Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[perchie.girl]

Quote: batt is a shortend version of Battery or Battery Hen. These are the hens that are kept in small cages called Battery Cages Usually two to three hens per cage Soley for the purpose of laying eggs. Battery hens are bred for their ability to lay lots of eggs per year. These types of Chickens have had broodiness bred out of them for the most part. Their cages have no nesting material just wire so broodiness is an impossibility.

Their life span as an egg production hen is about a year maybe two.... then they are either sold off to make soup or sold to people who want egg laying chickens.

The battery style of egg production is on its way out hopefully at least here in the US. John is in the UK so I dont know what their laws are regarding this. The push here in the US is to go for a larger cage in CA the latest change in cage requirements is to have enough space so the hen can flap her wings. Its put alot of egg producers out of business here. Tripling and quadrupling their space requirements.

deb

 

[Johnn]

Hi Johnn,
What is a batt ??????????????

These:

They are red sex links, Gingernut rangers, Red stars or what ever you like to call them. They are kept in tiny cages for 18 month and forced to lay eggs until they are 18 month old then are considered as "spent" and are sent to slaughter. The lucky few get rescued and then are named ex batts. I have rescued over 40, these two being 2 of them. My most recent rescue girls are doing great. The egg industry is cruel and inhumane. These are the hens that your eggs come from at the supermarket.

 

[Johnn]

batt is a shortend version of Battery or Battery Hen. These are the hens that are kept in small cages called Battery Cages Usually two to three hens per cage Soley for the purpose of laying eggs. Battery hens are bred for their ability to lay lots of eggs per year. These types of Chickens have had broodiness bred out of them for the most part. Their cages have no nesting material just wire so broodiness is an impossibility.

Their life span as an egg production hen is about a year maybe two.... then they are either sold off to make soup or sold to people who want egg laying chickens.

The battery style of egg production is on its way out hopefully at least here in the US. John is in the UK so I dont know what their laws are regarding this. The push here in the US is to go for a larger cage in CA the latest change in cage requirements is to have enough space so the hen can flap her wings. Its put alot of egg producers out of business here. Tripling and quadrupling their space requirements.

deb

We have "enriched cages" They are bigger cages with hundreds of birds in! No better than the original cage. Its harder to rescue them in the US.

 

[sharol]

the cruelty these poor hens have suffered is inexcusable.

I got chickens because I wanted to know that my eggs were not laid in those miserable conditions.

It is good of you to work with these girls.

These:

They are red sex links, Gingernut rangers, Red stars or what ever you like to call them. They are kept in tiny cages for 18 month and forced to lay eggs until they are 18 month old then are considered as "spent" and are sent to slaughter. The lucky few get rescued and then are named ex batts. I have rescued over 40, these two being 2 of them. My most recent rescue girls are doing great. The egg industry is cruel and inhumane. These are the hens that your eggs come from at the supermarket.

 

[Johnn]

the cruelty these poor hens have suffered is inexcusable.

I got chickens because I wanted to know that my eggs were not laid in those miserable conditions.

It is good of you to work with these girls.

Heres a thread of my old rescues. One girl died of gapeworm and the other was killed by a Buzzard. It does show one of their recovery and pics all the way to the end though.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/612071/ahhhh-ive-rescued-some-battery-hens-pics
Heres my latest rescues. As you will see coming out the cage was all too much for one of the girls but the other 2 are doing great. Its a bit quiet at the min but fully recovered pics will be posted soon!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/789916/just-rescued-some-more-battery-hens-pics

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: I have seen those "enriched cages" . They are luxury hotels compared to the Battery cages. Sigh. On the plus side there is room in them to run around perch on stuff and socialize. Even if it is "in mass". I suspect they still have their beaks trimmed?

so..... All the reason to raise our own keep em healthy and happy. I have a couple of friends online that have hens that are in excess of 20 years old. And still laying an egg every so often. I will never retire a hen just because she stopped laying eggs. Even though I will process chickens for food eventually but those will be meaties raised up just for that purpose.

deb "back to lurkdom"

 

[Johnn]

I have seen those "enriched cages" . They are luxury hotels compared to the Battery cages. Sigh. On the plus side there is room in them to run around perch on stuff and socialize. Even if it is "in mass". I suspect they still have their beaks trimmed?

Still a cage though :/

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: Wont disagree. But its progress. and probably a discussion that needs to go somewhere else other than a hatch along discussion.
deb

 

[chickydee64]

Still a cage though :/

Bless you Johnn

 

[McCaskill]

Hi guys my name is Kayla and I love this thread I have a broody now DAY ONE this is her second time going broody but with the first clutch none of the eggs made it and I blame my self partly for that. Being a newbie I didn't candle, didn't check for fertilization, nothing just thought 'oh i'v got a roo they must be fertile'........... nothing three weeks from my hen for nothing. But now she's back at it, a friend of mine who shows Silkies gave me a dozen eggs 4 Silkie for him and the rest for me FOR FREE so today is day one and I hope y'all will follow Sybil and I on our road to a bigger flock