Re: Ex-Battery Hens and Walking "Upstairs"!
From: Martyn (bill_at_Microsoft.com)
Date: 08/23/04
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Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 10:47:29 +0100
"Jill" <news@REMOVETHISkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4129a72c$0$11859$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net...
> UT0P1AN wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I am a 'newbie', currently looking into buying my first henhouse. I
> > want to get just 3 or so ex-battery hens and was wondering if they
> > would have trouble climbing-up into a house raised off the ground. In
> > some respects I'd rather have a raised house to help keep the rodents
>
> If not then with good feed managements - keeping all bags of feed inside
> tightly secrued bins and all feed in hoppers not scattered on the ground -
> then you should not encourage any more rodents than your neighbour putting
> out food for the wild birds.
> Certainly the ex battery birds not know about going up ramps and depending
> on their condition when you get them - may be less able. As Martyn here [
> and others I have had conversations with] have noted they do not
understand
> the etiquette of sufflling along a perch so make sure your house has ample
> space inside once they get upstairs. Otherwise the first bird will sit
down
> where they are and hte rest will have problems getting up in.
> You will probably have to arrange them each night for the first few weeks
> until they get the hang of things
As Jill says (and she's often right) new ex-battery hens don't shuffle along
perches, they don't know what perches are! You might need to put them on the
perches for a night or two.
They also don't seem to understand the concepts of 'up' and 'down' for a
while.
But then they don't understand walking, or running, or scratching, or green
food, or worms, for a while; once one of them figures it out they all catch
on very quickly.
I lowered my hen house on bricks for a few days (a step 1 brick high is easy
for them), then raised it about 18 inches.
I walked them up the ramp on the first day (guided them with my hands as
they stumbled up). Next day they were cautious but OK. Day after that they
were running up and down whenever they wanted to. So they do learn quite
quickly.
My two runner-ducks never got the hang of the ramp (up or down) but then
they really are rather thick.
I've build them an extension and they now sleep on their own, underneath the
hen house.
The chickens definitely prefer going 'up' to bed.
I don't have a problem with rodents (yet??) (I see the odd rat, mouse and
vole around occasionally, but they're not a problem).
I keep ALL food-stuffs in plastic containers, raised off the floor, and it
seems to be OK.
Martyn (Devon)
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