Saving Frida

[HollyWoozle]

This is really helpful, thank you. I’ll take a look at those links thoroughly.

We have various breeds in our family flock (most of which my mother chose and bought), but I have enjoyed being able to save some who came from the commercial set-ups. I think I will just have to make peace with the fact that these issues are part of it and I’ll have to get used to them not living too long.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Frida has been humanely dispatched. She was a lovely girl and the most inquisitive of the ex-batts I took on last year. Pictured here on arrival, June 2018, and then at the start of this month before she became ill.

 

[Shadrach]

Sorry to read about your hen HollyWoozle.
It seems to be a lottery with ex battery hens. Some struggle on for a year or so, while others can reach a completely unanticipated old age for the breed and early keeping conditions.
I have an acquaintance here who has been rescuing both ex battery and market hens sold for someones next dinner. He's a kind hearted man and found the distress of having the rescue hens often die so quickly after he homed them hard going.
Eventually he acquired a male and female pair of Minorcan Blacks from a family friend who has a small farm and breeds for longevity and environment awareness. Basically he's trying to breed smart chickens that live a long time. These are his 'pets' now and while he still rescues other hens and gives them a great life while they survive, he doesn't lose all his friends when they die.
Just a thought if you intend to continue rescuing ex batts.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thank you, @Shadrach. It's a good idea to have others. We do have 14 chickens who are not ex-batts, but they are not 'mine' per se... my family have had chickens my whole life but I added the rescue hens to the family flock last year, 'Holly's Girls' as my mum likes to call them.

I have the moral dilemma now that when we have space for more I will always want to rescue some! But then I must learn to deal with the fact they may not last long.

 

[coach723]

So sorry for your loss, I know it's hard.
I've lost quite a few over the years to reproductive problems. They are very well taken care of and have good lives for as long as they have, which is much more than many hens get in their lives, so I take comfort in that. And sometimes you get lucky and one lives a very long time, so you know it's possible and you are doing something right. I've no doubt that the life she had with you was much better than she would have had otherwise, and ended her days being cared about. So sorry.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thanks so much for your kindness, @coach723. This forum is truly lovely and so supportive... it's really helpful to find a bunch of people who can really understand the situations that arise when keeping chickens and the feelings that come with them.