Just rescued some more Battery Hens *pics*

[Johnn]

Aw bless her, hope she does too. Yeah sugar water might give her a wee boost enough to get her eating. Maybe tempt her with some mealworms or something

I already have, I put them in my hand and she slightly pecked but didn't eat them and just ignored them. I think there might be a bug going around because 3 hens are "off". So I am just going to give everyone some anti biotics, it wont do them any harm so its worth a try considering I have enough to treat everyone. The good thing is my hen who was really ill is starting to recover so hopefully its just a bug! I have give everyone scrambled egg today for some more protein and everyone is going on growers pellets after the week end so that will do them good. God they are really stressing me out at the minute!, my favourite hens are ill and all my best layers are hiding the eggs from me! I am sure they are having a "annoy the owner week" or something. I have put some new nest boxes in to try tempt them to lay back in the shed, if they don't I will just lock them in one night then follow them when I let them out in the morning.

 

[Johnn]

Its been such a sad day. As some of you may know, one of the ex batts that I recently rescued and was doing the best out of them all got ill a couple of days ago. I went up today with some sugar water for her and I was feeding the other girls when I could see her body lying flat down inside the pop hole so I thought she was dead and carried on feeding everyone. Once I had fed them I picked up her body to bury and she was alive still. She was really weak and I carried her around a bit (I took a pic of her in my arms but it looks horrible, so I don't want to put it on the post) and then I decided to put her back in the shed with some straw, I did what I had to do for a while and kept checking on her. After a hour and a half I was starting to get ready to leave and heard her doing heavy breathing so I went back and knew this was the end. I sat with her and held her head because she couldn't keep it up herself and then she looked at me and her eyes just slowly shut and she went. R.I.P Scramble!

 

[LDev]

Aw that's such a shame:-( I have lump in my throat...just happy that you gave her the best days that she had left. R.I.P wee Scramble

 

[Johnn]

Aw that's such a shame:-( I have lump in my throat...just happy that you gave her the best days that she had left. R.I.P wee Scramble

Thanks, it was so sad! It's the first time I have ever shed a tear over the death of a chicken. I think it was because she died with me.

 

[LDev]

Probably and I think you get more emotional when they are rescues like that, you have hopes of them living out their life in comfort after their previous life. Good you were with her

 

[CherishHolland]

At least her last few days were wonderful. I am sitting here trying not to cry. I am so sorry for your loss at least she passed with someone who loved her. R.I.P. Scramble.

 

[Johnn]

The other two girls:
This one was origiannly doing the worst, if any I though it would be her who would leave us. But she has improved. She doesn't have any friends so she just hands around in the big shed all day stuffing her face. She does come outside sometimes though like today when she started pecking my dogs tail!:

And this girl is doing the best, she is desperate to be part of the group now her friend has died. She follows them around everywere and goes free ranging with them in the field (she is at the front on the field pic):

 

[Johnn]

At least her last few days were wonderful. I am sitting here trying not to cry. I am so sorry for your loss at least she passed with someone who loved her. R.I.P. Scramble.

Than you!

 

[LDev]

So great that you can free range them, i live in a built up area with a large valley to the back so there are urban foxes as well as a large amount of cats but they seem quite happy in their pen. They are getting more and more proper hen behaviours happening....they started dust bathing today, taken 3 weeks! and also managed to get them on a perch today. Love the pic of the one trying to be part of 'the gang'

 

[Johnn]

So great that you can free range them, i live in a built up area with a large valley to the back so there are urban foxes as well as a large amount of cats but they seem quite happy in their pen. They are getting more and more proper hen behaviours happening....they started dust bathing today, taken 3 weeks! and also managed to get them on a perch today. Love the pic of the one trying to be part of 'the gang'

I don't know how I haven't had a problem with a fox to be honest, its usually just stoats. It's sad when mine get killed because I don't live near them so I cant help them and they are usually killed through the day when I am busy but hopefully the stoats will skip us this year as its just like a drive through when they are moving off the fels to lower ground for winter. And thanks, I have a better pic of her trying to be in the gang but the uploader on here doesn't work for me anymore!