[scabs]

OK, I have my allotment and am waiting for it to be napalmed before I can get on the thing; I have my work cut out and many jobs to do, but chickens will be on the menu ('scuse the pun, I actually want layers) eventually and I like the idea of ex-batts but am completely new to all this.

I have a couple of books which cover the basics, but nothing on battery hens...

So, a couple of questions:

Why do ex-batts become ex-?
Do they continue to lay regularly?
Are they pumped full of chemicals and are there health issues?
Do I start with three, or do they require a larger group?

Er...

I think that's it for now.

Thanks!  

[Aunt Sally]

Why do ex-batts become ex-?
Do they continue to lay regularly?
Are they pumped full of chemicals and are there health issues?
Do I start with three, or do they require a larger group?

They become ex- because they are over 72 weeks old and have had their first laying season and are no longer considered economically useful.

Older birds lay less regularly and poorer quality eggs, they may have inclusions (meat or blood spots) and often have poor shells.  They may have health problems associated with their life of intensive egg laying.  Cage layer fatigue which means lack of calcium causing muscle and bone problems.

Once cage hens are released into the "wild" - your garden - they will meet all  sorts of health challenges mainly from wild birds that they have not come across before so have no resistance to.

Three would be a minimum number to start with six would be better as it is likely that one or two may not "make it"!

[mtoyne]

Hiya, aunt sally has said it all but from personal experience ive not had any deaths/ health problems (maybe im lucky) weve got 3 but only because we already had a few chickens and we dont have the space for more. A lot of people will say that ex batts arnt ideal for first time chicken keepers but weve found ours to be very gentle, loving and easy pets, again maybe im just lucky. good luck.

[Aunt Sally]

maybe im just lucky.

... or a good chicken keeper !!

[mtoyne]

... or a good chicken keeper !![/quote]
Hopefully im a good chicken keeper. Ours seem happy anyway. Biggest suprise to us when we got our ex batts is that they are so friendly, our non ex batts are sort of ' we know its you who feeds us but you still arnt getting a cuddle' our ex batts wont leave us alone when we are outside. They really are so loving.
I sound like a nutty chicken woman now dont i.

[WoodyK]

I don't like to reply giving advice because i've only had my girls a few weeks and i have taken so much information from the knowledgable people on here.

All i can say is that i am completely new to keeping chickens, I am now the proud keeper of 3 ex batts and i love them dearly. I get nearly one egg a day at the moment but my biggest concern is getting them all fit and fully feathered.

I have one girl that is particularly shabby and lays soft shelled eggs but i love watching her running around the garden, she seems so happy. My main aim is that they have a good retirement and if i get some nice fresh eggs then that is even better.

I just wish i got six girls now rather than three ;-)

not sure if this helps you much

[richyrich7]

Don't know if you will get much meat off an exbatt they are hybrids bred to lay and to eat as little as possible in the mean time. Hence they tend to be light fowl you should really be looking at a utility bird like Rhodies, Light Sussex LF.

[conventgirl]

I would totally recommend ex batts as they are soo friendly  

In my experience, in both sets of ex batts i have encountered health problems (1 out of 6, 1 out of 4) but i wouldnt let that put you off getting them as the peeps on here can give you some great advice if you need it  

It is a very rewarding experience to see them behaving like chickens, feathering up and enjoying their life after such a terrible start.

Currently my ex batts are laying better than my non ex batts!!!

Give them a go...im sure you wont regret it  

[Roughlee Handled]

I have had my 4 ex batts for a month now and no problems at all.  In fact one of them is my most friendliest chicken.

[scabs]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the advice.

How about mixing ex-batts with others... is this problematic at all?

[Roughlee Handled]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the advice.

How about mixing ex-batts with others... is this problematic at all?

All I can tell you about it my experience and it was not too bad.  The exbatts had been here a week, two at the max.  I introduced three 16 week hybrids.  The run was very large and all was ok.  The more you introduce at any one time lessens the targets for the "hen pecking".  No blood just the loss of the odd feather or 6.

[upert]

i've had ex batts for two weeks  on my allotment now and they have come on fine. i have securely enclosed them and put netting, then tarpaulin, over them to keep wild birds and rain out. i think at least one might have started to use the perches to roost at night, but mainly they've been sleeping in the nestboxes. sometimes three in one. i've had over 40 eggs from the 6 of them.

no health problems so far (touch wood) though there's been some odd-looking behaviour that my half of the allotment site has been getting used to; people get very alarmed when the chickens do usual chicken things, even daring to sit down for a bit, but it's new to many of us and show my fellow allotmenteers care.

i fretted over many things but they have been very easy  to keep, they soon got over their shyness and now mob me when i enter the coop. they do like their worms. the only thing i'm still concerned about is getting the pecking order sorted as two of them are pecked more than others but nothing too severe.

i got 6 hens and i could've coped with more. even more eggs (wonderful yellow yolks) could've been dealt with either by more forays into baking or simply giving them away or playing swopsies.

make sure you have straw and/or wood chippings as it can get a bit mucky under foot. also they'll clobber your weeds nicely. if your site is anything like mine you'll find the weed 'fat hen' in abundance which the hens like but they will decimate most weeds for you.

[ceri green]

what is "fat hen"? i've got plenty of weeds but not heard of this one! hopefully its another name for one i've already got!!!  

[upert]

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=17