So we have ordered our rescue hens, 5 of them.

[RATTER15]

We arent sure about a collection date but will probably be around the end of June beginning of July, depends on the farmers slaughter dates apparently. We collect them on the day of slaughter and they will have never seen daylight before, how sad is that!!

"Hen Heaven" is very nearly completed, then I got to just build the outside run, all looking good so far.

[DTCwordfan]

Lets see the pics then

Good Luck

Given jonnopiper's threads (hilarious) make sure chickies are not coming from Essex; they may well have been eaten by his sewer crocs.

[RATTER15]

I will post pics tomorrow, should be finished then, ive had a day off today, hurt my back putting the roof on Grrr.

[joggerjayne]

Oh, RATTER ... that is SO cool.

Rescue hens are hilarious. They're all bald and ratty. Their feathers grow back when they get some daylight, and decent food.

Apparently they become really affectionate because they are so grateful to suddenly be given a nice life.

[Nosha123]

Bless them! I have a fear of chickens but wish you well with yours!!!

[maggiebee]

Workmate of mine rescued some hens many years ago. Remember him saying they huddled together in a corner for quite a while because they had never been outside before. They did get used to freedom though and were good layers.

[wolf63]

ratter - were you not just about to move to Wales to breed llamas (or am I all confuggled again?).

It is good that you are able to give these animals some sort of life. I hope that they settle in and don't bully the wolfies too much.

[commoner]

My old dad used to get these ex battery hens some years ago and they always repaid him for rescuing them..once they settle down to doing "henny" things like scratching for insects in the soil and eating grass etc..they will lay their little heads off ..metaphorically speaking of course....Heh heh!

[RATTER15]

Wolf, yes that is still the plan for later this year, we got a few loose ends to tie up before we move, yes the hens will be going with us, the coop has been constructed in panels for easy dismantling and reassembly.

Alpacas not Lamas, all the same family though and the hens are all part of the master plan :-)

[beejay1124]

thats great Ratter-watch them at the first when they are free-they dont know what their legs are for

[pdust]

aww thats nice ratter.... are you gonna name them? why do you have to wait until day of slaughter? if they know you want them it would be kinder to let you take them sooner

[jomifl]

Is the hen house a practice run for the log cabin? Did you see Fearnley Whittingstall' fox proof hen house on the River cottage series.? Our neighbour started keeping hens which began to disappear when the crop grew in the field next door. According to his wife a 'brown dog' was seen chasing them ...
Good luck with your plans !

[RATTER15]

pdust, we have to wait till the farmers slaughter day, that is when the hens are all killed off to replace with new stock, until that day they are productively laying. They are then rescued by the Hen welfare society and immediately handed to people on their waiting list the same day.

[RATTER15]

pdust, personally I wont be giving them names, Carakeel however.......

[quinie]

What a lovely thing to do,RATTER15-I had never heard of rescue hens. I hope your move to Wales goes well -sounds like The Good Life

[pdust]

oh thats pretty mean just to get a few more eggs out of them :( theres lots of allotments near me so i know my eggs come from happy free hens :)

lol at the names.... bet it wont be long before you are here saying 'so and so' hen did this today ;)

[Psybbo]

What a lovely thing to do, I wish we lived near to you

[RATTER15]

We are getting our hens from these guys: http://www.bhwt.org.uk/