Can they fly?

[Witchy]

My ExBats (Rescued Battery Hens) are coming end August and I'm sorting my kennel out to house them. I'm using an old four foot rabbit hutch as their nesting boxes and have fixed it inside the enclosed area.

This is quite high off the floor, probably three foot - will they be able to get up there if I put a perch half the height, would they be able to fly to the old hutch or do they need to use the perch.

The birds are exbats so would have lived in a 12x12x12 inch box all their lives - they will have lived in this box for a year so will have no muscles, no strength in their wings etc. I'm probably answering my own question here - I think I'll put maybe two perches in so that they can hop up and up again..........until they get stronger? Or should I move the hutch down?

I can't wait to give these birds somewhere where they have room to move........... any advice gratefully received.

Thank you

 

[PurpleChicken]

Consider building a ramp for them to walk up to the box. They probably won't
know how to hop up.

They might fly eventually but I doubt it. My standard layers roost in a low
area and don't really know they can fly. When I added birds to the flock that
roosted high they taught a few of my hens to fly up to the top of our 6 foot
run(fence).

If you add a regular standard to your flock she may teach the battery hens to
fly.

 

[Witchy]

Thanks Purple,

So how high are yours off the floor?

 

[PurpleChicken]

Mine roost on a perch that is only 18 inches off the ground. Their coop is a long, 3 foot
tall cage inderneath a bench in my barn/shed. Their run is much larger and where
they usually hang out.

Chickens will roost as high as you let them but only need to roost high to avoid predators.

 

[Anny]

being Exbattery hens they havn't seen the world and everything is new to them. They might not have all their feather either, so flying is a whole new thing and with out all their feather is a very tricky task.

Alot of time they will be very scared but it take time to get used to the world.

Good for you for adopting in ex bats you are going a great thing.

 

[angels4]

Where can we find out about Ex-Batts here in the US?