Battery Hens again!

[rinkins]

Further to my previous thread, can anyone tell me (DC50 - you sound knowledgeable on this subject), is it ok to then keep battery hens with other chickens?

[sheribee]

hi, i have 19 chooks and 2 ducks, been keeping hens for about a year now, and slowly get more as i cant say no to a lonely poorly chook.
My advice, and this is purely what i do personally...
i have a large enclosure for my chooks, but i also have a smaller enclosure built at the side of it with a seperate house, so when i get a new lady or ladies they go in the smaller enclosure, seperate from the other chooks for 2 weeks, to watch for any developing problems or signs of illness before they go in with my other chooks.
They can see each other through the wire fencing but cant get to each other, this way they get used to seeing each other, then i introduce them daily short periods at a time, they will argue, they need to establish the pecking order between themselves, only intervene if it gets out of hand, ie blood.
They will live happily, it will just take a short period of introduction and they will be part of the flock in no time xx

[DC50]

hi wouldnt say i am knowledgeable just had hens for the past 30 years and am a sucker for a sad case. we let ours see each other through a fence for a couple of days as sheri said and now they are all scratching about together they do squabble between themselves now and again but no damage as the new feathers are coming through they do still have a peck now and then but have got plenty of room to get out of each others way now as they are not penned in anymore each day they get a bit braver and more like normal hens they are not frightened by much and are very friendly and like to be in on whats going on my husband was trying to cut some fire wood and he had 3 in the shed helping him the really little 1 who i did not think was going to survive now runs to the gate and up to me every time i go up the garden i was bringing her out a couple of times a day and feeding her away from the others to make sure she was getting enough this weekend we have got them eating scraps from the kitchen i must admit i had to cut it all up really small to start with but they soon realised that the big bits could be eaten if they shook them about ,as for eggs well i dont know when they will lay but to be honest i just love seeing them develope into proper hens and enjoying themselves good luck if you do go ahead and get some

[rinkins]

Thank you sheribee and DC50, both so helpful, Mum very grateful and now can't wait to get her hens!!