There's an actual chicken board???????

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

Hiiiiiiiiiiii guys!

Where has this section been hiding???

First time chicken keeper here! Well...nearly! We are going to pick up four girls from the BHWT on Sunday!

So...a heads up, please? What sort of state will they be in? Apparantly they've been rescued from a caged environment, so I'm expecting baldness...I just want to prepare the kids, who are about as sensitive as me!

[Murinae]

The Facebook page Belle and Fleur say NO to caged hens for Eggs UK might give you a good idea what to expect. I also follow fresh start for hens Facebook page and the before and after pictures of caged hens is really overwhelming. If your in Facebook then maybe looking at those pages will help you prepare.
I would expect baldness especially as they come from caged hens.

[Murinae]

Better warn you beforehand though that Fleur doesn’t make it. So maybe better not looking at that page with the children

[user1472377586]

I don't know how to change my username to something normal (tech genius here...)

I've kept chickens for years. Four is an excellent number, the best in my opinion.

If you can knit, register with Ravelry and there are free patterns for a sort of woollen wrap that goes under the wings and around the tummy - you will need to keep them warm while they grow their feathers.

They may have had the front bit of the beak cut off - absolutely awful to see - I had 2 with that. They need a lot of food and water. Even with damaged beaks they can eat, but try different types of food. You can buy grains, pellets and wet mash. Also you need a separate little container of broken shell for them. They need it to keep healthy.

So give them uninterrupted access to poultry food (they will snack as needed) and plenty of scraps from the kitchen. I always call out 'yum yum yum' with kitchen scraps and my hens just love the excitement and have a nice dig through whatever I tip out of the bucket.

If you can let them out on the weekend for (safe, supervised) 'playtime' in the garden, they will eventually relax and have a lovely life. Don't let dogs or cats near them - fatal and a dreadful way for the hens to die.

[Murinae]

The fresh start for hens Facebook page is also a good place to ask for advice if you need help with anything

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

Understood about cats/dogs. My dog doesn't go into that part of the garden anyway, and I won't be letting them out unsupervised.

Woolen wraps?????? I crochet! Can I crochet them?

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

I just read a few of the "Fleur" posts...

I think I may have hayfever...

[Murinae]

Yes the Fleur posts are heart breaking but there are some good before and after pictures of Belle in her earlier posts.

I didn’t think you were supposed to put them in woolly jackets just give them lots of bedding. It’s warm at the moment too so shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

[Goosegettingfat]

I didn't know there was one either!!!!!! Made my day! 🙌

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

😂

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

TWO MORE SLEEPS!!!!!

We have straw, purple stuff, feeders, water thingies...now I just want them here!

[Murinae]

Don’t forget we want a photo! I was rung by the cat rescue people this week as they had rescued a chicken and didn’t know what to do with it so now I have one more little one in my small flock. No idea what kind it is. It’s very small and black!

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

Ohhhhh!!!!!!

Ours are Warrens...

Or they're all named Warren...

One of the above!

We've chosen names!!!!!!!

Motherclucker (MC for short)
Cluckamoose (Moose)
Cluckit (Kit)
Aaaaand...

Whothecluckisalice (Alice)

😂😂😂😂

[Aprilshouldhavebeenmyname]

Wouldn't worry too much about cats, my 2 were scared of our chickens!!
Once our rottweiler got in the front garden where they lived, ran close ish and swerved at the last minute!! The chickens didn't flinch!! Knew she wouldn't catch one, though made sure it didn't happen again! My nerves couldn't have stood it!

[Murinae]

I don’t use straw I use aubiose or easychick in the coop.

[Murinae]

Love the names!

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

They're HEEEEEEERE!!!!!!!

www.youtube.com/channel/UCB4QCYA968TqFuCFgtFwaag

[Aprilshouldhavebeenmyname]

Ah what lucky ladies!!
Have you named them yet?

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

The baldest one is Cousin It...obviously! 😂

[shiklah]

I have 6 rescues in my flock. They lay well but are foul tempered - which I like. Lovely girls.

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

Well we have three eggs this morning- didn't expect that!!!

[Mountainsoutofmolehills]

Thank you. I love what you are doing. Really amazing.

[Aprilshouldhavebeenmyname]

Wow they must be happy!! We got 12 neglected ones years ago that took a few days to lay!!
We have cats +dogs but nothing beats owning chickens imo!!
In times of stress they are thoroughly relaxing, just sitting having a chat!!

[Ohyesiam]

I thought the knitting thing was now a no no? Don’t know why though. They shouldn’t be cold at this time of year.
Ours get layers pellets and lots of foliage to rummage about in.
Be prepared to keep one separate if she is getting too pecked. Has only happened one on several lots with us though.

[Ohyesiam]

Just watched your video, they are very sweet. You will see their combs stand up and darken over the next few weeks as they get healthier.
They are lucky ladies.
Can I ask about the caged environment? I thought there were no longer batteries on the uk, although barn reared is quite grim enough, and free tang seems open to interpretation.
We got ex free range and they were quite bald warrens. Soon perked up though, and are now happy layers.

[PumpkinParent]

Big thumbs up from here too. My parents rehome a crate of ex-chicken farm hens every so often when the farm rotates its stock. It is really sad to see the birds when they first arrive but they come good in the end. To watch them tentatively peek out of their shed for the first time and then learn to scrat is quite beautiful. Humans have a responsibility to treat animals well and I wish the world didn't have such intensive farming methods.
So good on you and the family OP.