Brought these rescue hens home tonight

[Backroadlogic]

What a beautiful sight! Those babies don't have a clue what a wonderful adventure and life lies ahead.It makes me want to cry!

They were so happy to be on real dirt with enough room to scratch around stretch out. I will post pics and video of there first outing here in a week for everyone! I'm excited for them.

 

[Backroadlogic]

Poor girls laid some very thin shelled eggs, no wonder they were scarfing up that layer feed I got them. I hardly tapped one of their eggs on the counter and it just fell apart like it was nothing, I'm used to having to actually tap with a little force.

It's been invthe 60s and 70s recently, going to drop to 18f tonight. Feel bad for them with all their bald spots. This pen was not designed with birds suffering like this in mind. Going out as soon as its light out to put some siding on their pen and plastic the top.

 

[Shadrach]

He said the birds he has are supposed to be between 14 months and 16 months. I didn't think to ask, I figured just production reds / Isa Reds. I'm going to find out for sure today.

There is considerable variation in the ages that a production hen is considered a spent hen and due for slaughter. Here in the UK eighteen months seems to be the norm.
Of course, the hens do still lay eggs, some outperforming younger non battery hens right up until they die.
I have yet to read a serious study on how the type of production keeping conditions affects the longevity of production hens: do caged hens die any earlier than so called free range production hens (?)
If one can keep them alive for more than five years in total (battery time and rescued time combined) one is doing quite well.
Most that I looked after managed to make four years and some months but all were ex caged hens.
There are various red sex linked breeds and I've found more often than not the rescue centers don't know which particular variety they have.

 

[Shadrach]

Poor girls laid some very thin shelled eggs, no wonder they were scarfing up that layer feed I got them. I hardly tapped one of their eggs on the counter and it just fell apart like it was nothing, I'm used to having to actually tap with a little force.

It's been invthe 60s and 70s recently, going to drop to 18f tonight. Feel bad for them with all their bald spots. This pen was not designed with birds suffering like this in mind. Going out as soon as its light out to put some siding on their pen and plastic the top.

Feed them mackerel/sardines for the first few weeks on top of whatever commercial feed you give; aim for four grams of fish protein from the fish per bird for the first few weeks. Take care to read the protein content stated on the tins; not all tinned sardines for example have the same protein content. At 20% protein per drained weight you're looking at roughly one tin for four birds.
I found real food made a major difference in how quickly the birds regained their plumage and overall health.
From this,

To this in a couple of months.

 

[Backroadlogic]

There is considerable variation in the ages that a production hen is considered a spent hen and due for slaughter. Here in the UK eighteen months seems to be the norm.
Of course, the hens do still lay eggs, some outperforming younger non battery hens right up until they die.
I have yet to read a serious study on how the type of production keeping conditions affects the longevity of production hens: do caged hens die any earlier than so called free range production hens (?)
If one can keep them alive for more than five years in total (battery time and rescued time combined) one is doing quite well.
Most that I looked after managed to make four years and some months but all were ex caged hens.
There are various red sex linked breeds and I've found more often than not the rescue centers don't know which particular variety they have.

Exactly, I would never expect a layer hen to outlive chickens like my freerange flock, with their reproduction issues etc. I will be very happy if they get 2 summers to live free.

 

[RoyalChick]

I saw retired laying hens online and since I've always wanted to get a few and retire them into a simple life with my free range flock I decided to go get a few. I didn't expect the person to have 600 hens shoved in little cages and for them to be so neglected. Me and my friends went for 20, left with 40. Would have taken more but didn't have the room. * before suggested, they are laying already and I don't believe a hard molt is the problem lol

View attachment 4311544View attachment 4311545

They are very lucky you came along poor little things.

 

[Backroadlogic]

Feed them mackerel/sardines for the first few weeks on top of whatever commercial feed you give; aim for four grams of fish protein from the fish per bird for the first few weeks. Take care to read the protein content stated on the tins; not all tinned sardines for example have the same protein content. At 20% protein per drained weight you're looking at roughly one tin for four birds.
I found real food made a major difference in how quickly the birds regained their plumage and overall health.
From this,
View attachment 4311765

To this in a couple of months.
View attachment 4311766

Very nice, that before pic is unfortunately too similar to how mine look I was raised on a commercial broiler farm with big beautiful meat chickens, my step-dad akways said the egg side of the industry made everyone think badly about the meat side. I understand now why.

 

[Backroadlogic]

Did the owner tell you how old the birds and what breed/mix they are?
600 WOW!

"Golden comets" are what he says they are