[yorkshirerose]

Well as some of you know, I now have 4 chooks and in need of more - were originally looking at 10.
Now what do you think about battery hens and would I have to seperate em at first ?
I really would want them free of red mite, etc before putting with the 4 chooks I already have.
A friend came round tonight and reckons my 2 speckeldys are marans  :!:  
Not that it matters that much - though I did ask for speckeldys :roll:  :roll:    
Are chooks due to moult yet or do you think they have been through it ?
Ah questions, questions - but if I dont ask I will never get to know    

[muntjac]

ok treat them for red mite and also the others as the mite may well have droped offand get to your other birds if they have been anywhere near them.. introduce them through wire so no fights break out ..and chickens moult when they decide ,mine have done so 2 times this last 12 weeks already and may well do so again :roll:

[GrannieAnnie]

If you are interested in ex battery chooks, this is the Battery Hen Welfare Trust's website

http://thehenshouse.co.uk/

Click on the button that says contact, then the regional co-ordinators link.  The Lincolnshire contact is John and he's at Wragby by Langdon.  they only charge 50p a bird.

We got 50 last September, and another 20 at Easter.  We have 50 left, as they can die quite quickly poor things, and they are very overstressed.  At the moment, we are getting between 4 and 8 eggs a day, they are often mis-shapen and thin shelled, but if you want the pleasure of seeing these poor chooks see grass and sunshine for the first time, then its worth it, just to give them a bit of real life before they die.

Have a look at the photos in my photobucket of the ones we have:

http://s92.photobucket.com/albums/l33/grannieannie_2006/

The ex battery hen photos are in the sub album Chooks!

[yorkshirerose]

Thanks for that - sent email to john so waiting for reply  
Love the photos Grannieannie - they look happy chooks.
Sahll let you all know what happens.