Keeping hens?

Ex batts don’t live long unfortunately, mostly as they’re bed as machines and are just exhausted by the time they’re ‘no longer commercially viable’ (ewwww) at 18 months. One of ours made it to about 5 then just keeled over.

This chimes with my experience but we like giving them a comfortable retirement.

Although we keep a mix of ex batts and pure breeds, the ex batts are my favourites.  They are great characters. Bold, cheeky, like to be handled and much less aloof than the pure breeds. It’s incredibly rewarding seeing the swift transformation. Scrawny, featherless, pale combed, timid creatures who’ve never seen grass or the sun when they arrive. A few weeks later, fully feathered, deep red combs, sun bathing, foraging naturally and generally having an awesome retirement. Even if they don’t live long, at least they’ve experienced some freedom and kindness.  Having said that, we’ve had them live for 3 years or so after getting them at 18 months old.

Absolutely. That wasn’t a discouragement to ex batts.(I’m going to keep calling them that, because it’s pretty much exactly what ‘barn egg’ birds are) Some of our favourites we’ve had too. So friendly and inquisitive, and thoroughly rewarding watching the feathers and strength appear. But they’re definitely not easy in the early stages, like when you have to walk them up to their nest box, as the natural instinct isn’t there 🙁

I’m going to keep calling them that, because it’s pretty much exactly what ‘barn egg’ birds are

Yeah, the batteries may have gone but they can still keep 40 birds in an area the size of a single bed. We had three ex-batts once but they didn’t last long, although as said above it was heart-warming to see their transformation from oven ready chickens to healthy hens.

Ex batts don’t live long unfortunately

Mate of mine got a dozen as a project for he and his partner while waiting for a work permit etc. They were renting a farmhouse and had a small stable and an acre or so. Got virtually no eggs for ages until the spring came round, then the whole thing went mental, 30 eggs a week minimum, sometimes up to 50.

So they started selling them from home.

And got some more chooks.

Then started with a couple of rare breeds, because it was going so well. (One of the rare breeds isn’t actually so rare anymore.) Also got the pond dredged and got a load of ducks (multiple breeds)…

The ex battery chickens used to be left to their own devices, food, roosting boxes, plenty of space, if eggs arrived it was good, if not. No biggie.

I think they got addicted

When they emigrated and sold up they had something like 200 birds.