Sonoma County, CA -- adopt a battery hen (plus a question!)

[farmergal]

The Sonoma Humane Society recently rescued 100 debeaked hens from a battery operation. There's a "suggested donation" of $5 to take one of them home. More info available here:

http://www.sonomahumane.org/HenAdoptions.php

Has anyone had any experience with rescued birds before? I'd really like to give some of these hardworking ladies a good home, but I don't have too much quarantine space available right now, and I would never forgive myself if they spread some disease to my flock.... would they be okay seeing as how they've probably been on antibiotics most of their lives, or does the quarantine "rule" of 1 month still apply?

 

[jaybme]

I saw this on the news. I thought about getting a couple too!

They do need to be quarantined as many illnesses are not preventable even when fed antibiotics.

Good luck!

 

[dturren]

Hello: I live in Sebastopol and saw this article too. I sent them an email inquiring about these chickens, but don't expect a reply until Monday...this is Friday, Dec. 26th. I would like to adopt two of them but need to know how to handle rescued chickens. Are there any special problems I need to know about? How do they eat with their beaks cut off? Any suggestions/comments would be helpful.
Thanks, Donna

 

[Jena]

Hi

I am no expert in this at all, but my son rescued 4 battery farm hens a number of years ago.

they were in a bad way when he got them, with all their feathers missing.

But they were alone at his house, so there was no issue with quarantine, but I do see that as a problem, like introducing any new stock to your birds you would need to keep them separate, but once they have settled and you are sure they are not carrying anything, they should be fine.

I don't think the cut off the entire beaks, and they could eat fine. i know when I got my girls one of them had a chipped beak and it has grown back fine, and I guess that if not meddled with these hens would be fine after some rest and recuperation.

Within weeks my son's birds had grown back all their feathers, and never had a problem eating inculding my toes. But they laid regularly for several years afterwards, and had a happy home scratching around in his garden.

they deserve a good life, Good luck.

Jena.

 

[dturren]

Hello again...I just received an email from the Sonoma Humane Society that said that all the hens have been placed.