Proud new owner of three ex commercial hens :-)

[Mrschicken01]

We picked up our three hens yesterday. They are the first we have owned. Feel a bit daft saying it but I love them already!

We got them from the BHWT, apparently they were free range but I think the conditions can still be quite challenging for them.

Popped them into their eglu run for a few hours last night! they just stood around didn't eat or drink anything. It was a palaver getting them into the Eglu as well!! Obviously a very different proposition to what they were used to.

Got up early this a.m and let them out. They were all still asleep as far as I could tell, all three were huddled into about 1/3 of the eglu, virtually on top of one another.

This morning they have had free range of our interesting garden, it was funny watching them in the wind, the first big gust sent them running for the eglu!!

They are now eating and drinking like mad, and their personalities are showing, there are two who team up and get first dibs on the food and drink and the other one ( who was pecking them yesterday but today is being pecked) gets second dibs. This one has a pale comb and I think she may be a bit anaemic. Am taking her to the vet tomorrow to get working advice etc and a general check up.

Had four, yes four eggs this a.m, tho one was soft shelled.

Got to dust them for mites tomorrow too, am not looking forward to it, keep worrying I will hurt them as they are quite strong and sturdy and I am anticipating a right keruffle!!

My eldest son who is usually glued to his ipad has taken such an interest in the hens, wants to help me dust them and is dying to 'tame' them!!

Just thought I would share this re the hens first few hours with us, and sure I will be posting more as and when I need advice!! If anyone else is thinking of getting some ex commercial layers please go for it it fab

[honeyroar]

Enjoy! We have 12, all ex commercial bar one. They still sleep piled up, some work out the perches, but most pile in the nesting boxes to sleep!

Re the mite powder, I just dust the nesting boxes where they lay/sleep generally. Also if you put some wood shavings in a pile with mite powder in it they roll about in it by themselves quite often, saving a job!

Enjoy them, they're good fun.

[Bluebellina]

Oh they are such pets..I have 10 since November all ex-battery caged hens.I adore them,they came to me in dreadful condition half bald n like yours were shell-shocked that first night just standing there unsure what to do.Well fast forward to now and they are all so healthy looking..they are so cheeky and funny...they adore household scraps ,so much so that they now climb up onto our kitchen windowsill pecking the window for scraps.They are the best decision I ever made..love them so much.They really rule the roost here..the 2 cats are terrified of them,the dog is scared of them..they are in charge for sure!.
I simply gave them a loose shake of the mite powder on their backs the first day I had them and they have been fine since.
Tell your son it really wont take long to tame them.I have one favourite who has a bad limp and a missing toenail from being in the horrible cage and I give her a few grapes when the others aren't around.She now hangs out regularly at the kitchen door looking for her grapes.Get your son to give them some leftover pasta etc and they will be his friends for life.Mine come charging at top speed when they see the scrap bucket coming out..they can really run.Enjoy them ,they are so fab!

[Bluebellina]

Oh and ours never got the hang of the perches either.They sleep sitting down spread out in the henhouse but for the first few weeks they used to pile up on top of each other..I used to marvel at how the hens on the bottom could breathe