[Craigx]

I have 5 ex battery hens and with this cold weather i am curious.. because x bats r kept inside for the majority of there life will these very cold weather, effect them?

I dont think it effect them at all, but i am curious..


Craig

[joyfull]

they will have become acclimatised to the outdoor weather by now and the weather will be no problem for them - remember that most adult hens moult at this time of year and some end up looking oven ready so don't worry 

[8doubles]

I think they adapt fairly fast and are warm enough if they have plenty of food. I have a couple of new ex-batts who found the warm spot out of the wind under the coop soon enough.

I also have an old non-batt who chooses to moult  her feathers every year at the first sign of snow ! 

[Craigx]

joyful to help them with the moult, iv given them some cat food, ( I Think next time i plan on giving them cat food, ill use a 12 ft pole to push it in!!)


But OK thank you for answering the actual question and not telling me what to feed them to help lol, another page started going on about 3pm feed them wheat, i was curious, if you dont ask, you dont learn lol

Craig

[Craigx]

hello 8doubles thank you for your post,

They have layers allday, and whatever bugs whatnot they find in the garden,

first sign of snow? and you dont worry?


I know normal hens i wouldnt have a worry at all, but like i said theyv been in cages in a preheated room (sounds like a oven!) so was alittle curious,

Does the beak ever fully repair its self?

Craig

[joyfull]

I never feed mine cat food (although I know lots do - most cat foods are chicken based so I don't like that idea), when mine moult I do nothing different - layers, mixed corn treat, garlic water and apple cider vinegar (sometimes) and the occasional fruit and veg. At the moment they are helping themselves to the windfall apples.

[8doubles]

I believe that battery farms in this country are not heated by anything other than several thousand hens, in fact a lot of money is spent trying to keep them cool !

I did worry about a half naked hen running about in the snow at first but i now know she can handle the cold .

[compostqueen]

They should have cover though to keep them dry. They don't mind cold but are not mad on being cold and wet 

[joyfull]

when I had my ex-batts they refused to go under cover out of the rain - probably because they had never encountered it in their previous life 

[Craigx]

Hello,

Joyfull - I make sure its tuna only, there is noway id give them chicken! after giving them the cat food, a day later i had a couple of fresh eggs, they got a tasty treat and so did i, win win! ...plus i know it has some benefits for them, which is the main reason i do give it them..

Compostqueen - they do, they can go back in the coop or under the cover of a old sign! (Even tho iv dismantled all but the sides of my run area, due to hitting my head on the metal beam and it making me bleed,so i took it out and slowly working my way through it, making it higher and stabler)

8doubles - Oh ok i throught they was heated, they seem OK this morning and i know when i went to bed it was just below -1 this morning,


Craig