Battery Hen Rescue.. homes needed..

[Nerys]

Cross posted from poultry forums

ex battery hens need help, or will be slaughtered for dog food...

Hello again all! I am picking myself off the floor having just been offered 7,000 ex-battery hens, due to be dogfood in June. No definite date yet - first he said 6 to 8 weeks, then he thought about it and said "more like 4 really". He was happy for me to take as many as I wanted. Right now, I'd be struggling to find homes for 1% of these - but every one of them we can put in a garden is a precious spark of life, so I want to let you all know, in case you have space for an extra one or two, or know anyone else who is looking. If I can get a big rescue together, (big to me is anything over 30!) I'd also be keen to hear from anyone who can help with the rescue itself, or with transport, boxes, co-ordination points etc. My suburban front drive is fine for offloading 50 to patient rehomers, but would not be much good for 500..... The farm is near spalding in Lincolnshire. Do please contact me by PM or email if you have any suggestions. Love, Carly

the lady i have been speaking to is Alison, who can be found on

alison.holt@yahoo.com

i am acting as a half way house for a few of these, i'll be taking on some myself, but also acting courier for people, i have one drop in nottingham for 20 birds already, and there are many other people getting involved, but 7000 is a lot of chickens to sort out !! the farmer is asking for a pound a bird, which is what he has told lincs pet rescue that he gets for them for dog food.


if anyone is interested, please let me know ASAP, or speak to alison directly. i don't mind paying for the birds up front, and then people can pay me when they are dropped off. i am only charging straight diesel costs for delivering them, not charging for my time or so on.

they can be collected from me, or i can negotiate times for delivery

thanks

Nerys

incidentally, if you are interested in helping out battery hens... then save some pennies for the BHWT (battery hen welfare trust) 2009 calender.. photographed along the lines of the WI "calender girls".. you will get to see some finely fleshed examples of the nations chicken keepers... including yours truely i'm afraid, but you can skip the page with me on it if you want. i won't mind lol lol

[Xavier]

If only the time limit was July, wont be able to thoroughly assess the "space" available for chooks until then. Fingers crossed that as many of these lovelies as possible make it into new homes Will have a word with people, and possibly even the uni seeing as they have a pair of free range chooks at the animal centre anyhoot.

[Rou]

Hey,
I go to college with a girl who is getting ready to get some chickens, I remember her saying something about wanting to rehome battery hens. she is only looking for 3,4 or 5 i think she said.

She isn't a member on here so i will give her my log in info and she will probably contact you about this.

Before i mention it to her... the chickens are still available at the moment yes?

Thank you.
Rou.

p.s. my friend name is kim.

[Nerys]

hiya

yes they are still available.. i have 40 coming here so far, and i know there are several people up and down the uk acting as pick up, collection and so on.. but with 7000 available, i am pretty sure there will be plenty to go around...

she can drop me a text to the mobile number in my siggy if you want also

thanks the more that can have a chance at a bit of a free life, the better

Nerys

[Brat]

I would love chickens but dont know the first thing about how to look after them

[Rou]

Thanks Nerys, I have saved your mobile number in my phone and just sent my friend an email explaining the goings on. If she doesn't contact you within the next day or two then hit me back and I will double check to see if she got the email.

It's times liek this I wish I had a proper garden! grr.

Originally Posted by Brat

I would love chickens but dont know the first thing about how to look after them

Thats what research is for

[Brat]

There's no point, they'd get through the hedge in my garden and disappear

[Nerys]

they are really pretty easy.. depends if you have a garden you can free range them in, or if they need to be enclosed, in either case you need a secure house for the nighttime.. if your area has active foxes in, you may need to have them secured during the day too..

you worm them, same as you do most things.. you make sure they have plenty of food and fresh water available.. and there is not a huge amount more to the basics than that..

yes there is a lot more to it than just the basics, as with anything else, but if you are used to keeping animals and have a decent amount of common sense, there is nothing hard to it really

there are several poultry forums about too who offer a lot of advice to newcomers

N

[Brat]

Sounds easy enough, I'd be more worried about dirty brummy smackheads trying to steal them than foxes anting a treat lol..
Would definitely need a coop as the garden isn't chicken proof.
To be honest my other half wouldn't allow chickens if I asked, he likes chickens on his plate much to my disgust..

[Nerys]

Originally Posted by Brat

There's no point, they'd get through the hedge in my garden and disappear

you could always have a big run and house for them, many people in residential areas do, and remember these girls have come from typical battery pens, so just the fact they can be outdoors, even if its in an enclosed run, would be a whole load better than what they were in, or what they will go into.. which is a dogs belly.. if they are not taken in by new homes..

they have many many eggs yet they could lay before they rejoin the food chain, i have nothing against chickens in the food chain, but its nice to think i can give a few a nice retirement home in the sun (and rain) and they will lay enough eggs to work for their keep for a while yet

N