Adopting ex battery hens on sunday!

[Jessie_Jazz]

I am super excited - we are getting our first chickens on sunday. We will be adopting 4 ex bats from the little hen rescue centre (south east UK)

We are picking them up late morning - do we keep them in the coop all day to get them used to home, and not stress them out too much, or do we let them into the run too?

If anyone has any advice to give specific to ex battery hens I would be really grateful. I cant wait to watch them get healthy and happy :-D

 

[gryeyes]

I'd recommend coop for a while. They'll already be shell-shocked, and that will be much more room than they've ever enjoyed before.... after a few days, then let them out. They may not want to come out right away, even then. Just let them decided when to venture out.... but with the forced stay in the coop, they'll already have learned it's a safe place. They'll return to it around dusk each night, all by themselves.

And thank you so much for getting ex battery hens!! That's wonderful!

 

[canada-goose]

You should probably keep them locked up for the first day or so (not that I have any experience with ex battery hens

), so they can start getting accustomed to their new home.

Good luck!

 

[usschicago1]

THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT! I would keep them in the coop for a few days so they get used to open space. You don't want to overwhelm them

Mark

 

[love_a_duck]

what is an ex battery hen?

thank you for rescuing them anyway, no matter what it is.

 

[canada-goose]

Quote:
Ex battery hens are hens who were rescued from commercial egg farms.

 

[love_a_duck]

thank you kooshie.
i learn something new everyday here.

 

[JLS]

Way to go!! You'll be giving those ladies a wonderful life. Bliss.

 

[eggseroneous]

I agree with everyone else. Keep the ladies in for a few days.

I think it's just wonderful that you are adopting the ex-battery hens. I am so excited for you!

It will be such fun to see their little personalities bloom! Please keep us posted on their progress. And PICTURES!!

 

[Jessie_Jazz]

Thanks for the advice, I deffinately will keep you updateds with pics and progress reports

Is battery hen a british term or do you have the same sort o thing in the states? I'm expecting them to be pretty upsetting at first - might need to give em a jumper until their feathers grow back and teach them to eat, drink, lay in the right way etc. I expect I'll be asking for much more advice on here before they're up to full health!