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Produce => Kept Animals => Topic started by: agapanthus on March 10, 2006, 15:14:17
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Does anyone know where I could get some ex-battery hens in the Suffolk area?
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Sorry I can't help Aga. I shall go and look through my Practical Poultry magazine to see if there is anything in there.
Did you see "Jimmy's Farm " on tv last Tuesday? He went and picked up a 100 ex battery hens. They were in a pitiful state poor things.
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There's an article in Practical Poultry about the charity BHWT British Hen Welfare Trust. There is a telephone number 01769 580310
The article is about different ways of helping the charity in it's cause.letter writing and suchlike, but hopefully they would be able to help you locate some chooks.
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Thanks for that Hel.....no I did'nt see it but I can imagine what a dreadful state they must have been in :'( If I can help just 2 or 3 it'll be a start. ;)
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Brilliant Aga. I'd love to know how you get on. Have thought about it myself but I think I have alot of hens already...but still I could squeeze 2 or 3 in! Trying to persuade myself here.
The ones on Jimmy's farm were featherless and confused. They have gone to live in to two converted caravans in a field and were gadding about as happy as larry after a couple of weeks :D
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I'm totally ignorant about the lives of hens and poultry keeping in general. How long do hens live for? Is there a website where I could read about them? Glad to hear that ex battery hens are getting a chance at a better life. In retirement?
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The magazine I get has it's own forum www.practicalpoultry.co.uk Haven't been there for a while as they were updating it and afterwards I couldn't log in!
Have read that well kept chooks can live for about 8 to 10 years.
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Thanks Heldi!
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I thought that taking on ex-battery hens was very thoughtful of Jimmy.
Poor things looked like they had been plucked ready for the oven.
I think he said they were about 50p each...
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I thought it was thoughtful too. Did you see it when they only got one egg out of 100 hens! ;D
Those little pigs were lovely too. I wouldn't be able to let them go to slaughter they were such rascals and so cute!
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I'm a bit worried Hel in case I get the urge to have more afterwards!!!! The old man woud go nuts!! ;D ;D
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All battery poultry farmers get rid of their hens just before the end of their first laying season. Yellow pages may help you here
Without teaching anyone to suck eggs... here's a few tips from when we used to do this when I was a kid/teenager.
1) When bringing them home, don't put them outside as they did on Jimmys farm, the poor things will be scared stiff. Place them inside a shed or somewhere for the first day, then let them come out in their own time from day 2. They have never seen daylight before you got them, so no wonder its all scary >:(
2) You will need to teach them to perch, they have lived on slatted cages
3) You may need to teach them to lay their eggs in nest boxes (this was usually easy - just place the eggs there!)
4) You may need to teach them to drink and feed
5) Start by feeding them proprietory pellets, this will be what they are used to, don't expect them to solely eat other items from day one without stomach upsets - introduce other foods slowly
6) They are unlikely to "know" each other, so expect some sorting out of "pecking order" this shouldn't be serious, as they are "all in it together" so to speak, and do genuinely appear grateful and happy.
6b) added later! - if you do get "hen pecking" deal with it with stockholm tar immediately...
7) They will bring diseases (this was why in the end mum stopped buying them, and we went over to "point of lays")
8) They will stop laying soon after you get them, they will have a moult, they will then recommence (depending on time of year!)
9) You WILL get attached to them - Egg production will drop dramatically after their 2nd season - think about what you will do with them then; are you happy with the occasional egg in order to keep them as pets? (this was why my parents in the end stopped having hens altogether as Dad hated dispatching them ::)) I did have a friend who kept all their hens till they died of old age, and one of them was still providing an egg a week in summer at an age I think of 8, but I believe this was unusual!!!
10) They will become the friendliest birds of all. I have a photo of me "cuddling" one when I was young! - it was very happy for me to do this ;D (but then again, I trained my rabbit to lie upside down in a pram covered with a blanket!!!)
Good luck
mat
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They will sleep with me initially....or in my room I hasten to add! I understand they will need a lot of love and care....which I am very prepared to give them ;D I already have 1 ex-battery hen that I took from a friend who has a farm in Yorkshire....she was yet left to get on with it....but I fell in love with her and brought her home with me about 4 or 5 years ago. She is a chicken with attitude. 8) 8)I'll let you all know how I get on.
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Thanks Mat. As a grandmother of 8, I'm happy to suck these eggs ! That was really helpful! My mum lived through 2 wars and had loads of chickens. She was really soft-hearted and couldn't stand to see them on the dinner table, hence we got none in the yard!
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They will sleep with me initially....or in my room I hasten to add! I understand they will need a lot of love and care....which I am very prepared to give them ;D I already have 1 ex-battery hen that I took from a friend who has a farm in Yorkshire....she was yet left to get on with it....but I fell in love with her and brought her home with me about 4 or 5 years ago. She is a chicken with attitude. 8) 8)I'll let you all know how I get on.
Be cautious of the fact that just as they are scared of daylight; they are initially scared of people, as they do not see people frequently, and when they do, it is generally not very pleasant! They are fed and watered automatically, the eggs are removed automatically and dead ones could be in a cage for a day, before being noticed, as they are so tightly packed together... I used to work in agriculture (sheep) and I was helping on a HUGE estate (i.e. over 800 milking cows!!!) at lambing time one year. I got to know the elderly poultry man (as I was on sole duty of "night shift" and we would chat as he came on duty early) and he invited me in to see the hens in one of their buildings (massive). I have to say, the welfare standards on this estate were VERY high, but he warned me I would be shocked... I was :o and could only stand about a minute of it: it was dimly lit, smelly, the chickens could hardly move, dead hens were brought out every morning (the lucky ones) and it really was shocking. And this was on an estate where I knew he cared and welfare standards were met... I could appreciate why our few hens we bought each year were initially traumatised, but became so friendly...
Oh and inflation of ex-battery hens must be 0%, because although it was many years ago we used to get them, they were only 50p then!!! (and that ws cheap even then!)
I never buy eggs from battery or barn hens now - only free range...
Good luck with your new "purchases"
mat
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When I was first married (53years ago) I lived with in-laws as Charlie was still in the Army. When Mum and I returned from shopping there would be Pat (wired Fox Terrier, Dad used to breed them) and Sarah Cluck Ma-i-l's one and only chicken waiting at the end of the drive for us :)
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I feel sick knowing what dreadful short lives these poor birds have ,dreadful deaths too.When the full horror of their existence became apparent to me,several years ago i became a vegetarian,and made sure i only ever ate what i knew to be free range eggs.
My mother kept hens and she rescued quite a few of these poor souls.They couldn't walk properly,kept falling over,just looked terrified,half bald,and so thin .I just cried at the difference between them and the lively friendly fat free range hens she already had.This is what made me investigate further and i was so shocked and angered by it i have campaigned ever since.
It is going to be banned ......... in about another 5 years,but only in Europe.Why the hell does it take 5 years? There is one of these concentration camps on the outskirts of my village.Surrounding it is 2 huge fields,laid to waste.This so angers me,i so wish i could go and open those doors and let them out into the fields!But why can't they become free range? In fact they would probably earn the owner more,as we all pay a premium for free range.Good on M and S and Waitrose for only supplying free range.
Sorry to go on but i get so upset at the whole issue.........
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links for rehoming battery hens that may be of interest
http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/ (http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/)
Dogpages forum - rehoming other animals
http://www.dogpages.org.uk (http://www.dogpages.org.uk)
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Thanks for all the info folks ;D
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Hi Aga
you might find this site interesting,
http://www.downthelane.net/Page_35.html
it's certainly made me think about having ex battery hens when I finally get some chooks. But for the time being I've got to be patient, something I'm not terribly good at ::)
MM
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Really useful info Glow and MM, e.g. I think I'll be phoning Hellmans and making my own mayonnaise all of the time.
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That's a very interesting site MM. It's good to know that some people do care. I would dearly love to get my hands on these so called farmers >:(
Anyway, had a call from the co-ordinator and she should be going to get some very soon....if the farmers deigns to take her call....and then after a phone call it will be a quick ride up the coast to collect them ;D I'll give further news when I have more information ;D
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Hi aga
I think generally chickens have horrendous lives which is one of the reasons I became a vegetarian and why I would love to have some hens.
I'm looking forward to happy news from you very soon. :)
MM
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Just got the pick-up date...1st April!! Am getting excited (but nervous) at the same time ;D ;D
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That's great ;D
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Good luck agapanthus! Please share the before and after photos with us.
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Will do ;D
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Agapanthus, mind you don't become like Martin in this video:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/articles/s/suffolk_chickens.shtml
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that chicken go a bit of a shock didn't it?
I've been looking on web to buy chickens and I can't find a site!! :o
I've emailed someone through BHWT about battery chucks but i would like to get some other ones aswell. I've put the following into the search - chickens, chickens for sale, poultry, poultry for sale, hens, laying hens.
I remember looking last year and did come up with quite a few sites, how come i'm not now? Does anyone know of any chicken seller's web site? Please let me know :)
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Littlegem... look up the wernlas collection (nr Ludlow, Shropshire) http://www.wernlas.com/ they have a huge collection of breeds, they are open to the public (as a farm park type place) and they sell birds too. The lady who runs it also writes a regular column in the Country Garden and Smallholder magazine (sold in WHSmiths) Otherwise, buy a copy of the above magazine as they have a HUGE listing of poultry breeders
Hope this is of help
mat
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Thanks mat, but it's too far away from me, I live in Nth Notts, Thanks anyway, LG
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littlegem, go to the practical poultry forum (do a google search for practical poultry and the forum link will be on that page) and ask there, they have lots of breeders all over the country who will be able to help you and they're good for advice when you need it too. :)
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I agree with Jesse Littlegem...The poultry forum is a great place....good luck ;D
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i agree too, i have signed up and left a post, fingers crossed :) thanks jesse
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let us know if you get some hens and we'd love to see pictures too :)
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Littlegem... look up the wernlas collection (nr Ludlow, Shropshire) http://www.wernlas.com/ they have a huge collection of breeds, they are open to the public (as a farm park type place) and they sell birds too. mat
littlegen, I think they might deliver to your area
MM
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littlegen, I think they might deliver to your area
MM
Yes, they certainly used to deliver both fertile eggs and live birds, but thinking about it, recent changes for couriers have made it harder to deliver live animals, so I don't know how they do this now...
The magazine I mentioned is still a good starter (as well as the website someone else mentioned) for finding poultry breeders/sellers around the UK.
mat
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What changes are those Mat?
MM
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I've been looking on web to buy chickens and I can't find a site!! :o
LG the easiest way is to find someone who keeps chickens and ask them where they got theirs from and where they got their feed etc from.
Selling hens is (with the exception of a few business) a local(ish) activity so websites probably arn't that good. Also try local papers.
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..going off at a slight tangent here, but I was so disturbed by the battery hens that
were shown on Jimmy's Farm, that i now buy free range eggs.
The confusion and distress that the hens were so obviously suffering, really left a
mark on me :'(
It was great to see them returned to normal and looking healthy with all their feathers, so
"good on ya" to all who take on ex-battery hens :-*
Debs
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debs, i am so glad you buy free range eggs now, and i'm so glad that jimmies has shown the true extent of battery eggs, i hope there are so many more minds changed, and battery eggs will be a thing of the past. they don't have to be expensive, netto do them and i think they're only about 70p for 1/2 dozen, farmers markets are reasonable too
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I've been buying free range organic eggs for over 10 years now but I still have to really search for them in the Edinburgh area.
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I've finally got the girls ;D They're in not too bad nick considering.
The co-ordinator said they were the best hens she had ever
collected. She rescued about 150 hens and had homes for all
of them, which was nice ;D
Have a few pics below...starting with pictures of my original
hens for comparison. :D
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Poor bonny wee things. :)
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They were grawrc....but have really made themselves at home
here. It's wonderful watching them experience things for the first time.
Preening, for instance. I'm sure they hav'nt done it before...
but they knew what to do ;D Even to the point of pecking
each others preening gland!! ;D They can even scratch now...
which they obviously did'nt before ;D ;D
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Ah bless them and it's good to hear they are settling in so well. Looking forward to regular up-dates.
And are those your buff orpingtons in the first pics?
MM
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Yes...Red and Marigold ;D
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Oh, those poor hens, there must be a law that prohibits them getting into that state. >:( If it was any other animals, the owners would be prosecuted.
How wonderful that you are able to give them a good home Agapanthus. I bet they think they are in heaven now. It will give you a lot of pleasure seeing them progress over the months ahead. I feel it may be some time though before you will be able to integrate them with your other chickens. I have two going broody at the moment and when I take them out of the nest boxes the other chickens all go for them and peck them. I am going to have to separate them tomorrow and put them where there is not a nest box. I can't really raise anymore chicks at the moment.
Please keep us posted on their progress. Have you got names for them yet?
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Aw Aga,I think you have done a wonderful thing. I'm really looking forward to seeing how your new girls progress.
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Thanks Heldi... :)
Pauline...Yes they are called..Rosie Posie, Bramble and Dimples (that's the one with the bare bottom!!) ;D ;D
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Bless you Aga.If only more people would look past the cost of their food,and consider how it was produced.I don't watch Jimmys farm but i am so glad it highlighted the dreadful lives that battery hens have.And now you are posting these photos hopefully a few more will stop and think.The more that people buy free range eggs the cheaper they will become.A few more pence per box will not make any difference to their lives but it will mean a huge difference in terms of the hens.
When i buy mine,I always make a point of commenting to those who also pick up the free range ones.If someone is about to choose the other kind i say" well done"rather loudly to my new found ally!! and glare at the poor shopper who does not realise what he has done to upset me.!!I have actually got a few to change their minds when i point out how much nicer they taste and how much better lives the chickens have too!!
I hope one day Morrisons or Tescos don't cotton on!!Actually i suppose i am doing them a favour,putting more money their way!!Wonder if they will recruit me.........???
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I doubt it Margaret...you sound too militant!! ;D ;D
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well good for you Margaret, I think a lot of people buy without considering or knowing the conditions of battery hens, they just look at price, I used to be one of them until I saw what the poor hens look like and how they are kept, as you say a few more pence for most people is not going to make much difference in their lives. :)
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it's like everything else: if people refused to buy battery eggs then battery hens wouldn't exist.
My aim is to get locally produced free range organic eggs. I can get them alright in the supermarket, but I'm enough of a green fanatic not to want stuff that has travelled half way round the country before I buy it.
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I tend to buy locally as well when it's possible, my eggs are as local as they get...from our garden ;D
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Bless them, at least they now have their forever home, i havnt got much space here, but if i moved and had land id have battery hens too, ive looked on this website, http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/index.html and got so upset, disgusting how they are allowed to be kept in such cruel conditions.
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had a phone cale today, i'm gonna pick up 5 rescue battery hens next sunday! :D apparantly they're in pretty good nick, the farmer only keeps 4 in a cage as opposed to 6! they've got good fit and aren' as bad as some! fingers crossed. oh, and they're only 18 months old. does anyone live near lincoln way that wants any? PM me and i'll pass the number on for your! :)
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Good for you Littlegem..... ;D Mine are thriving and a few feathers are growing back!!....
still very skinny tho' but I'm sure that will change eventually. They each have their own personalities...
Bramble does'nt mind cuddles....Rosie Posie is always managing to get through to the fenced off bit
of garden and I can't get Dimples out of the kitchen!! ;D ;D
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;D
What a great thing to do Aga, well done you!! Glad to hear the girls are settling in well, Dimples sounds like my kinda girl!!
;D
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She is definitely a little bugger!! ;D ;D
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We want to see photos aga as they progress :)
MM
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Okie doke ;D
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Cmon! Almost a month since the last ones! Update pretty please!
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I was thinking the same.
so how about it aga ;D
MM
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Apologies for not posting pics earlier :-[
The chook with the most feathers is Bramble...she always did have more plumage.
The one with the dodgy wing feathers is Rosie Posie...she's a bit slower in getting new feathers....
and the other one is Dimples...she was the one with the bare bum and drumsticks!!!
The one on my head is Bramble!!!!!! :o ;D ;D ;D
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Aga, thanks so much for posting some pics, it makes my heart sing to see them doing so well, especially Dimples as she looked as though she had been totally plucked bless her. And they are so tame, I had read that ex battery girls are very friendly and tame once they have settled in their new home. I can't wait to get mine, hopefully it won't be too long now. I seem to spend so much of my time these days looking at chook housing, lol
MM
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MM....I shall look forward to seeing yours ;D
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I will probably drive you mad with pics of them. ::) I have already spoken to the guy in Lincolnshire about having 4 from the next collection they do after we move. It's where littlegem got hers.
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That's not a problem MM....go mad with the camera ;D ;D
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I won't need you to tell me twice ;D ;D
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It's lovely to see the rescue hens doing so well. ;D Thanks for posting the pics. :D
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Nice one Aga. Looks like they are well on the mend.