# Our new rescues...



## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

This is Ruby and Mitilda...
Rescued from a battery farm.
Came to us three days ago. Looking for new girls to live with our last remaining two rescues of five we honed 6 months ago... Thankfully our remaining








two are thriving currently. These two are in such a state. So we are working around the clock to do what we can for them.....They are very scared, and very depleted. They were bald when first rescued but have grown back some feathers at the sanctuary. Fingers crossed for Ruby and Mitilda.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Wait, backup. Did you lose a bunch of the ones you rescued? Or were you able to rehome them?

Except for the feathers these two actually look a bit better with more color in the combs and wattles. 

Lack of feathers due to a molt or feather picking?


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## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

We lost two from water belly... (Guessing Doris our first died from something relating to ger gut from having such bad parasites beforehand)

Found a very good vet who really tried, despite his help and alternative recommendations their conditioned eventually worsened and I had them PTS sadly. Water belly is a common way for them to die once being used for eggs by the industry because of damage to the uterus. The egg diposites do not pass properly causing stress in the liver which causes exsess fluid.

We are taking preventative measure to hopefully keep the rest alive for longer but he said I'm lucky to get a years life out of any of them.... We will see. Not giving up....

They aren't too bad for feathers now. But were bald.... They are so thin at the moment I'm scared I'll break them.....

Feeding them up in a stress free environment. They are clearly so traumatised. Not like our ballsy spirited other two... who are giants in comparison.

Here are the last of our original... Had them 6 months... Vet check clear for now, doing great....


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## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

The feather loss is a mistery before they came to the sanctuary. The entire batch were mostly bald. These two were seperated from the flock as they were trying to kill them.. so think it's a combination of not getting to food and pecking?


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## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

The sanctuary did a great job getting them much better before I picked them up.... 💞


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yes, water belly is a common problem here with hatchery birds. Some have had their birds spayed to stop the issue. 

Those two look really good. A few months of care and they blossomed. I hope you get to keep them longer than the vet expects. Many of the hatchery birds here can make it to five years before problems start. 

From what you've said about their physical condition it could have been external parasites that caused all of the feather loss.


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## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

robin416 said:


> Yes, water belly is a common problem here with hatchery birds. Some have had their birds spayed to stop the issue.
> 
> Those two look really good. A few months of care and they blossomed. I hope you get to keep them longer than the vet expects. Many of the hatchery birds here can make it to five years before problems start.
> 
> From what you've said about their physical condition it could have been external parasites that caused all of the feather loss.


Arh, I didn't know this about the hatchery birds..
So would it be too late to spay my rescues? The vet didn't recommend that as a treatment option .. 

He said as these birds aren't meant to last more than 1 year to 18months for the industry they are treated as such during their time in the farm, which is why it's harder to keep them going. 

My friend who rescues longest living hen was 3..... I'd be so thankful for that... I hope so too! 

Gosh I've got so much to learn.....

Grateful for any advice....


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Kudos on the rescue, three may be about right, but you never know. Our rescue birds have never lived full lifespans.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

@Poultry Judge can't help but ask this, what's a full life span. Considering I had one live to 14 and several to 10. We seem to have two groups of birds. Those bred for pleasure that live very long lives and those bred for eggs/meat that don't. Yeah, I'm thinking about Goliath. I'm still sad about him.

@LoxiKat I'm assuming your birds would have to be in the best shape possible before undergoing a surgery like that. Unfortunately I can't tell you if the birds that were spayed went on to live long lives since so often we only get part of the story.

Yeah, that water belly thing is known as ascites. It is seen rather often with hatchery birds and is one of the first questions asked when someone's bird is having laying issues.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> @Poultry Judge can't help but ask this, what's a full life span. Considering I had one live to 14 and several to 10. We seem to have two groups of birds. Those bred for pleasure that live very long lives and those bred for eggs/meat that don't. Yeah, I'm thinking about Goliath. I'm still sad about him.
> 
> @LoxiKat I'm assuming your birds would have to be in the best shape possible before undergoing a surgery like that. Unfortunately I can't tell you if the birds that were spayed went on to live long lives since so often we only get part of the story.
> 
> Yeah, that water belly thing is known as ascites. It is seen rather often with hatchery birds and is one of the first questions asked when someone's bird is having laying issues.


Robin, I think you are spot on with the numbers. Under the right circumstances some birds can live 10-14 years. Goliath was a rescue meat bird, I think genetically, there was no way to limit his bulk which he couldn't really support. He was such a good bird, I still remember him sleeping by a big Oak to guard the coop at night.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I know there wasn't. It was just he was "special" even from a distance.


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## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

Poultry Judge said:


> Robin, I think you are spot on with the numbers. Under the right circumstances some birds can live 10-14 years. Goliath was a rescue meat bird, I think genetically, there was no way to limit his bulk which he couldn't really support. He was such a good bird, I still remember him sleeping by a big Oak to guard the coop at night.


Awe love the name ... They do get so huge don't they?? No matter how we tried with my friends broilers, or what we tried with these ones, as you say nothing can stop what was induced genetically.

Sorry for your loss. He sounded like a real character.....


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That or PJ tells great stories. Although the pics of Goliath told their own story. He had it made in the shade with PJ so there was that for him.


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## HSJ07 (Aug 25, 2020)

LoxiKat said:


> This is Ruby and Mitilda...
> Rescued from a battery farm.
> Came to us three days ago. Looking for new girls to live with our last remaining two rescues of five we honed 6 months ago... Thankfully our remaining
> View attachment 43123
> ...


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## HSJ07 (Aug 25, 2020)

I see that you are integrating chickens on a regular basis. Due to a dog attack and one natural death my flock of 11 has dwindled to 5. 1 Gold Comet who lays daily. 1 Welsummer who has 17 week old chicks that she still mothers so no eggs from her, the 2 17 week old chicks(not laying) and my little rooster, I have been offered two almost 2 year old Barred Rock hens. They are older than all my chickens. What is the very best way to integrate them?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

HS, haven't you already gone through the introduction thing with chicks. It's the same thing for adult birds. The plus is there are two adults that are more than likely buddies. 

Loxi's situation with rescuing battery birds is very different from what we're doing with ours.


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## HSJ07 (Aug 25, 2020)

robin416 said:


> HS, haven't you already gone through the introduction thing with chicks. It's the same thing for adult birds. The plus is there are two adults that are more than likely buddies.
> 
> Loxi's situation with rescuing battery birds is very different from what we're doing with ours.


 My chicks were introduced under a mama hen so this is all they have ever known. My worries are about them learning where to lay and the roost and these are full adult size and they may all fight. I am almost thinking of backing out and getting babies if Lucille goes broody again. I do want these egg layers though but they may not care for me. It is so peaceful right now. So many pros and Cons.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Then just hold off. You've still got the chicks that have filled out the flock some since the attack.


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## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

HSJ07 said:


> I see that you are integrating chickens on a regular basis. Due to a dog attack and one natural death my flock of 11 has dwindled to 5. 1 Gold Comet who lays daily. 1 Welsummer who has 17 week old chicks that she still mothers so no eggs from her, the 2 17 week old chicks(not laying) and my little rooster, I have been offered two almost 2 year old Barred Rock hens. They are older than all my chickens. What is the very best way to integrate them?


As mentioned, im assuming it's very different what I am doing with rescues. It's not black and white and I'm learning as I go and having to try different methods of intergrating depending on the new arrivals, their state and dynamics, ect...

Happy to share still. 

The quarantine period is the perfect opportunity to use visual exposure so they can start getting used to eachother safely without physical contact. They will have an outdoor and indoor enclouser where that can happen. 

When the quarantine period is over, and the hens show signs of being more settled seeing eachother, they start to intergatate in the large free-range space. (My garden) I'll observe, and gives them lots of space to sort pecking order. 

I have not Intergrated these new girls into.the coop yet... I've learnt not to rush it! 

I tend not to until I see they are a unit in the big space. Many of my girls have arrived, terrified, traumatised. Not even knowing how to be a chicken yet..
Which is something else that needs time working on before putting them in a smaller space with more confident hens. 

I've had a couple hens that never Intergrated into the coop, for various reasons. And only in the outdoor space. Mostly it all works out in the end. As long as I don't rush the process. 

All my hens have been and are likely to be the same breed. Isa Browns. X


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

So, they're doing well now? Has your concern for their survival reduced for those still outside. 

Where do the two hens roost at if they refuse the coop? Do they have a spot to be out of the weather?


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

I've had numerous breeds over the years and know that cross breeds live a lot longer than many pure breeds. This is especially true for the bantams. A cross breed bantam laying eggs over ten years isn't that uncommon. Cross breeds of all species seem to have a longer life whether it be a chicken or a dog or a... A great age does not seem a trait that is bred for.


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## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

robin416 said:


> So, they're doing well now? Has your concern for their survival reduced for those still outside.
> 
> Where do the two hens roost at if they refuse the coop? Do they have a spot to be out of the weather?


Yes, my two left from my original girls are doing so well....

My new two are enjoying outdoor space with them. The four are mostly fine in the free range space at the moment. It's only been about a week so still early days. The two new girls are slowly exploring the coop In the day time,vwhike the older girls gradually get used to it without them being locked in together.

Yes, I have a secure space attached to my house, a lean-to/shed which they use for shelter and roosting till they are ready to go in together.... 

We keep a very close eye on them. They are kept in their secure spaces when we aren't home. 

One hen who has sadly passed, was so aggressive she never learnt to share the coop or enclousure before she died. She was fine in the free range space, just lost it as soon as they were in the enousure. She certainly had some kind of trauma. Coming from a Crowded space I assumed she was badly bullied and not got to much food in the farm. (Judging by the state she came in) we were making progress with her in the end, but she sadly died of water belly.

I'll be having a trial run of them going intogether at night soon. Quiet often I have to help newbies into the coop at night as they have no idea how to roost at first or even sleep! The two new ones have only just started to sleep properly in their temporary coop.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I saw that with a Guinea I bought, er rescued. Poor thing was the same way. Didn't know what it was to roost. 

It sounds as though blending the new and old is actually going very well. Poor things probably don't know they're supposed to bossy.


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## LoxiKat (Aug 15, 2021)

robin416 said:


> I saw that with a Guinea I bought, er rescued. Poor thing was the same way. Didn't know what it was to roost.
> 
> It sounds as though blending the new and old is actually going very well. Poor things probably don't know they're supposed to bossy.


No they definitely don't. Poor girls.. so sad when their very instinct is lost.... And on the flip side, so happy for them when they find them again. 

I think this time it's going a bit smoother as I've learnt a bit more from the last, and our two new ones are growing confidence a bit quicker as they have the other two established hens to learn from... That really seems to be helping!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Nothing could ever take the place of hands on experience. Even if the girls' lives are not as long lasting as we'd like, they ended up with a good life.


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## HSJ07 (Aug 25, 2020)

robin416 said:


> So, they're doing well now? Has your concern for their survival reduced for those still outside.
> 
> Where do the two hens roost at if they refuse the coop? Do they have a spot to be out of the weather?


They are doing great. Roost with the others and have started laying. My little Rooster and the new RIR are in love and inseparable.


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