I adoped 4 ex battery hens in November 2012 and what a poor state they were in when I got them. Their feathers were worn and 2 of them hardly had any feathers at all.
I gave them a better life, lots of food, water, better living conditions and above all love, I literally have them eating out of my hands now. Still their feathers didn't grow back....
In March this year one of my hens went broody and because they've had such a rotten life, I didn't want to deny my hen anything she wanted so I begged some fertilized eggs and put them under her. She turned out to be a very good mother, teaching her chicks how to search for food, even though she was never taught herself. She didn't eat much herself but made sure that her chicks got everything they needed, it was wonderful to watch.
Any way, her feathers started to grow back (she had a bare back and bum) and now she looks like a new hen. She is a beautiful brown colour with lighter flecks on the end of her feathers and actually covering her whole body. I was confused, why is she the only one who's feathers grew back when she is the one that went without a lot of food so that she could teach her chicks?
Tonight it came to me..... even though she didn't eat a lot, what she was eating was chick food! It's full of everything a chick needs to grow and it must have been what she needed to grow her feathers back. So tonight I mixed chick grower in with my hens regular food and will wait and see if their feathers grow back like hers did. They really need it as it's quite cold here in Western Australia, it's our winter now.
Will keep you posted on how it goes...... fingers crossed
Before feathers grew back
With new feathers (in the middle)
I gave them a better life, lots of food, water, better living conditions and above all love, I literally have them eating out of my hands now. Still their feathers didn't grow back....
In March this year one of my hens went broody and because they've had such a rotten life, I didn't want to deny my hen anything she wanted so I begged some fertilized eggs and put them under her. She turned out to be a very good mother, teaching her chicks how to search for food, even though she was never taught herself. She didn't eat much herself but made sure that her chicks got everything they needed, it was wonderful to watch.
Any way, her feathers started to grow back (she had a bare back and bum) and now she looks like a new hen. She is a beautiful brown colour with lighter flecks on the end of her feathers and actually covering her whole body. I was confused, why is she the only one who's feathers grew back when she is the one that went without a lot of food so that she could teach her chicks?
Tonight it came to me..... even though she didn't eat a lot, what she was eating was chick food! It's full of everything a chick needs to grow and it must have been what she needed to grow her feathers back. So tonight I mixed chick grower in with my hens regular food and will wait and see if their feathers grow back like hers did. They really need it as it's quite cold here in Western Australia, it's our winter now.
Will keep you posted on how it goes...... fingers crossed
Before feathers grew back
With new feathers (in the middle)
