Battery hens......

[Floyd]

Is there a positive and negative side to battery hens?

[Bill HH]

Is there a positive and negative side to battery hens?

Well we kept several thousand battery hens in the 1960's and believe it or not there is a positive side. We had 10 thousand free range birds and on a cold miserable wet day they stood in a sea of mud and if they could talk they would have said "Shoot me please!" But then in the battery house with controlled temperatures and a roof over their heads they were clearly MUCH happier. This was evidenced by the egg production, only happy hens lay eggs.

[Scarlet]

Are you thinking of rehoming? I think the positives are obvious, give a bird that is worn out and abused a home with free range and grass for the rest of its life.
Downsides? A common scenario - a friend recently took in 3, all bald, one was very quiet - she died within 3 weeks, a nervous girl that flourished, the third became an egg eater (presume needed the nutrients) they often don't have a long life. They ended up buying a couple of young layers to go with them.

[Martin H]

Is there a positive and negative side to battery hens?

It had potential but went flat. Nice try though.

[Scarlet]

This was evidenced by the egg production, only happy hens lay eggs.

But battery hens have a couple of years laying eggs under extra heat and light and are worn out at the end of it. They often don't live long once rehomed.

[Bill HH]

But battery hens have a couple of years laying eggs under extra heat and light and are worn out at the end of it. They often don't live long once rehomed.

Commercial egg producers including free range usually replace the flock every year. So I am afraid the worn out theory doesn't hold water. A flock of free range hens are invariably worn out in just the same way.

[Scarlet]

I really don't agree Bill, the extra light and warmth a chicken receives encourages extra egg production this isn't natural. A year of that and the bird is typically worn out and stressed.

[Bill HH]

I really don't agree Bill, the extra light and warmth a chicken receives encourages extra egg production this isn't natural. A year of that and the bird is typically worn out and stressed.

There are a lot of misconceptions regarding battery cages, firstly they don't get extra light as in light levels they get less light to prevent cannibalism (Which occurs in free range too). They do get longer light however. But then our free range hens had lights in their pens in the early mornings and evenings too. They also get wonderful ventilation with roof fans drawing fresh air in, and of course weather protection. Where the battery system became unsavoury was when people crammed too many birds into a cage. Our birds were Rhode Island reds and quite big and we did not cram them in. I am not particularly defend the battery system but I do think it gets more of a hammering than it deserves if done properly. We struggled for many years to make a profit from free range but in those days the British housewife mainly shopped on price and was not willing to pay the extra costs.
As for being worn out from laying so many eggs that is a myth, aChicken has a potential of laying perhaps 250 to 300 eggs per year, they do this whether free range or in cages if managed properly.

[chris]

I'm wondering what the point was for this thread... Floyd?

[Alison]

We get our eggs from a local egg farm, the birds are totally free range (not in barns but in fields with many sheds for shelter). With the exception of ones which are moulting, they look very healthy and happy scratching around and the ones that stay out in the rain do that by choice and don't look miserable either. None of them look anything like the wretched birds that came out the battery system and nothing will ever convince me that keeping birds like that is a good idea.

[bearded bloke]

I fail to see what the point of the original post here was/is But it's nice to see a reasoned debate from both sides of the fence from Bill & Scarlett,both in my opinion raising some good points

[veggiechicken]

Is there a positive and negative side to battery hens?

Are you going to adopt some, Floyd? Just wondered why you were asking, that's all

[Martin H]

I'm wondering what the point was for this thread... Floyd?

It was clearly a pun. I'll try and explain ... A battery has positive and negative terminals. Perhaps hens do too?

The clue was in the smiley.

Still, the thread has been enlightening!

[chris]

Bleh :/

On both accounts :|


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[Alison]

It was clearly a pun. I'll try and explain ... A battery has positive and negative terminals. Perhaps hens do too?

The clue was in the smiley.

Still, the thread has been enlightening!

Shouldn't it be moved to chat then rather than rule he roost as clearly nothing to do with chickens?