New chucks - rescued battery hens.

Hi folks, today got 3 new chucks to join Daisy & Polly (Polly now back to normal after a few very worrying days and 2 trips to vet).  Picked them up from our local co-ordinator only wanted 2 due to small garden but can never say no, so came away with 3.  

2 look a bit moth eaten and bare bummed but seem generally in good health, the other looks like a normal chuck in good state.

Anyway when I got home it was a beautiful day so I thought well i'll open the carrier I brought them home in and give them the choice of staying there or coming out and enjoying the sunshine.

No contest the new hens out straight away and grubbing around garden happily.  The odd game of chase between new chucks & daisy & polly but nothing serious.  So went in to do something in the house.  

A little while later there was a terrible squawking, I thought either a cat or dog had got one of the chucks.

What I found had me in stitches, sarah (one of the new hens, named by my 3 yr old after a dinosaur in LBT), was perching/hanging on for dear life, to a lenghth of string i'd strung across the greenhouse eaves (for toms) wobbling backwards & forwards like an inept trapeze artist 4 ft off the ground.

Oh! b**gger they can fly.  

Rest of day enjoyed watching new chucks investigate garden and trying new things to eat including :- a wasp (one of the few i've seen this yr), maggots, grass, cabbage and other good stuff.

Didn't seem to want to go to bed at bed time though.  Congregated by french windows in light from back room.  Put them in house complaining (not me, them).

One perched on perch.  Other two took up residence perching on dividers between nest boxes (not particularly comfortable).

Looking forward to seeing what tommorrow brings, wish i'd the day off!

Also thingking might have to clip wings, though since the trapeze incident none have shown the urge to fly.

Hmm, was expecting somewhat unfit hens after being caged for past 12 months, but they're strong little b*ggers and really struggle when I pick them up, not like Daisy & Polly which are resigned to being picked up occasionally.

Was quite taken aback when the little sod showed she could fly & quite well at that. :shock:  :shock: Don't know how cos her wing feathers are threadbare. :?

Some of the literature says often they can barely walk :!:  

Awww, another 3 little lives saved!!!!!!   Good for you!!!

New chucks seem to be settling in and some of there personality starting to show.

Ellie - Yeah, seen it all before stick with me and you'll be alright (reminds me of Ronnie Barker in Porridge).

Rita - the most bedraggled one, a bit bossy and quite inquisitive.

Sarah - a bit shy and retiring, spent morning in rabbit hutch (my original chucks hen house, eschewing the nice spanking new chuck house). :?

My original hens Polly & Daisy a bit overawed by the 3 new comers & running away squawking if one came near them, so they spent the morning shut in pen whilst 2 of the newcomers free ranged the garden.  Sarah in pen with Polly and Daisy as wouldn't come out of the hutch.

All let out in evening when daughters came home from school and now much calmer.

When I came home from work it was raining, Polly & Daisy had taken up refuge on kitchen dormat.

The newcomers were all stood out in rain, except ellie who was sat & i'm sure they were all smiling

They still didn't want to go to bed, Elliesort of got idea and went up ramp as far as door then would jump off, others just sat there looking at the rain till I put them on their perches.

I reckon they've all had a really good day, and didn't want to go in for fear of never being let out again.    

Heh,  sounds like you have a few charachters there!

I contacted BHWT to see if I could rescue some for my lottie, but the furthest north they are is Derby!!!  That's practically London from where I am!

SnooziSuzi - I got mine from a co-ordinator in Haslingden (nr Blackburn), still a fair treck from you I know but a damn sight nearer than Derby.