MY EX-BATTERY HENS

Since we moved proper out into the countryside we keep chicken. Mainly for the eggs, but they are fun to have in the garden as well, usually very interested in whatever we are doing and very inquisitive. Until recently we had 3 beautiful hens, each very different from the others.

Our three hens before the fox came

The lazy one on the ground is a big fat thing, a Speckled Sussex, very tame, curious to the point of annoying, very confident, takes no prisoners. The white one is a small thing, a Sussex Star, never very trusting, slightly paranoid and a little bit “special”. The black one is a sort of breed too, but I forgot the name – it’s a normal hen, nothing special, relatively tame and minds it’s own business. It lays fairly well, up to 5 eggs a week. The other two are lazier, 3 eggs per week is the norm in the summer month and then they stop, the white one gets broody as well and sits for weeks on absolutely nothing trying to get some breeding done. A few month ago the black hen got taken by Mr. Fox, who is quite a regular in these gardens, we have seen him during a sunny afternoon, standing in the garden, observing us a while before ambling away. So, when the black one was gone the eggs became rather sparse in our kitchen and we decided to get some more hens. As nice as the proper breeds are – egg laying machines they ain’t. So we thought about getting some “normal” layers and when we saw a poster in a farm shop for the charity that does re-home ex-bats we thought “hey-they are bred for laying, so that should be good” and applied for three of them. We got another chicken coop and secured the pen with a better and higher fence before collection day. We got our three hens – they did not look as bad as expected which we greeted with relief. We took them home and put them into the pen separated from the existing hens by a fence.

Just as fierce as they look

Immediately the new ones started fighting each other. We knew that that was normal, but we never encountered anything as fierce as that before, blood was flowing pretty quick, these beasts knew where to peck.

Trying to draw blood

And after establishing their own pecking order they went for our established hens – through the fence. And again draw blood – but somehow they managed to get the order of power right pretty quick and we could release the new ones into the big pen much earlier than anticipated.

Fierce little creature

And after a couple of days it was as peaceful as in paradise in the pen – one happy flock.

Nice

So now on a warm sunny day when we are in the garden to weed, dig and do all the other gardening stuff our work is accompanied by the sound of happy chicken.

And the new ones lay about 6 eggs per week each, so omelets, soufflés and all the other egg-based foods are a daily occurrence on the dining table. And there is nothing better than a spring omelette – fresh eggs, fresh herbs from the garden, the first asparagus – heaven.

Conclusion: these ex-battery hens are fantastic little creatures. They are tame, curious and strangely know exactly how to behave in the open, what to eat and what to leave alone. I recommend them wholeheartedly to anybody who would like fresh eggs on the table – there is nothing better.

If you are interested in getting some of those hens yourself got to http://www.bhwt.org.uk/ , the site of the British Hen Welfare Trust and you find everything you need to know.

Advertisement

~ by heikemargot on April 26, 2010.