[Carrie99]

Hi there,

I'm just generally curious what experience anyone may have had at taking hens that have previously came from commercial free range farms... I took some ex bats around 1 1/2 year ago and after losing two thought I would take another two on...these two were from a batch of free range hens that would have otherwise came to the end of their farming life.

I went to collect them this weekend and they are in a really bad way...the only difference in their condition, in comparison to the ex-bats, is that they do seem a little more agile and fitter but seriously lacking feathers, poor beaks, and the biggest issue is their absolute fear of anything human. I mean, aside from this they are all lovely and generally seem healthy but it surprised me a little to see their condition. I probably sound a little naive but their fear of me is HUGE, and sort of indicates they've had a lot of bad human experiences! I just wondered if anyone else had found that free range farms seem to be producing fairly similar results to battery farms in this sense?

Carrie

[GrannieAnnie]

Yes!   We used to get ex free range hens from a chap in Essex.

They were actually treated well, but basically, although they have access to free range, because most of them seemed to hang around outside the pop holes, a lot just stayed inside.

They also didn't lay or live for any longer than the ex batts.  So the condition of yours doesn't surprise me at all.

And being free range, they wouldn't have come into contact with humans much, especially if the popholes and feeders were automatically controlled.

[splash101]

http://poultry.allotment-garden.org/advice/eggs

i read this quite recently and felt cheated for all of the years i had bought free range or barn eggs.

[GrannieAnnie]

You are not alone Splash!  My daughter says she only buys free range eggs........  but I can't get through to her what that really means at times.

On the occasions that we don't get enough eggs from our girls, we go without, or we are lucky enough that there are others around here who have their own chooks.

[Sooz]

I got two ex-free rangers in May and they were actually in excellent condition and really friendly. I am picking up some more rescue birds in October and you have made me fear the worst.   

[Carrie99]

HI all, thanks for the replies!

I hope I haven't caused too much concern Sooz...they seem fine health-wise...(touch wood) but they are just very baldy and frightened at the moment.

I was just quite surprised, I knew free range wasn't always as dreamy as I would like but I thought it was considerably better than it seems to have been for them. One of my girls did arrive with a slight injury to her claw, looks like its been tugged a little or something so she is now on her own whilst that heals up as she was bleeding slightly...which is a bit troubling as I now have to try and get her re-introduced to the other hens at some point. She's enjoying her own share of food at the moment though :-)

[snow white]

My friend got some ex free range chickens and they are super.  In good condition, laying really well even 2 years later, and very friendly.  Think it depends on the farm really.  I have also worked for a chicken company years ago that produced free range chickens for eating.  They had to shoo them out of the hut every day otherwise they would stay inside.  We are lucky around our way, we have a few small free range egg producers and you can see them strutting about in the fields even outside the fields in the hedgerow where they escaped.....

[alaj]

Hiya
We took on 8 free range hens a couple of months ago to add to our bunch of ex-bats. As you say, they were in generally good health to look at etc but psychologically.....a different story. We have only just now got their trust after 10 weeks.  I cannot begin to imagine what they went through but the cowering when my teenage son initially went near them spoke volumes....they now mug him knowing his pockets are like sweetie shops for chickens 
Anna

[Carrie99]

It's just really sad isn't it. The ex-batts were clearly not acustomed to human contact but this definitely seems different, like you say. It's an almost terror-like fear. Francis, the hen I have seperated for now, is just coming to terms with me being around as I've given her so much contact but initially it was horrible to see her so frightened...although very nice that she pecked me this morning when I fed her and I think it was more to do with curiousity then fear which is progress :-).

[GrannieAnnie]

You'll see Carrie, it won't be long until they turn in 'normal' hens, after all they are the same breeds as the others, which are basically friendly.

they've just not had much contact with humans so far in their lives.