BS: Ex Bats

Subject: BS: Ex Bats
From: Cats
Date: 03 May 09 - 04:47 AM

My 3 girls arrived yesterday, named Belinda, Henrietta and Egglatina. Two are more adventurous but one, Egglatina, needs alot of teaching. I let them out early this morning and when I went back less than an hour later Belinda had laid me an egg. That has to be good news.

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Cats
Date: 03 May 09 - 06:06 AM

And now Henrietta has laid me one as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: maeve
Date: 03 May 09 - 06:20 AM

Ex bats = ex-battery hens?

Congratulations, Cats! Chickens are great fun.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Cats
Date: 03 May 09 - 08:26 AM

Yes, ex battery hens. Chucking merrily in the sunshine. Did I mention one snores!

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 May 09 - 09:28 AM

Watch to whom you say "ex bats"! ;-)

Her non-feathered battery-ness

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Ernest
Date: 03 May 09 - 10:05 AM

Now they only need.....














...Batman!

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 09 - 12:58 PM

What are "battery hens?"

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: jacqui.c
Date: 03 May 09 - 01:00 PM

They are hens that have been kept in very crowded conditions, generally with no freedom whatsoever - really just used as egg manufacturing machines.

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Cats
Date: 03 May 09 - 02:50 PM

They have been in cages all their lives living in an area about the size of an A4 sheet of paper. They can't even flap their wings or stretch their legs. They are given false day and night lighting to trick their bodies into thinking it is another day. They can't stand up and their claws are so very long that some have to be cut out of their cages. They peck each others feathers out as that is the only stimulation they get. When they stop laying or get to about 9 months old they are 'spent' and slaughtered to make pies and animal food. The Battery Hen Welfare Trust rescues as many as they can and re home them where they can run free and be looked after. Check out their website. Have alook at the photos of my girls on facebook. I was lucky, my three had at least half of their feathers...

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 May 09 - 04:44 PM

Thanks for pointing us to this, Cats - here is the website. And here is another site about rescuing the poor birds, with some great pictures.

There'll always be an England...

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 03 May 09 - 04:50 PM

I thought an Ex Bat is a bludgeon used for defense against former spouses who ignore restraining orders.

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 09 - 05:09 PM

Those birds are interesting. If they stopped laying eggs and are then retired by the egg companies, do they resume laying once they're in healthy surroundings?

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: GUEST
Date: 03 May 09 - 05:21 PM

Many of them can thrive for years, and with good feed, exercise, and sunshine they can continue laying for a few unstressed years at the least.

Cats, my bantams have done very well with a little fish oil added to an oatmeal supplement once a week. It will also help them grow healthy, new feathers when their next molt starts.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: maeve
Date: 03 May 09 - 05:32 PM

Oops! The chickens et my cookie.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 May 09 - 08:14 PM

What a lovely thing to do! (Rescuing the poor hens...)

Let's work towards a world where all hens are free range, happier, healthier and laying tastier eggs as well.

(I still don't like Leghorns, though.)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Gurney
Date: 04 May 09 - 02:07 AM

"When I went back less than an hour back later, Belinda had laid me an egg."

Cats, how did you know which one laid? Was it autographed? }:-)

Seriously, it's good fun to see them learning to be chickens. I somtimes look after some ex-bats for a pal, and dig in the garden just to see them dive for the worms and grubs.

Subject: RE: BS: Ex Bats
From: Cats
Date: 04 May 09 - 03:07 AM

I saw her lay it, then she turned around and looked at it in amazement. All she has to do now is learn to lay it in the nest box and not on the floor of the run but that might or might not happen. All 3 girls came out of the roost of their own accord this morning. It took Egglatina about an hour and a half to do it but she did it without any help so a huge step forward for her. Let's hope they learn to go back up as quickly as I had to put 2 of them up last night just as it was getting dark. It will take time but I am sure they will be fine. It's wonderful to see them learning to be chickens.