assuming you want to eat them.

I think the BHWT do a great job finding homes for birds that would otherwise be slaughtered (my four were from 40,000 about to go for slaughter) but I think their thinking is for the chooks to go and live out a pampered retirement so you probably scared the life out of her even talking about table birds (she probably had to have a nice mug of camomile tea to calm her down).  Don't get me wrong - I love the BHWT.  They gave me four wonderful girls and have helped me with advice no end but I do suspect that there is an element of tree-hugging, lentil-eating, sandal-wearing, Guardian-reading, middle-class do-gooding about them.  And I mean that in the nicest possible way 

love this VERY precise and apt description! have to agree that on the whole B H WT DO do a great job tho  Ju

[AmandaH]

I tofu-knitting in easier SMD...

I had to wait months for my girls from the BHWT due to the high demand!  In the end, I gave up on the co-ordinator nearest to me in Essex as she couldn't offer me any birds (I was too far down the waiting list) so I drove to Coventry to get them (actually, timewise, not much further than Essex).

I was a bit worried about them struggling with my accent, them being from Coventry and all but, if we got stuck, my BIL is from Coventry so he could translate if necessary  

Since then, I have discovered that there are a few farms around here who give layers that are considered "past their best" away so it might be worth asking around locally BBTM.

I have to say that I don't think my ex-batts have been too much trouble.  I was warned that ex-batts can come with physical and/or psychological problems and, yes, they were scruffy and thin and sad-looking and Mavis had a bit of a small mental breakdown   but really have just needed the extra TLC that you would give any rescue animal...

[AmandaH]

Oh, completely agree Ju, they do do a great job with the very best of intentions.

[Bigblacktaximan]

BBTM, you do make me laugh.  I just can't get my head around keeping chooks when you don't like eggs and are allergic to feathers.  That's as mad as me, say, keeping tortoises... 

Don't get me started on tortoises     Have you any idea just HOW MANY tin openers I've knackered  

[kitkat]

Amanda..
   Perhaps as well part of the reason that they can get a bit defensive, i mean the rescue people, is because some people think ex batts are the cheaper choice, how much do they cost , about a quid or so? I dont mean you Taxi man, but perhaps this happens? I have had my large share of rescue birds and they all have needed so much extra time and money. I think you should try again-but dont mention can openers and tortoises

[AmandaH]

Don't get YOU started on tortoises?!  Haven't you heard me, ranting on about Plod recently?  If not, you've had a lucky escape! 

Yes, perhaps you are right kitkat, that's a good point - I guess some people might see them as a cheap option.  I think they cost the BHWT something like 60p each (it was less than a £ anyway) to buy but they leave it up to you to make a donation, the average being £5 (beause we asked as we had no idea what to give).  We gave them £10 for each girlie, which seemed like a nice round number to us, made us feel all warm and glowy about donating to charity and because there were all the BHWT overheads as well.

I wouldn't have a clue how much "new" chickens cost.  More, I would guess?

And, yes, perhaps they have cost us extra money.  The ex-batts feed might be more expensive than "normal" pellets and there was Mave's vets bills...

Try again BBTM but just say you want to adopt a lovely-wubbly chookie-wookie, that she'll have her own room, with a subscription to Sky's Nat Geo and any chicken-related channels, you've hand-made her nest box from the rarest of NZ Kauri wood and she'll be hand-fed live mealworms from a gold-plated dish.  Oh, and only drink Evian.  That should keep 'em happy!