Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Cold-Blood]

Following

 

[no fly zone]

The dapper Mr. Bumble.

Sky is in the blue nesting box behind him.

 

[NatJ]

Informed? Maybe not but I don't think that would be a balanced diet for a chick.
Sounds like something that YouTube chicken lady would put out.

A century or two ago, bread crumbs and hard boiled egg probably was one of the best possible chick foods (compared to what else was available at the time). But something is only "best" until something better comes along, like modern chick starter.

 

[Perris]

A century or two ago, bread crumbs and hard boiled egg probably was one of the best possible chick foods (compared to what else was available at the time).

indeed. And Lewis Wright had little if anything in common with your YouTube character; he was better informed than many keepers on BYC for sure!

 

[ManueB]

A century or two ago, bread crumbs and hard boiled egg probably was one of the best possible chick foods (compared to what else was available at the time). But something is only "best" until something better comes along, like modern chick starter.

indeed. And Lewis Wright had little if anything in common with your YouTube character; he was better informed than many keepers on BYC for sure!

I have indeed learnt by experience to take old ways with a grain of salt because sometimes people had no choice, or just knew no better!

But I also don't agree that newer would always be better. As a philosophical statement in general and more particularly regarding nutrition. It seems to me the greater part of the progress made in the food industry whether human or animal has been aiming at convenience and not necessarily quality.

I have no clue at all regarding chicks and I trust you all know much better after having had chicks many times, so I'll definitely take your advice and buy some starter.

When we got our ex-batts at three months, they were already been given layer feed so we continued. That means in the battery they were on layer feed from 10 weeks . New ways. But, we also made the mistake of feeding them mashed potatoes for months throughout the winter because it was how my partner's grandma did it. Old ways.
Which of these mistake has been the worse for their health I wouldn't know.

 

[BDutch]

Really excited about this.
That is a broody Ex Battery hen. She's not full on broody but she's thinking about it. She stayed on the eggs overnight.
View attachment 3119985
Fret is also having another go at being broody.
View attachment 3119987

Are you sure this is a laying hybrid exbat? Looks more ‘natural’ with a kind of partridge colouring to me.

 

[BDutch]

I have indeed learnt by experience to take old ways with a grain of salt because sometimes people had no choice, or just knew no better!

But I also don't agree that newer would always be better. As a philosophical statement in general and more particularly regarding nutrition. It seems to me the greater part of the progress made in the food industry whether human or animal has been aiming at convenience and not necessarily quality.

I have no clue at all regarding chicks and I trust you all know much better after having had chicks many times, so I'll definitely take your advice and buy some starter.

When we got our ex-batts at three months, they were already been given layer feed so we continued. That means in the battery they were on layer feed from 10 weeks . New ways. But, we also made the mistake of feeding them mashed potatoes for months throughout the winter because it was how my partner's grandma did it. Old ways.
Which of these mistake has been the worse for their health I wouldn't know.

I’m confused on the use of the name ex-batt.
Normally an ex-batt is about 1,5 - 2 years old when sold as rescue chicken. This is the age that a chicken is getting less productive (money-wise). I know they use the name ex-batt not only for the caged chickens but for the ‘free’-range chickens in captive too.

If you buy a laying hybrid at 3 months she has the age of entering a farm that produces eggs . I don’t think you can name these chickens ex-batts.

I think feed from the feed industry is not the best thing. It is balanced. Yes. It’s balanced for the feed industry (meat or eggs).
But its not fresh. It’s too easy for chickens (no natural behaviour). And its not optimized for heritage breeds, roosters and old layer hybrids.

If you give only breadcrumbs with boiled egg to chicks its probably not balanced. Same with potatoes for chickens in winter. But if you don’t mind getting less than maximum production it’s not wrong to use old recipes from grandparents. Or use you’re own senses and give them healthy leftovers, grains and a variety of fresh feed.

Healthy food for humans goes in many directions too. There is not one answer. Or one fits all.

 

[Perris]

I’m confused on the use of the name ex-batt.
Normally an ex-batt is about 1,5 - 2 years old when sold as rescue chicken. This is the age that a chicken is getting less productive (money-wise). I know they use the name ex-batt not only for the caged chickens but for the ‘free’-range chickens in captive too.

If you buy a laying hybrid at 3 months she has the age of entering a farm that produces eggs . I don’t think you can name these chickens ex-batts.

I think feed from the feed industry is not the best thing. It is balanced. Yes. It’s balanced for the feed industry (meat or eggs).
But its not fresh. It’s too easy for chickens (no natural behaviour). And its not optimized for heritage breeds, roosters and old layer hybrids.

If you give only breadcrumbs with boiled egg to chicks its probably not balanced. Same with potatoes for chickens in winter. But if you don’t mind getting less than maximum production it’s not wrong to use old recipes from grandparents. Or use you’re own senses and give them healthy leftovers, grains and a variety of fresh feed.

Healthy food for humans goes in many directions too. There is not one answer. Or one fits all.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. But readers should note that Wright was not suggesting chicks be fed just with milk-washed breadcrumbs and egg; that was just for the first feed. He expected the broody to have the chicks out on pasture on day 2 and that they'd be foraging and eating what the broody told them to eat from then.

 

[ManueB]

I also agree. But using common sense is easier, if you have some experience, or at least some knowledge. I had neither when I got my hens and I have neither regarding chicks so I wont try giving them 19th century recipes. I can't vouch for my partner though.

If you buy a laying hybrid at 3 months she has the age of entering a farm that produces eggs . I don’t think you can name these chickens ex-batts.

I got my hens from a battery, I didn't buy them. We were planning to rescue overused 18 months hens, there weren't any left when my partner arrived at the battery after a two hours drive. Because the battery's owner knew my stepfather he gave them six three months old pullets. They spent their first three months in the battery so they are technically ex-batts, but were definitely not in the same sorry state than rescues you would get at 18 months.

Edit : realizing what I just wrote I'm going right now to read the chapter regarding raising chicks in Storey's guide to raising chickens. I skipped it the first read because there was no way I was getting chicks...

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

74 and cloudy with low humidity.

Have a great day!