Chicken keepers of the SMB



Mrs K's Mam (no) has them. Usually has 5 but replaces them as they expire. She gets them from Lucky Hens Rescue. They're former battery chickens. Poor things look horrendous when they arrive.
 
Keawyeds said:
Mrs K's Mam (no) has them. Usually has 5 but replaces them as they expire. She gets them from Lucky Hens Rescue. They're former battery chickens. Poor things look horrendous when they arrive.
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I've had ex battery hens before, poor little buggers barely had a feather on them. :cry:
Strangely though they didn't live very long, think of the 6 I had, all of them had died within 18 months.
 
Les the Scientist said:
I've had ex battery hens before, poor little buggers barely had a feather on them. :cry:
Strangely though they didn't live very long, think of the 6 I had, all of them had died within 18 months.
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Hers live a bit longer. In fact I think a few manage a couple of years more. I don't think they live past 5 anyway do they?

IAmZlatan said:
Used to, but not anymore. Great fun to keep and can’t beat the taste of fresh eggs straight out the arse.
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You know you're meant to cook them and not eat the shell right?
 
My mam used to keep them.

One of them was absolutely mint, if you went and sat on the wall it would jump up and sit next to you. Obviously looking for food and that but it was still great how tame she was.

Surprisingly they’re also vicious as fuck when it comes to cats. If you want cats to stop shitting in your garden get a few hens!
 
cruze said:
I’ve always fancied enough to get a dozen eggs a week. Keep them in the garden during the day and usher them into the garage on a night. Possibly a lot harder than is seems
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When I fist got mine it was a pretty steep learning curve. The buggers would roost anywhere, trees, fences, anywhere up a height. These days, they get up, have a wander about the garden, then put themselves back to bed when the sun sets. Pretty low maintenance really. They shit a lot like, gallons of it. :neutral:
 
Just gave my three allotments up this year after 12 years. Had a proper menagerie , quail, ducks, rabbits, geese, pigeons, up to forty odd banties and hens as over 50 your supposed to register with defra as having a flock. Anyway, could sit and watch hens all day, noises they make, cockeral summoning them when he found some interesting food. Characters. Thinking about getting a couple for home in the near future as i miss those dark yellow yolks.

Les the Scientist said:
I've had ex battery hens before, poor little buggers barely had a feather on them. :cry:
Strangely though they didn't live very long, think of the 6 I had, all of them had died within 18 months.
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A lot of the hardyness has been bred out if them imho, mind you i have bought them at twenty weeks old, isa browns and they have thrived in a outdoor envoirement.
 
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Swindon On Tour said:
If you keep Chickens then you keep Rats :eek:
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nope - I have 4 cats to take care of the rats...
had 12 hens at one point - down to 3 now... had all sorts in the past - various breeds, standard RIRs and ex-battery hens...
Love em. Cannit beat a good fresh poached egg of a morning. Been a steep learning curve mind. I've had to learn to deal with all sorts of ailments and emergencies including prolapses, eggbound, peritonitis and in one case, despatch !! (I cried while doing it)
 

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