Ex - battery hens - will they lay ??

[PFMarconi]

Two months ago I bought 6 battery hens.
Since then, one has died and from the remaining 5 I'm getting the ocassional egg.
At the time I bought them I was assured they were about 56 wks old and would still lay.
Having always had POL hens which do give eggs, am I being unreasonable expecting eggs so soon ?

Thanks
Paul

 

[Chuck]

The figures don't really add up. They go into the cages at 18 weeks and spend a year or just over in them = 70 weeks. This year may be an exception and some may have come out of the old style cages early as the new 'enriched' cages will have been stocked with POL pullets I expect.
Did yours come direct from the cages or had they spent some time in another ownership ?
At 56 weeks or even 70 weeks , there is still some laying life left in them but most need a period of adjustment after leaving the cages and go into a moult when laying will stop until the feathers re-grow.
I would be expecting a lot of eggs from hens of 56 weeks and unless they are moulting, they are not pulling their weight at all.
I can't understand why people who want eggs seem to be willing to pay up to £5 for an ex battery, when POL pullets can be bought for between £8 & £10.

 

[PFMarconi]

Thanks Chuck

In truth I feel very disappointed, if not a little ripped off. I thought for once I would give ex batts a go, and yes, spent a fiver per bird. They were a right mottly crew and took sometime before they looked half decent, but that time has come and gone and I was expecting eggs by now.
At a risk of offending some, I bought these birds for a purpose and not as pets - I'm giving them until the end of July (over 4 months) then if there is still no dramatic improvements, I'll call the rescue centres.

Paul

 

[valeriebutterley]

Hello Paul,
I rescued two ex-batts, about 3 years ago, and they laid from day one.
One of them was so woebegone and featherless it took her a full two years to retain her former glory - but oh boy, did they lay!
It sounds as if there might be something wrong with your girls.
Three weeks ago I added a point-of-lay Columbian Blacktail to my layers, and she is obliging on a daily basis, a beautiful and friendly hen, lowest in the pecking order now, but not the slightest bit bothered, takes it all in her stride, and ignores the others!
Hope yours do give some return soon.

Valerie.

 

[chrismahon]

I'm wondering if they are still adjusting to their new environment. Is there something frightening them, no matter how silly it seems -washing line, barking dog, cats, trees blowing in the wind, rattly door on the coop, too much open space? Even ours get upset by most of those.

 

[dinosaw]

My 68 week goldlines which are a battery breed are laying every day without exception, expecting them to moult soon but afterwardsd would still expect 4 eggs per week from them, as Chris says, is there a reason for them to be stressed?

 

[foxy]

Thanks Chuck

In truth I feel very disappointed, if not a little ripped off. I thought for once I would give ex batts a go, and yes, spent a fiver per bird. They were a right mottly crew and took sometime before they looked half decent, but that time has come and gone and I was expecting eggs by now.
At a risk of offending some, I bought these birds for a purpose and not as pets - I'm giving them until the end of July (over 4 months) then if there is still no dramatic improvements, I'll call the rescue centres.

Paul

If they were a motley crew, and have improved, then I expect the energy that that would have gone into producing eggs has been diverted into getting condition and feathering, this is quite usual in exbatts/ex barns. They only let them go after a period of heavy laying. POL's are very different and in that case you would be buying just at the beginning of their first laying season.
Buying exbatts can be a bit hit and miss in the egg laying department,therefore to guarantee a supply of eggs hybrid POL is your best bet. Saying all that with a lot of people who choose exbatts there is more of a sense of altruistic satisfaction to seeing this birds in good health and scratching around and eggs are usually seen as a bonus.

 

[PFMarconi]

Thanks to everone for their comments, especially Foxy for mentioning the conditioning of feathers etc.
I'm going to give the ex-batts a chance to redeem themselves for another 2+ months.
However, they were bought for a purpose and if things don't change, I'll be looking to rehome them.
I sincerely hope they do start to lay because I like the damn stupid things ! :lol:

Paul

 

[Chuck]

I used to buy them on a regular basis direct from the battery farms (far less stress for them) but the losses can be high and many take a time to adjust and moult but they were well worth having except if you have to have a constant supply of eggs. Although I got them for laying, the spin off for me was to see them re-grow their feathers and get back to some normality in daily living. I always thought they laid so well out of gratitude for giving them some freedom back. Most would lay for another two years with a reasonable number of eggs.

 

[Drumbeater]

I have 10 ex battery hens, and they have laid from day 1. I am now getting between 7 and 10 eggs a day off them. I'm assuming you didn't let them roam around right from the start? I was told very sternly to keep them confined for at least 10 days to ensure they built up strong legs before giving them too much space. Sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs!