[niccid]

I want to rescue some ex-bats, but being a newbie to chooks and after reading a lot of posts on here, lots of people seem to think it might be a good idea to get a couple of chickens from a breeder first to gain some experience before getting ex-bats which will need a little extra tlc.

My question is if I get maybe two chickens and after say 6 months (a little experience under my belt) then introduce 2 or 3 ex-bats, would they be picked on by the others becuase they are a little weaker?

[Foxy]

Depends on the breed and age of the chooks you get. Although exbats are weak initally only because they are not used to using their muscles, they should be perfectly healthy though.
So should be OK as long as you are careful with how you introduce them.Give them time to recover from the stress of being released from their cages and used to a completely different enviroment before attempting to introduce them all.

[niccid]

Thanks Foxy

[GrannieAnnie]

I agree with Foxy, in fact, once your ex batts are acclimatized to being 'normal' chooks, you may find some of them can be a bit bossy themselves!!!!!

[niccid]

Do you think I should go straight for the ex-bats or get more experience? I am REALLY passionately (cannot stress it enough) anti-battery and want to rescue. Are they harder to care for? I would rather do that if I can, but don't know if thats how to go. Has anyone out there gone straight to ex-bats as their first chook experience in keeping them?

[Foxy]

Your local co-ordinator will be very supportive and give you loads of advice-plus you will get  support here.
It sounds like you will be terrific -I say do your research (as you obviously have) and go for it, we will all be behind you.

[GrannieAnnie]

Ex batts are not harder to look after, but some people find it VERY distressing when they first see them, and they need that extra bit of tlc to bring them up to stratch (is that a pun?) lol  

And sometimes they don't live very long after rescue as the stress is too much for them.  But you won't regret it, it's lovely to watch them take their first steps on grass and get wet in the rain, and look at the sky!!!!

Here's one of our earlier rescued girls when we first got her home!

[/IMG]

[niccid]

I know I will cry when I see them, I know some may not survive, BUT, I am willing to do all I can to give them a better life. I know I can't rescue them all but if I can give 5 or 6 a chance of a good life with lots of love, then I know it will be worth it.

I can't wait. We are preparing our garden at the moment, but the blooming weather is a pain. I want to be out every single day. Then we need to make a good coop and run for them. I am getting impatient, but it needs to be just right.

Weather permitting we are looking hopefully at 4 to 6 weeks as we are building ourselves.

We have talked (hubby and I) and decided to go straight for some ex-bat girls.

Grannie your little girl is a sweetie. x

[Porffor]

Hi and welcome!

I'm new to chicken keeping and intended to get some ex-batts. Did in the end buy a couple of pullets who have taught me the 'normal' side of chicken keeping it's been lovely to start slowly.

BUT.. i'm now hoping to get a couple of ex-batts. There is an egg farm 50 miles away selling off 1 year olds, and they are not in 'that bad' a state, so hoping they'll get on well. I know a couple of horsey folk that have already got some from the same place.

I really do wish you luck with your girls and the more rescued the better.

[niccid]

I am truly overwhelmed at the support you guys are giving me and i'm touched, I feel right at home here with people that are as passionate as me about the disgusting practice of battery farming, I find it totally and utterly repulsive, and the more people get on board to save these girls the better.

[kattcottrell]

Hi there and welcome to the greatest chook forum on the net. I think you sound like a wonderful and compassionate person and you've made me cry reading the posts on here about ex-bats.  I too wanted ex-bats but went for a couple of pullets instead but like porffor I now feel confident to get a couple of ex-bats and give them a good life(for however long that might be. Good luck to you.

[GrannieAnnie]

I don't have that little girly any more niccid.  When we decided to rear our own chicks, I re-homed all the ex batts because I needed the room, but 2 lovely ladies off freecycle took them for me, and they are now very spoilt girls in other parts of Lincolnshire!!!

We had 75 ex batts here at one time!!

[niccid]

Woah thats a lot of chooks. But good for you. I would re-home hundreds or thousands if I could, it makes me cry inside thinking of what the poor little things suffer through. BUT if like-minded people like us, can save a few at a time, it's at least a start.

[kattcottrell]

Trouble with me is that I hate driving and all the ex-bat rescue missions are never anywhere near my neck of the woods (Bristol) if anyone ever knows of any in my area-ish please could you let me know

[Kate and her Ducks]

Think the only thing I regret about having my ducks is that I don't have  room for a couple of ex-batts. Roll on the ban on battery farming although I'm not sure these "enriched" pens sound all that much better.