Hens with worn off beaks

[nochickenshere]

I purchased 18 hens from a friend of mine and when I got them home i noticed that several of them had short beaks. They look as if they have worn them down by pecking the ground. Is this possible???

 

[ranchhand]

You most likely got ex-battery hens, i.e. commercial layers. The big egg producers often "debeak" the hen to prevent pecking in their crowded conditions.

They may not be in their prime, but most will keep laying for years once they adapt to the new surroundings. The one thing to watch for? Make sure each is getting enough feed, sometimes they have a little trouble with certain feeds.