Factory Hen Questions

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
You may be able to put them with the chickens you already have, AFTER a quarantine period. Those hens should be quarantined like any other new bird you bring home.

-Feed them the same thing you feed your other chickens.

-They may stop laying for a few days to a couple of weeks, because they are adjusting to their new environment.

-Yes, you can eat their eggs.

-It probably depends on the bird. Because they are probably a Leghorn type, they will most likely be flighty and scared, until they adjust.

-It is best to pen them at first in the coop and run for at least few weeks, remember they have been in cages their whole lives, they wouldn't know the first thing about free-ranging.

-Kim

 

[chicken_angler]

My chickens arent free ranged becuse if they wandered past my house, they would be toast. We live on a very busy street.

 

[cjeanean]

Quote:
I second Wolf-Kim....QUARANTINE!!! Almost all commercial layers are kept in very tight quarters where they can develop all sorts of health problems, therefore they need to be kept away from your existing flock (if you have an exisiting flock, noticed you didn't say whether you did or not). Depending on their health situation, you can just give them the feed that the others on here have suggested, and you can eat the eggs unless you have to give them some sort of medicine if they have health problems. Good luck, and post pics when you get your hens!!!

 

[chicken_angler]

Thanks guys. I do have an existing flock of 8 chickens. I am going to have the battery hens in the mini coop till they get better. then i will introduce them to my flock.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Good call.

-Kim

 

[chicken_angler]

Yea. Brooster told me that it would be better if I did that than to put them in with my hens when I get them.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Many years ago, when we lived in Franklin County PA, there were many Mennonite factory-style egg producing farms. They cycled out hens regularly, so in the spring we would contact them and ask if we could buy some hens (at that time for $1.00 each). This was more than they were getting from the processor, so they agreed.

My friend and I purchased around 50 or so hens between us. They adjusted well to their new lives and generally laid about an egg every other day. These were brown egg sexlink hens. At that time, I wasn't interested in wintering, so we had the hens processed at the end of the summer and used them for chicken soup.

It worked great for me at the time. I had an 'instant' laying hen flock and no longterm commitment (we were renting a farm that was up for sale, so we had to be 'prepared' for the inevitable).

One summer, one did go broody and hatched a half dozen eggs. Would you believe they were ALL roos! (Yes, I went out and got a rooster to compliment our little flock.)