care for ex-battery laying hens?

[spish]

im looking for some advice on caring for ex battery hens. mid december we are going to 'rescue' around 200 from 'factory' here in Belgium and will be keeping around 25 then finding homes for the rest.
im basically looking for any tips on how to care for them? im guessing they'll need a little extra TLC.....
its gonna be cold here mid december and they'll be coming out of a heated hangar into possibly freezing temps..how is that going to affect them? what do battery chickens eat in there?

 

[Suzie]

Firstly... you need to ask what they are being fed currently...., you can change their feed over a short period of time to any that you feel is suitable.

You do not say anything about the housing you will be affording them when they arrive with you... if in a coop they will generate heat themselves.

I rescued some ex-battery hens and they were thin and very hungry, fighting between themselves for food and most of them ( if not all ) had mites... they were given scrambled eggs, tuna fish and anything I could find to give them some much needed protein.... it would be advisable to treat all of them with Permethryn or Sevin Dust ( for lice/mite infestations ) and a de-wormer...

Do not expect many eggs from them... in December there will normally not be much egg laying and they will probably be exhausted from the intensive laying from their past.

I suggest you read " The Road Less Travelled" ... by Bekissed... it is a heart rending account of an experienced chicken rescue....

Good luck!

 

[chippysmom327]

I would give them lots of calcium and protein. It's likely that they'll be missing lots of feathers due to feather picking and they'll need protein to replenish them. Also feed lots of fruits and veggies just for the overall health. They're gonna be lacking a lot of nutrients and being in a new environment won't help their health. I would just put them in the barn/coop for the first few days to get them used to their surroundings and not overwhelm them. Then once they seem to be a little more strong and settled in you can let them into the run/yard.

I'd try not to handle them or mess with them too much. They need time to de-stress.