[skyecon]

Hi

New to all of this collected our 3 ladies on Saturday and they have settled in great arrived with quite a few feather missing but seem really happy. Every time we go outside they're running up and down the coop begging to be let out already feeding from our hands and getting very friendly.

Any tips on where to place the water i've tried hanging it but the seem to keep bashing it and its empty by the time i get home and if i put it on the floor they knock it over it is a plastic drinker so not sure if the answer is to get a heavier metal one.

Anyone thinking of getting any battery hens even though i've only had them for a short time its great to see them running round the garden when they were destined for the supermarket shelf. They don't make much noise or mess except in their coop and the kids love them maggie even tried to play football today.

We got ours from the BHWT in Coventry really friendly and it surprises you how many people were there to give these poor girls a new home. Good luck to anyone else thinking of giving some needy girls a new home.   

[janeheritage]

We have a plastic drinker too. We stand it on its legs on a concrete slab, and as long as it is kept fairly full they don't knock it over.

Good luck with your girls, they are so lucky!

[joyfull]

Thinks thats the answer - get a bigger one and try to keep it full the extra weight will help keep it stable. So glad you're enjoying your chickens and welcome to the site 

[EggBound]

I gave up on my plastic drinker because the hens kept filling the rim full of wood shavings, so I put the water in a big pottery bowl I had and they seem fine with that.   Even if one stands on the edge it doesn't tip over.  I always try and leave 2 bowls out just in case though 

[Caralou]

Mine drink from my water fountain, refuse any of the drinkers. It does look pretty cool when I add poultry tonic to it and is bright red 

[nzdunn]

glad to hear they are finally happy bless them, welcome to the forum and lets some some pics please of the girls.     nickyx

[janeheritage]

Our drinker has 3 plastic legs and they make all the difference to keeping it out of the stuff that chooks scratch about 

[skyecon]

Here they are the first day all scared the second pic i can't keep them from coming out picture shows maggie the funny friendly one.

[joyfull]

oh bless, they look lovely and I bet they are really loving the freedom 

[tonethebone]

They look like they are enjoying their new found freedom!

We're picking our girls up this weekend and can't wait....

[nzdunn]

they are gorgeous and look full of character, you carnt help but feel emotional when you see these ex batts with missing feathers, could i just ask wot causes them to loose their feathers is it them pulling them out, dont know alot about them.       It will be lovely to see pics of them in a few mths time to see them all posh with their new feathers.  nickyx

[skyecon]

Their feathers seem a lot fluffier already and you can see new feathers already starting on one of them. My wife wants to know why they like toes maggie cant help but give them a bit of a peck would it be the vinegar smell lol.

[GrannieAnnie]

I'm pleased you are enjoying your ex battery girls Skyecon.  I hope they keep laying eggs for you for ages. 

But you mentioned them being destined for the supermarket shelf if you hadn't taken them on.  The only way they would see a supermarket shelf is in a tin of dog food.  Ex batts have no meat on them, they are just egg layers, so once their best days are over, that's when they end up being slaughtered for all the hard work they've done over their 18 months lives.

Poor little things

[raeburg]

Coventry BHWT is an impressive operation.  We got our girls from there last year.  In a couple of months you'll see a real difference in them.  They will be used to automatic water systems that don't get knocked over - with mine it was the feeder that they emptied onto the floor every day.  Enjoy!

[skyecon]

Thanks for the tips on the water seemed to have sorted it by filling it right to the top and using the legs seem to work for now until they have a scrap and chase each other round the run. It is funny when they are out the ring leader in the coop is the shy one out.