California - Northern

[juststruttin]

thanks, that's what i've done -- put some additional oak branches (the scratchy kind, good for hiding in) inside the run, along with several big piles of hay/straw raked up from the field, which they love to peck through. unfortunately i only have the ONE coop henhouse inside a run), so there's nowhere to put the more aggressive ones, except to let them free-range outside, but i need to go to work & there's rain coming later today... will just hope she can learn to avoid the meanies.

edit: to answer ron's question -- the new ones are the same size as the younger flock (all 10-12ish weeks old, and there are five of them total), and they seem to be getting along with those girls no problem -- but there are 7 who are 22-23 weeks old, who are bigger.I

Hi Laura, I am sure they will all work it out in a day or two. If you are not home to supervise, I would put her back into the smaller enclosure and try again tonight. If you are home over the weekend, you can acclimate them then so you can watch for excessive pecking or blood.

 

[zooweemama]

Oh GOD I hope so. I have looked all over....

Oh my gosh! I would freak. My fingers are crossed!

 

[zooweemama]

I was looking at chicken breeds on a site last night. I came to something called 'battery hens'. I have never heard of such a thing. People adopt them? I guess they are the hens that large egg producers use in cramped cages and forced to molt? Does that still happen here in the US? Forced molting- I stupidly thought they turned lights on all day to stress them out to force them to molt but I guess what actually happens is they starve the chickens for a week or 2 to stress them out and force them to molt. Does this REALLY still happen here in the US? I love my chickens, I love animals, I also love to eat said chickens...but that seems so doggone mean. Is that what USED to happen? Do egg farms REALLY still this? I am horrified if so.

 

[zooweemama]

And. Baby it's cold outside! Brrr! We have a fire going! The chickens are really ok out there right? LOL They seem oblivious!

 

[capayvalleychick]

I came to something called 'battery hens'. I have never heard of such a thing. People adopt them? I guess they are the hens that large egg producers use in cramped cages and forced to molt? Does that still happen here in the US?

I don't know about the forced molting, but I've seen what an egg production facility looks like. Here's what I posted on another thread about it:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...r-and-lay-some-wisdom-on-us/7380#post_9718107

 

[ronott1]

I was looking at chicken breeds on a site last night. I came to something called 'battery hens'. I have never heard of such a thing. People adopt them? I guess they are the hens that large egg producers use in cramped cages and forced to molt? Does that still happen here in the US? Forced molting- I stupidly thought they turned lights on all day to stress them out to force them to molt but I guess what actually happens is they starve the chickens for a week or 2 to stress them out and force them to molt. Does this REALLY still happen here in the US? I love my chickens, I love animals, I also love to eat said chickens...but that seems so doggone mean. Is that what USED to happen? Do egg farms REALLY still this? I am horrified if so.

The big egg producers have their own flocks that they hatch egg layers from. They are kept secret and are not released to the public. The Hens are culled after 2 years and replaced with the ones they hatch.

I posted a while back about Commercial Leghorns. Those are Battery chickens for white layers. The brown layers are usually some type of Production red hybrid and of course they are commercial and unique to each Egg Producer.

Bye the way, we are talking about huge numbers, some in the millions "replaced" each year. This is one of the reasons I have my own chickens.

 

[ronott1]

And. Baby it's cold outside! Brrr! We have a fire going! The chickens are really ok out there right? LOL They seem oblivious!

Chickens are better in the cold than in the heat. They will never have a problem being cold where you live. It has to get below zero, and then they freeze their combs and can get frostbite.

 

[tls_ranch]

Quote: x2 They are just fine in cold and even when it gets down to the teens. Mine don't like wind, but rain is fine because Barnevelders tend to shed water off of their feathers better than other breeds. They tend to have denser feather quality (but not really hard feathered) and the water tends to bead up and run off.

Trisha

PS The rain is REALLY coming down hard at my place right now!

 

[zooweemama]

I don't know about the forced molting, but I've seen what an egg production facility looks like. Here's what I posted on another thread about it:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...r-and-lay-some-wisdom-on-us/7380#post_9718107

I knew it WAS bad, I didn't know it was STILL that bad. Cured of buying store eggs even in a pinch. Thank you for linking me. <3

 

[zooweemama]

Chickens are better in the cold than in the heat. They will never have a problem being cold where you live. It has to get below zero, and then they freeze their combs and can get frostbite.

x2 They are just fine in cold and even when it gets down to the teens. Mine don't like wind, but rain is fine because Barnevelders tend to shed water off of their feathers better than other breeds. They tend to have denser feather quality (but not really hard feathered) and the water tends to bead up and run off.

Trisha

PS The rain is REALLY coming down hard at my place right now!

Ok. I mean KNEW that, but I love my chickens. I needed some reassurance lol. This will be my first Fall and Winter with chickens. They can still head in to their ugly blue tarp wrapped coop (lmbo) and get away from it all if they like. I will relax a little!