Another chicken keeper....

[Shirls]

Hi sophiemaisie. I thought I would come over here to 'other birds and pets' to talk to you about chickens, after having read your introduction!!! I am a chicken keeper too, I have Orpingtons, have only ever had Orpingtons, usually Buff, but I've had Blue, Blue/chocolate and I have at present an 11 week old Buff/Lacewing. They too are big birds. I have three older hens as well as the Lacewing and two other Buffs which I've only had for one week today and they are all 11/12 weeks old.

I admire you for taking in ex-battery hens. I would do that, but I am so fearful of losing them too soon after getting them. Having said that, I have lost a few for various reasons, one of them being a fox, eversince owning chickens and this is only my third year of owning them. I have found that there is certainly a lot to learn about keeping chickens!

I find chickens so entertaining, they are so funny sometimes as I'm sure yours are too! We have another chicken owner on the forum in starlingqueen who also has rescued ex-batts.

[sophiemaisie]

Shirls I've only just seen this! (I'm sorry!) still finding my way around the forum! I love Buff Orps, I have a Buff Orp x Golden Partridge Brahma, she's as big as her full Brahma sisters only with less 'shoes and tights' She constantly goes broody, currently sitting on nothing again, 4th time this year so far.
I have quite a few friends who are involved with the well known ex battery rescues and I regularly took in some girlies who couldn't go to unexperienced homes. However, I've seen some very sorry sights that still haunt me, the 'lucky' ones went to the most fantastic foster homes until well enough to be rehomed to regular homes (most ended up staying with their foster mum) and went on to live long and fantastic lives.
After losing my last remaining ex batt earlier this year I will most probably give a home to some more. I'd love to see some photos of your girls
At present I have Brahmas (including a Buff Orp cross), 5 hybrids and 2 rescue hens (not ex batts, they were bought for a 'prank' and then set free to roam near a main road ), luckily my daughter found them and brought them home in her car.

[Shirls]

No need to apologise sophiemaisie! My broodies sit on nothing at all too, silly chickens! You are so brave taking in e-batts, I would but I have fairly low fences hence one of the reasons for having Buffs, they can't fly over them! Not sure of the mobility of ex-batts, I know thet are smaller than Orpingtons. Plus although I am on the edge of the countryside it's fairly built up close by around me. I don't think the neighbours would appreciate chickens regularly escaping into their gardens - they eat everything!

I'll swop you some pictures of my girlies for pictures of yours. I use Flickr, it's easy once you know how. Let me know if you need help (or perhaps you use it already?)

I'm off in a mo to report back on our vet visit this morning. Just catching up on everything else.