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[Sneebsey]

It's a shame how commercial hens are treated, certainly. Although we no longer have battery farming (thank god), many producers look at chickens as a quick buck. I know of several livestock farms locally who have a large shed packed with layers who are largely ignored aside from the eggs they produce. Drive past several most days. It's not a model I subscribe to, and having taken birds in in the past, I'm unlikely to do so again from a commercial environment.

I had 24 ex commercial hens from a free range environment one year; rejected every one he picked up and selected out my own. One survived to the age of 5, the rest did not, though many of them were lost in a stoat attack a few years ago. Conversely, I have two home-bred birds at 9 years old, and not showing signs of decline. I don't think that birds formerly held in an intensive environment are able to fit into my flock; I noticed a significant lack of vigour with regard to foraging and ranging.

Unfortunately, most people just don't seem to care; you hear about city kids who don't know what a cow is and think no-one can be that clueless, but there's more of those than there are of us.

ETA: One of those local producers I mention formerly worked as a stockhand for my uncle. He had some form of respiratory infection go through his flock last year, was still trying to reclaim cash by selling them on for a pound a piece. Complete lack of sense or care for other flocks and wild birds.

 

[Shadrach]

It's a shame how commercial hens are treated, certainly. Although we no longer have battery farming (thank god), many producers look at chickens as a quick buck. I know of several livestock farms locally who have a large shed packed with layers who are largely ignored aside from the eggs they produce. Drive past several most days. It's not a model I subscribe to, and having taken birds in in the past, I'm unlikely to do so again from a commercial environment.

I had 24 ex commercial hens from a free range environment one year; rejected every one he picked up and selected out my own. One survived to the age of 5, the rest did not, though many of them were lost in a stoat attack a few years ago. Conversely, I have two home-bred birds at 9 years old, and not showing signs of decline. I don't think that birds formerly held in an intensive environment are able to fit into my flock; I noticed a significant lack of vigour with regard to foraging and ranging.

Unfortunately, most people just don't seem to care; you hear about city kids who don't know what a cow is and think no-one can be that clueless, but there's more of those than there are of us.

Hello Sneebsey.
I didn't know you had ex intensive egg layers. Lots of people seem to think 5 or 6 years old is normal lifespan for a chicken. My elder sister had one die at 16 years old!

 

[Sneebsey]

Hello Sneebsey.
I didn't know you had ex intensive egg layers. Lots of people seem to think 5 or 6 years old is normal lifespan for a chicken. My elder sister had one die at 16 years old!

Once, but unlikely to do so again. Too much risk of bringing something in now. I have a few RSL purchased at day old; they're about 5/6 now and starting to decline with regard to egg quality; lots of crumpled shells from one of them. They have done a lot better than the ex-commercials with regard to ranging and roaming.

It is a shame that industry has taken a highly adaptable animal capable of such longevity and turned it into an egg laying machine rife with reproductive issues.

 

[Shadrach]

Once, but unlikely to do so again. Too much risk of bringing something in now. I have a few RSL purchased at day old; they're about 5/6 now and starting to decline with regard to egg quality; lots of crumpled shells from one of them. They have done a lot better than the ex-commercials with regard to ranging and roaming.

It is a shame that industry has taken a highly adaptable animal capable of such longevity and turned it into an egg laying machine rife with reproductive issues.

I’m constantly amazed at just how intelligent they are.

 

[CCUK]

Once, but unlikely to do so again. Too much risk of bringing something in now. I have a few RSL purchased at day old; they're about 5/6 now and starting to decline with regard to egg quality; lots of crumpled shells from one of them. They have done a lot better than the ex-commercials with regard to ranging and roaming.

It is a shame that industry has taken a highly adaptable animal capable of such longevity and turned it into an egg laying machine rife with reproductive issues.

When I first took an interest with ex battery hens I looked into the name of them. The first hens I got were 16week old WARREN pullets. Then I heard them called ISA brown. Turn out that the Warren's are actually the same hen but have been fortunate not to end up in a commercial environment. ISA is a French genetics company called Institut de Selection Animales. It is now owned by Hendrics genetics. Here is an interesting link.
https://www.hendrix-genetics.com/en/hendrix-genetics/
Technically the Warren hen isn't even a breed. It's not only hens that are subject to become super hybrid forms of food production. If I could be self sustaining I would. I don't know how far things can go. I read something on here about growing your own meat birds. It was a sponsored thread that was telling you how to get the most from a back yard cornish x. Where we talk of chicken math and how much space a chicken needs, these birds are in reality, crammed into barns at 11-25 birds per SQUARE METER!!! That's chicken math out the window. Again selective breeding and genetics have produced an un savoury way to produce meat quickly. It almost seems an inconvenience that these poor animals are actually alive. It makes me so sad to see that this is what being at the top of the good entails.

 

[Shadrach]

When I first took an interest with ex battery hens I looked into the name of them. The first hens I got were 16week old WARREN pullets. Then I heard them called ISA brown. Turn out that the Warren's are actually the same hen but have been fortunate not to end up in a commercial environment. ISA is a French genetics company called Institut de Selection Animales. It is now owned by Hendrics genetics. Here is an interesting link.
https://www.hendrix-genetics.com/en/hendrix-genetics/
Technically the Warren hen isn't even a breed. It's not only hens that are subject to become super hybrid forms of food production. If I could be self sustaining I would. I don't know how far things can go. I read something on here about growing your own meat birds. It was a sponsored thread that was telling you how to get the most from a back yard cornish x. Where we talk of chicken math and how much space a chicken needs, these birds are in reality, crammed into barns at 11-25 birds per SQUARE METER!!! That's chicken math out the window. Again selective breeding and genetics have produced an un savoury way to produce meat quickly. It almost seems an inconvenience that these poor animals are actually alive. It makes me so sad to see that this is what being at the top of the good entails.

The genetic modification of chickens and livestock in general is disgusting. The conditions they live in a barbaric. An interesting point is I’ve seen some coops and runs here on BYC that aren’t that much better.
An extra couple of square feet isn’t imo better enough.

 

[CCUK]

The genetic modification of chickens and livestock in general is disgusting. The conditions they live in a barbaric. An interesting point is I’ve seen some coops and runs here on BYC that aren’t that much better.
An extra couple of square feet isn’t imo better enough.

I feel bad about my run. Although they do have more than double the recommended amount of space, I wish I could afford them more. When I was younger and we had chickens on the farm they were true free range. There was no fences anywhere and they rooted in an old barn at night. Unfortunately I wasn't too into chickens then but I can't remember having predator problems or health problems. I do remember a couple of the hens that were really quite old and hobbling around. We used to keep turkeys for Christmas too!

 

[Shadrach]

I feel bad about my run. Although they do have more than double the recommended amount of space, I wish I could afford them more. When I was younger and we had chickens on the farm they were true free range. There was no fences anywhere and they rooted in an old barn at night. Unfortunately I wasn't too into chickens then but I can't remember having predator problems or health problems. I do remember a couple of the hens that were really quite old and hobbling around. We used to keep turkeys for Christmas too!

Your run looks pretty decent in the article pics. Some people want to keep a bit of garden too. Free range comes at a price and only you can decide if the price is worth paying, unfortunately the chickens can’t vote on the matter.
There are always predators. Some people don’t get any for years and then one day a fox turns up. This is particularly relevant in the UK now I’m told by people I know who keep chickens there. The suburban fox has become a daytime hunter.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

That's a real shame how the farmhand gave you such little and incorrect information. I believe that BAD information is worse than NO information. At least with no information you will tend to look for it, bad information, you stick with it until you know better. But it's great they are doing well now. Regarding feed, I'm not sure about ducks, but it's best to keep the hens on growers until they start laying, then they will benefit from layers. You can keep them on growers over the winter months when there not laying or laying less, it doesn't matter too much how old they are, just be sure to have grit and oyster shell, which you do! This is proper chicken and duck math in action, start with 2 and end up with 8! Post some pics if you can, it would be nice to see them!

I have the grit and oyster shell mix in big dog bowl for them (and sometimes I scatter some) and now I have the pure oyster shell from Jollyes, I have put a large dog bowl of that too. Only one of mine is laying but I am keeping her on growers, its just not possible to separate the feeds, her eggs are fine though, always strong shell, perfect shape and colour, so I don't find any cause to worry. Obviously there are some differences between chickens and ducks but there are a load of sames too, the females will need the oyster shell too when they start laying but are the same as chickens in that they won't eat it unless they need it. So far I've only fed my ducks on chicken feed but will be changing them to duck feed when they come off growers. Lots of duck owners feed their ducks on chicken layer food even though it is potentially harmful to drakes, some give the drakes wheat to balance out having layers but I will be buying a duck feed suitable for both male and female ducks, even though there aren't that many at all, as with chicken feed most are geared towards the laying which really bothers me because the calcium levels are way too high for drakes (and I assume the same for cockerels?) I really need to gets some pics, I'm absolutely useless at taking pics, I either cut heads off or pics too blurred to make out what I've snapped, so I rely on my daughter to take them for me, I shall nag her for some and post them when they're done.

 

[Shadrach]

The roosters calcium trap. I'm trying to write an article on it. It's quite complicated with free range chickens because of the way the roosters eat. Calcium works relatively quickly and because the roosters tend to give what they find to the hens during the day, they feed load at morning a evening. With layers pellets they get a major calcium blast and this I think may be part of the problem.