[Porffor]

I guess you get a lot of 'wanna be' chicken keepers.

I am interested in buying a couple of battery chickens. The local egg factory is having a 'sell off' of birds that have been laying for a year. We are 40 miles away, so first question is if this is too much stress for the hens?

We have a local feedstore (we keep horses) that sells chickens, would I be better to have 'normal' ones first, to learn with or could I really give a couple of rescued girls a home?

I have read up on a rescue societies page that they need to roost on the 'ground' at first, basically not on a roosting perch. As not used to it, and how to 'home' them.

We have a guine pig run and a spare hutch.. the run is used by the pigs in the day, but they could have a time share (moving it to a different spot).

I wanted to know how you feed (bowl or just scatter) and water (bowl or a special drinker).

Also, if a rabbit hutch is any good initially. Till we build/make a home for them?
It's just under 4' by 2' in depth. It's no longer used for the guinea pigs.  I was going to put it on freecycle but if it'll make a chicken home for the time being it'd be handy. I could put some form of perch in easy enough and it's secure against foxes etc. We had a fox try to get to the pigs but he doesn't visit often and never gets sucess!  

Also, I've read on here that they can roost in a tree, is it worth putting perches up for them in tree's in our garden?

How far would they roam? We have fields at the back, but they are not ours, there are horses and donkeys in there. Our garden is secure to stop our two terriers getting out (who would need to be introduced to the birds slowly of course), so the hens would have to fly out of the garden really.
would they honestly come back if they did?

Ok.. as for feed, i've read that battery hens are fed a 'mash' type of feed, and it's comfort feed if they are ill and when they first come away, so need to track that down if we do get the rescues.

Also read about injections and treatments.. what do these cost?

Thanks for your help.
I've a million questions! sorry!

[Foxy]

Hi and a big welcome to the henhouse!
You have come to the right place with regard to rehoming exbats as there a quite a few here who have done just that. One thing with exbats is they need a little extra tlc but its not that difficult. I am sure you will get loads of support if you decide to go down that route.
A medium size hen would need  a minimum 1foot sq of room per bird in the house if you only have 2 a small house would do -however, always wise to go a bit bigger for cleaning purposes and of course in case you end up with a few more!  
Run size should be a minimum of 1 metre sq. per bird however try and give them as much room as possible.  Initially  I would think a small run/henhouse until they get settled would be fine -then start thinking about run types depending on how you intend to keep them e.g. free-ranging, (full or part-time) run base-grass(will be gone very quickly!)  chipped bark, woodchippings or gravel are all used here.
A purpose feeder for chickens - and kept in the henhouse if possible really to keep dry and away from rodents and wild birds. A little scatter mixed corn in the afternoon as a treat is good as long as is is all eaten.
Hope this helps for now and good luck!!

[Porffor]

It does thanks! Also nice to know i'm not mad for wanting to get some ex-battery hens! Was hoping that being a novice wasn't a bad thing.

Is it imperitive that the run be 'clear' of plants? I have a couple of flowering shrubs on 1/3rd of my garden (to the right of my path. We have shingle down in a section of that and would happily donate that ground to bark/shingle and the chickens. It's bordered by a normal hedge. Would that need fencing off? Would love them to be freerange until night time, and tucked up in bed before dark. We are used to tucking the guinea pigs in at night.  

I was hoping that the hutch would be 'ok' to bring them home to, and settle them into, then maybe build or buy a house for them. On your ration it would be ok for 2-3 hens.  :?: if i have my maths right. But as said am happy to enlarge that once they've settled.

How do you give water? just in a bowl?

Thanks again.

[Poolfield2]

The hutch would adapt well as a henhouse for just a couple of girls, they like to be private to lay so the "bed" end of the house should work. Hopefully they will learn to perch so as long as there is enough room above them to move into position they will be happy chooks.

I don't have posh feeders or drinkers, just shallow, wide based dishes from Wilkinsons. Chooks are very clumsy so it has to be something that they can't knock over.

I haven't had ex bat chooks but I believe as long as you are willing to put in a bit of extra work at the beginning it's very rewarding. They usually lay soon after they settle in but in my experience it can be quite difficult to get Point Of Lay birds at sensible prices.

Hope you enjoy whatever you go for. The best eggs you will ever taste!

[Porffor]

Thanks for solving the dish query. pretty much like guinea pigs and my dogs then!
I don't mind if they don't lay, It would be nice though!

There's a feedstore near me that always has hens, different breeds and amounts, so could have a chat with them about ages etc. I do however like the idea of the ex-bats.

Great to know the hutch would work might help my hubby come round! lol he didnt' like the idea of the house I looked at that cost £200!! surprisingly enough! lol

[pushrod]

water is given in a drinker , there are a couple of types other wise they will walk in to bowls and upset them. (Will see if i can find a piccy)

plants are fine - they add a bit of interest even if they are not edible   . The hedge might need fencing if you don't want them to go through it.

edit : there is a few drinkers on this LINK

[Porffor]

Thanks I'll google drinkers and see what i find.  
And will speak to next door about the hedge, there may be a barrier on their side, or in between i'm not sure. We have a breeze block wall on the other side, so not sure if that's behind the hedge or not.  :?

Glad I don't have to dig up the shrubs! They're pretty in the spring.

[pushrod]

one good thing about ex batts is that they will often lay thru their first winter when non batts all stop til january or later.

[Porffor]

Thanks it does warn they lay wherever they are.. so can see the girls scanning the garden each afternoon! lol even in the rain and snow!

Thought you'd all laugh at my inexperience Thanks so much everyone.

[poultrygeist]

Hi Porffor

One thing about the hutch. You'll need to check the headroom so they can stand up and eventually perch (though they don't need to be high off the ground). Depending on what size birds you go for you'll want a bit of clearance above their heads. Can't advise a minimum cos we've got an apex roof with about 24" clearance !

Also, you may find the shrubs will be stripped bear of any leaves or buds depending on what they are. I planted a nice shrub in the run and they'd turned it into a twiggy mess in 2 days. Replaced with a small conifer and they leave it alone.

Hope you can get it all sorted ok.

Rob

[peggyprice]

Welcome Porffor to the forum and to the obsession that is chicken keeping ...

I'd recommend getting proper drinkers - I started with big dog bowls & though they didn't knock them over they did stand in them - and worse, I was constantly having to change the water because they are the messiest creatures I've ever come across and the wood chips/soil/bits of gravel/bits of plant that they scratched up from the floor of the run all seem to end up in the bowl  :roll:

I intended to start with ex-bats (having rescue dogs & a rescue cat it seemed the right thing to do), but I'm rather glad now that I didn't - even with my girls, all of whom arrived happy and healthy, I've had all sorts of challenges - everything from egg eating and squabbling to one beautiful bird dying of (we think) a stroke within the first ten days.  

What that's taught me is that even the healthiest birds can take up a lot of time and attention, and I'm quite relieved I didn't take on a bigger responsibility with the ex-bats.  We've only had them a month and it's like having another bunch of kids - I love them to bits but I'm constantly having to think about whatever their latest problem is! :roll:

Whatever you decide though I'm sure you'll have a great time; and you'll find lots and lots of friendly, experienced, informed and understanding help here ...  

[Porffor]

Thanks for the tips. Will have a think about the head room, and putting a perch in. Was only thinking of this as a temporary measure. Was thinking of a DIY henhouse, or maybe a halfsize shed, you know a 'tool' store as a cheap alerternative to a purpose built henhouse.

My hubby is pretty handy so I'm sure he'd make something up for me.

Also thanks about the shrubs. will have to see how they fair! it's the best part of the garden for them, so if the shrubs have to go, then they'll have to go. Could always replant them soon, when they've finished flowering. Would give the chooks about 15' x 45' or so as a 'run' and could fence it off if need be too. The girls use the other section of the garden anyhow.

[babe]

hi porfavor

welcome to the henhouse.

glad you want to get some chickens they are absolutely wonderful.

i would always suggest that anyone new to chooks to get a couple of young healthy birds first, to learn about them before getting ex batts.

some ex batts can be in a really bad way, and if only having two, if one doesnt make it through the rescue, you could end up with a very sad lonely chicken. and its always good to know what a healthy poo looks like before you get an ex batt that will need alot of tlc and attention.

chickens are addictive, so you will probably end up with your own little flock. you sound like they will be pets, and there will always be chickens in need of a good home.

if you do decide to get ex batts now, please ask about absolutely anything on here, there is usually someone about who has been there and can help

[pushrod]

Thanks for the tips. Will have a think about the head room, and putting a perch in. Was only thinking of this as a temporary measure. Was thinking of a DIY henhouse, or maybe a halfsize shed, you know a 'tool' store as a cheap alerternative to a purpose built henhouse.

purpose built henhouses cost a fortune for what they are - cheap sheds are a very good alternative as you can walk inside to clean them, but your best bet is to give a handy husband £40 and a promise  

with regards to drinkers my own recommendation would be to get a galvanised one - the translucent plastic ones tend to start getting algae inside them after a while.

[Porffor]

Hi Peggy,

so sorry we must've posted at a similar time, I didn't see your post.

Thanks for the wonderful advice, and I really hope you are over your troubles with your chickens!  :shock: Much like any animal there are no guarantee's.
 will have a look at the feeders/waterers.

I must admit it has crossed my mind that maybe i'm jumping in too deep with ex-bats first.. the cost is not the issue, as they are miles away so the petrol money would more than pay for healthy hens! lol
I like you have rescued in the past, indeed our first pony was skin and bone when we got him.. he broke my heart when i first saw him, and that was that he was ours!

Will have a nosey at the feed store I think and get the experience the right way. We are away for a couple of days next month so need to wait till after then. although i'm sure our neighbour would help i'd worry so soon after purchasing them. Will give me time to get things sorted in the garden too.

Babe- thanks also for the advice. I can imagine we'd end up with more than a couple of birds. That's partly why i'd like to 'extend' into a henhouse rather than buy one and it be too small but not be able to justify a bigger one!

I must admit i've seen a fair few chickens and ducks on freecycle looking for homes, so i'm sure we'll find more along the way. Maybe one day we'll have chicks I know my daughter would love that (as i would)! lol

Really do appreciate all of your advice.