Advice please - thinking of rehoming chickens

[teacups]

Congratulations & so pleased to hear you are enjoying having them around...and vice versa, by the sound of it. Eggs are such a bice bonus, aren't they? <g>
Potentially not just a bonus right now, but essential - eek.

 

[Leo Walker]

I asked the question - how much - to both the places I get hens from and the birds are either given free or market value.

Caged bird eggs are used in Jaffa Cakes and the Mr Kipling range (I didn't realise) so I am boycotting them.

The market value is massively inflated by all the charities buying them then reselling them

 

[ihatework]

I’d love to get some ex batts at some point.

They weren’t bred for the purpose of selling on for pet food or rehoming or whatever. They were bred to lay cheap unethical eggs. If there wasn’t a market for them afterwards they would presumably just be disposed of.

I really can’t see how rehoming a tiny % for a small fee is really supporting the industry. It’s just giving a poor chook the chance of a happy end.

When I get my act together I will rehome some

 

[Archangel]

The market value is massively inflated by all the charities buying them then reselling them

I see where you are coming from. One tries to do the right or better thing and someone somewhere will turn a penny out of the misery.

The 3 'rescue' hens I picked up here in West Wales last Saturday had made a 5 hour journey up from near Gatwick.
The charity must have their reasons for doing this but to me it would make sense for birds being got rid of in West Wales to be rehomed in West Wales. It would potentially avoid a disease being transported from one end of the country to the other just like that.

On a happier note, the hens really settled well and are loving their wood ash dust bath - one even laid an egg on the way home and they are all laying every day.

 

[ycbm]

The market value is massively inflated by all the charities buying them then reselling them

'Massively'? In comparison to pet food and chicken soup? I doubt it.

.

 

[CourtJester]

So I didn’t really realise how difficult chickens would be .... to take a decent photo of ! So here are a couple for now and hopefully we will get some better ones of them out in the sunshine next week. Their outdoor pen is being built today though some ducks and chickens were stolen yesterday from a local allotment which brings a whole new worry. I thought we only had to protect them from foxes and the like.
The chickens themselves are getting feisty by the day, I swear they are playing football with their feeders and when I was crouched down trying to take photos Mrs Bridges came over and pecked my little finger ! We are gradually adding bits of veg and grass to their diet and a poor earthworm found it way into the stable yard yesterday i couldn’t quite bring myself to do it but Lady Jane is more heartless than me and dropped it into the stable. Mrs Bridges quickly devoured it I think she is going to cause carnage when she is let out and about!

 

[Archangel]

They look very happy in their new home - CourtJester.

I took the plunge and let my new girls out to free range. I was wondering if they would cope with the feral kittens but no need to worry on that score, the kittens are being chased!

My original hen is in the background of the first photo, she has taken it upon herself to look after them and show them round.

 

[CourtJester]

So lovely to see them out and about and I love the waterfall !!