# ex battery hens. The *true* cost of cheaper eggs.



## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Day 2 of their new lives with me. Taken this morning.

YouTube - BHWT


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## boabloketony (Jan 22, 2007)

Well done for taking them on !!!

Poor things aren't used to that much space


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

good video!

p.s you sooo dont sound like i expected!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Well Done Pam:no1: More people need to know what lives these poor birds have just so the supermarkets can sell cheap eggs. I will only eat the eggs from the sanctuary now as I know that these hens have a happy and free range life,I dont even trust the pre packaged free range eggs that are sold
Love the goats pen:2thumb:

Gina, Pam sounds exactly like I imagined:lol2:


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## felix93 (Feb 5, 2007)

Well done.

I adopted some via BHWT for a few times already. And just with a few weeks TLC, they got stronger and better. Personalities start to show too. I am going to have more this coming month again. I have lots of eggs from the ex batts since day one I got them and now I can even share the eggs with my neighbours, which is great.


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

So sad good on you for taking them on Pam, those ones that can't stand break my heart.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

freekygeeky said:


> good video!
> 
> p.s you sooo dont sound like i expected!



So now I'm curious. What did you expect me to sound like?


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> Well Done Pam:no1: More people need to know what lives these poor birds have just so the supermarkets can sell cheap eggs. I will only eat the eggs from the sanctuary now as I know that these hens have a happy and free range life,I dont even trust the pre packaged free range eggs that are sold
> Love the goats pen:2thumb:
> 
> Gina, Pam sounds exactly like I imagined:lol2:


 Do you know what I noticed when I played the video back, and the pig one too. The background noise. In the pig one you can hear the bells of St Giles church clanging away, and in this one, you can hear goats, chickens, dogs, parrots. Flipping noisy in fact, yet in real life I don't even notice it.
I don't eat eggs. Really don't like them at all. Perhaps a dozen eggs in a year occasionally or in a quiche. But I like chickens. The 4 are still not standing but their weak legs might have been used to drag them out of the cages and have pulled ligaments and be very sore. They remind me of 4 old dears in bath chairs lined up on Eastbourne promenade.


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## htf666 (Jun 23, 2007)

It has always been the case that cruelty can be ignored especially when large sums of money are involved.People who keep chickens in battery cages should be suspended by the gonads.Where are the super rich rspca when they, for once are genuinely needed?
Harry


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

Havn't watched the video yet but will be doing soon when I go back inside, have got another 30 ex batts coming here on saturday too, It makes you feel so good.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

htf666 said:


> It has always been the case that cruelty can be ignored especially when large sums of money are involved.People who keep chickens in battery cages should be suspended by the gonads.Where are the super rich rspca when they, for once are genuinely needed?
> Harry


 I'll tell you where the super rich RSPCA are. They are hassling people like me who have a lot of animals. They are convinced that a person alone couldn't possible provide a good home, clean spacious accommodation and keep the animals plus the home, clean and tidy.:bash:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> So now I'm curious. What did you expect me to sound like?


lol no idea, you just soudn like me my family, normal cambridgeshire voice...
pffft i was expectign somthgin different! lol


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

freekygeeky said:


> lol no idea, you just soudn like me my family, normal cambridgeshire voice...
> pffft i was expectign somthgin different! lol


 

How Gina ? Something like a cackling witch:whistling2::lol2::lol2::lol2:


Sorry Pam I just had to say it..........sorry:blush:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Shell195 said:


> How Gina ? Something like a cackling witch:whistling2::lol2::lol2::lol2:
> 
> 
> Sorry Pam I just had to say it..........sorry:blush:



SHELL!!!!!
no, just different lol.
like elieeen i expected her to ound like me for some reason, but she didnt lol!


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

I think I sound normal too hehe.
Although I sounded like I was having some rumpy pumpy just now on my way back from the goatshed I swear. I was busy outside this afternoon in the sunshine and sort of mistimed my painkillers. I thought I felt a bit odd when I went to milk the goats , just a sort of horrible dull ache from neck to bum and by the time I'd finished milking Phoebe, I was near screaming pitch, shaking like a leaf and sweating. I walked back to the cottage just now slowly, gasping and moaning as I went. Gawd knows what the neighbours thought I was up to.
I've just taken a couple of pills with a cuppa tea and will go down to milk Betty in about 20 minutes when they start to kick in. When they start doing plastic spine replacements I'm gonna be first in the queue to get mine done.Silly me, I'd got so busy and distracted that I'm 2 hours overdue. Until it started hurting I really enjoyed myself as it was lovely and sunny but the wind made it cool enough to work in. Chickens have had loads of physio today. They are sick of me. When I appear, even the none walking ones try desperately to scuttle away cos they know I'm about to lift them with a hand under their tummies and the other hand moving their legs, one at a time, stretched out and folded back, stretched out, folded back. 10 times each leg.
They are well fed up with it, I'm sure.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Sounds painful Pam I hope your painkillers kick in soon


You have just given me an idea for Chicken exercise classes:whistling2:
Come along girls bend 1, 2, stretch 1, 2 work those legs, feel the burn:lol2:


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## MrsP (Apr 13, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> I'll tell you where the super rich RSPCA are. They are hassling people like me who have a lot of animals. They are convinced that a person alone couldn't possible provide a good home, clean spacious accommodation and keep the animals plus the home, clean and tidy.:bash:


Yeah, we had a visit after a call from a vindictive (as yet still unknown) neighbour saying that we had 30 plus cats, had thrown cats out of upstairs windows, and that we had a skunk. Only the last is true. They came in and had absolutely no concerns whatsoever, yet a neighbour left a dog tied up outside for a week when they went away and nothing was done???

Well done for taking on the chickens, I might do so soon when I can persuade him indoors to enlarge the chicken house a bit....


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

MrsP said:


> Yeah, we had a visit after a call from a vindictive (as yet still unknown) neighbour saying that we had 30 plus cats, had thrown cats out of upstairs windows, and that we had a skunk. Only the last is true. They came in and had absolutely no concerns whatsoever, yet a neighbour left a dog tied up outside for a week when they went away and nothing was done???
> 
> Well done for taking on the chickens, I might do so soon when I can persuade him indoors to enlarge the chicken house a bit....


 Him indoors? Oy woman, what about doing it yourself. Whatever blokies can do, we can do just as well you know.:lol2:


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## MrsP (Apr 13, 2008)

Ooh I know, but it makes him feel useful. He's been making a picket fence today bless him. And doing rather a splendid job of it too.

Thing is, he likes making stuff so if I bring animals home and say , erm, can you build them a house, he is in his element.

I got some quails this morning and he's already on the case to build them a quail sized house and run! 

After the last shelf putting up exercise I didn't dare tell him how quickly I could do it, don't want to be denting that ego... :lol2:


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## Andy (Jul 27, 2005)

I think you sound quite hot, in a strict mistress kind of way...: victory:


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Well done for giving these poor birds a second chance!

But didn't you have a go at another member not too long ago about starting a thread asking people to take in ex-battery chickens or they would be killed? :whistling2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Andy said:


> I think you sound quite hot, in a strict mistress kind of way...: victory:


 Excuse me??? <looks very stern> and who asked you for your opinion?
Go and stand in the corner until you learn to mind your manners and speak when you are spoken to.:whip:


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## Andy (Jul 27, 2005)

fenwoman said:


> Excuse me??? <looks very stern> and who asked you for your opinion?
> Go and stand in the corner until you learn to mind your manners and speak when you are spoken to.:whip:


:flrt:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

andy said:


> :flrt:


 
loveeee the signiture! Lol


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Oh dear Pam you`ve got Andy all hot and bothered now :lol2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> Oh dear Pam you`ve got Andy all hot and bothered now :lol2:


 If he isn't careful he'll be hot and bothered with a sore bum too cos these hands were made for slapping.:lol2:

On a more sombre note. 2 of the hens died in the night. They were two of the 4 which were unable to stand. I had a quick look at the bodies and was horrified to see terrible bruising on the legs and pelvic area.
The BHWT web[age states that the birds are carefully lifted out of the cages and carefully placed into the travel crates, but looking at that bruising, I would put money on it being caused by someone grabbing the bird by the leg and dragging it out of the cage. If a claw gets caught in the wire, it'll literally be yanked into doing the splits and hence the pelvic bruising. One of the 2 remaining, I suspect has a broken pelvis as it cracks and creaks when she moves. I have honestly never seen such severe bruising on any living creature.
Will take some photos later on.
Needless to say if the other 2 are also very badly damaged, they may well end up dead too but I'll see what bed rest will do for them.
The 2 that died would honestly have been better off killed immediately that suffer the pain and stress which they did for as long as they did.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Thats terrible Pam, Ive seen how they are removed from the battery cages and its awful but I would have thought that the BHWT would have overseen the careful removal of them but obviously not


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

It is bad, very bad.
I removed feathers to take the photos and realised that the bruising is much much worse than I realised. There is also damage, bruising and ripping to the vent area and I am beginning to suspect something much worse than mishandling has gone on.
Animal sexual abuse happens not infrequently among migrant workers according to livestock farmers I know. Rather than get the law and RSPCA involved with all the hassle that this entails, they worker usually gets a good hiding and the sack.
I can see no other way for this bruising to have occured. The bruising is around each thigh. They would have to have been gripped firmly by a hand on each thigh. This would not have bruised like this merely by grabbing a leg or even 2 legs and dragging from a cage.
I have put both corpses into the freezer and will be contacting my farm vet tomorrow to ask her if she will post mortem them for me and write a report on the damage to them, I am also going to call in my enemy, the RSPCA.

If you are easily upset, don't look at the pictures. My cheapo camera doesn't do proper justice to the colouration of these bruises. I've never seen anything like it in my life!

These photos are all from one bird. I didn't look at the other. I plucked the feathers out to see to what extent the damage was and I could cry when I saw it all.


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## mrsfluff (Jul 15, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> It is bad, very bad.
> I removed feathers to take the photos and realised that the bruising is much much worse than I realised. There is also damage, bruising and ripping to the vent area and I am beginning to suspect something much worse than mishandling has gone on.
> Animal sexual abuse happens not infrequently among migrant workers according to livestock farmers I know. Rather than get the law and RSPCA involved with all the hassle that this entails, they worker usually gets a good hiding and the sack.
> I can see no other way for this bruising to have occured. The bruising is around each thigh. They would have to have been gripped firmly by a hand on each thigh. This would not have bruised like this merely by grabbing a leg or even 2 legs and dragging from a cage.
> ...


I'm not often lost for words, but bloody hell :gasp: Those pics are awful and if your suspicions are true........ :devil:

Jo


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

BHWT phoned me this morning asking me not to tell anyone about the injuries, especially the RSPCA because it would give the charity a bad name :gasp:

Without seeing the photos I sent the lady, she said that sometimes chickens panicked, jumped out of the cage and fell to the floor and got a bit bruised. I asked her to look at the photos as this was a whole lot more than 'a bit bruised'.
So far she hasn't called me back.
Not sure what I should do now. Keep my gob shut about possible abuse because it'll do the charity some harm and might put farmers off letting them have chickens. Or speak out because no chickens should have to go through what these went through. Nearly every single one of the birds I got, has some bruising on it although not as bad as this.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> BHWT phoned me this morning asking me not to tell anyone about the injuries, especially the RSPCA because it would give the charity a bad name :gasp:
> 
> Without seeing the photos I sent the lady, she said that sometimes chickens panicked, jumped out of the cage and fell to the floor and got a bit bruised. I asked her to look at the photos as this was a whole lot more than 'a bit bruised'.
> So far she hasn't called me back.
> Not sure what I should do now. Keep my gob shut about possible abuse because it'll do the charity some harm and might put farmers off letting them have chickens. Or speak out because no chickens should have to go through what these went through. Nearly every single one of the birds I got, has some bruising on it although not as bad as this.



woudl this of happened whislt with the charity then?


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

I doubt it Gina it will be from the farm they came from


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Shell195 said:


> I doubt it Gina it will be from the farm they came from


then i woudl tell RSPCA. i cant see how it would damage the charity...
if she wants you to keep schtum, thats a little odd in my opinion...

i would tell RSPCA in my opinion.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

I am gobsmacked those injuries are horrific

I would speak out Pam as it may save others from a similar fate. If the injuries are caused like you say they were then I actually feel quite sick. That takes animal abuse to a new level


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## C4VEMAN-5AM (May 30, 2009)

Ha sometimes they fall out of the cage and get bruised. From that phone call they sound very nervous and scared youl'l tell, why not scare em make em feel like your gonna say somthing, hate f####rs who battery farm hens. Thank you for taking them in as well.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Shell195 said:


> I am gobsmacked those injuries are horrific
> 
> I would speak out Pam as it may save others from a similar fate. If the injuries are caused like you say they were then I actually feel quite sick. That takes animal abuse to a new level


i cant even imagine it, revolting...
makes me feel ill to be human somtimes..
sick sick..

surly if you spoke out.. and if they did find the people, they would get ''done''? surely if someone did that to a chicken... they would do it to a child? (if it is what it looks like)


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## vonnie (Aug 20, 2007)

Only just spotted this thread, but how sickening.

There is no way that sort of bruising would occur in any normal circumstances. A bird injuring itself might limp for a few days, but nothing like that bruising.

I actually have a low opinion of battery rescues at the moment anyway as an aquaintance just rehomed a few hens and I feel there was no back-up at all. When one hen was very aggressive she couldn't get any help, and ended up taking it to be put down. 

I don't disagree with the principle of rehoming battery hens, but I'm not sure there's the infrasatructure there to do it properly at the moment. And to ask you not to say anything when there is evidence of abuse is just wrong.

And as for 'a bit bruised' well that's just disgraceful.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

C4VEMAN-5AM said:


> Ha sometimes they fall out of the cage and get bruised. From that phone call they sound very nervous and scared youl'l tell, why not scare em make em feel like your gonna say somthing, hate f####rs who battery farm hens. Thank you for taking them in as well.


 I was speaking to the person at the BHWT not the battery farmer. I have no desire or need to make any threats. I never threaten anyone. I always consider all the options and take action as I see fit.
I have to weigh up making this known and the implications which could damage the reputation of the BHWT, or make it known and perhaps change the way things are done. If these injuries are indeed only caused by removing them from the cages, then something isn't being done properly.
If the birds were being removed from the cages to go to the chicken pie factory, they would not have this bruising as it would make the birds unfit for consumption, so removing them so that they can have longer lives, and causing immense pain and suffering in the course of the removal, just can't be justified IMO.
The woman I spoke to seemed to be trying to justify it, spoke to me like I had no idea about handling chickens and seemed to want to minimise the injuries without even looking at the photos.
The BHWT website states that each bird is carefully taken from the cage and carefully placed in a crate for transport and that any really sick birds are kept by the BHWT. All very nice it sounds, when it seems the reality is that birds are yanked from the cages terrified, injuries are caused and in some cases the injuries are so severe that the birds die after several days in agony.
Since the woman has not bothered to call me back to discuss the photographs I think I'm going to make public the reality of what happens and certainly call in my enemy the RSPCA which is something I really didn't want to do.
I am a bit sceptical now to be truthful. there are 20 million birds in this couintry in battery cages, and only 140,000 have been 'rescued' to date. I have no idea how many of that number died from injuries sustained during the 'rescue'. In any case, 140,000 birds in total have been 'rescued' in the 4 years the BHWT has been going. This equates to an average of 35,000 birds 'rescued' each year. 35,000 from 20 million birds equates to a tiny 0.175% of battery chickens actually getting rescued. Not even half a percent.
Meanwhile according to the charities commision page, the charity is making more money year on year with over £82,000 being earned last year.
On balance, will I do so much damage and risk so many lives by making known that birds are suffering terribly because of being rescued? I don't think so. I think the damage is likely to be only to the BHWT reputation and their income.
Will go and make the call to the RSPCA now. I still think that these poor birds which died, would have been better off killed right away. I checked the other birds, including the ones which are able to walk, and all of them have bruising, although none as bad as the one I photographed.
to cause such injuries and inflict such pain and suffering, in the name of 'rescuing' them, just is not acceptable. I'll let the RSPCA sort it all out.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> I was speaking to the person at the BHWT not the battery farmer. I have no desire or need to make any threats. I never threaten anyone. I always consider all the options and take action as I see fit.
> I have to weigh up making this known and the implications which could damage the reputation of the BHWT, or make it known and perhaps change the way things are done. If these injuries are indeed only caused by removing them from the cages, then something isn't being done properly.
> If the birds were being removed from the cages to go to the chicken pie factory, they would not have this bruising as it would make the birds unfit for consumption, so removing them so that they can have longer lives, and causing immense pain and suffering in the course of the removal, just can't be justified IMO.
> The woman I spoke to seemed to be trying to justify it, spoke to me like I had no idea about handling chickens and seemed to want to minimise the injuries without even looking at the photos.
> ...


they make that much profit!!!
flip.
i would tlk to RSPCA even though they are the ''enemy'' for most people. Its not right, definatly not right, and for the lady wanting you to be quite and or not answering your calls/ replying.. is a bad sign..

but what about the vent area... is this was done from taking themout of their cages in a not so nice bruital way.. why woud the vent be effected?


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

freekygeeky said:


> they make that much profit!!!
> flip.
> i would tlk to RSPCA even though they are the ''enemy'' for most people. Its not right, definatly not right, and for the lady wanting you to be quite and or not answering your calls/ replying.. is a bad sign..
> 
> but what about the vent area... is this was done from taking themout of their cages in a not so nice bruital way.. why woud the vent be effected?



tried to call RSPCA several times today and got caught up in the automated sevice
"if you want tp pick your nose, press 1.....if you want to scratch your bum press 2.......if you want to fart press 3" etc.
After pressing all the correct numbers I was then held in a queue and after waiting over 10 minutes without getting to speak to a human, I gave up. Make me wonder really how anyone is supposed to report cruelty if they can't get to speak to anyone.
So, the worst bruised and damaged chicken is getting a PM done tomorrow afternoon by my farm vet and I'm getting a written report.
I have not a clue how the vent area got so damaged, stretched and ripped. It certainly isn't vent pecking as the lady at the BHWT assured me it was. Like I don't know what vent pecking would look like after 30 years keeping chickens.
I will still voice my disgust at factory farming, and still bully and cajole people into not buying battery eggs, I'll still write on the boxes of battery eggs at local supermarkets in big red felt tip, "Cruel battery eggs, please don't buy!!!"

But I simply cannot condone any 'rescue' organisation which causes so much pain and suffering whilst doing so.


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## C4VEMAN-5AM (May 30, 2009)

They should put pics like the ones of your new chickens on the egg boxes just like cig packs, so people feel guilty about buying them.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

C4VEMAN-5AM said:


> They should put pics like the ones of your new chickens on the egg boxes just like cig packs, so people feel guilty about buying them.


 You've given me an idea. I'm going to print the pics off and paste to a board. Every time I go to a supermarket, I'll park the car and put the board against the car facing the store entrance with a big sign saying "if you buy battery eggs, you helped to do this to this chicken"!!!!


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> You've given me an idea. I'm going to print the pics off and paste to a board. Every time I go to a supermarket, I'll park the car and put the board against the car facing the store entrance with a big sign saying "if you buy battery eggs, you helped to do this to this chicken"!!!!


:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:


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## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

Just watched all of your vids! 

Its disgusting how battery chickes are kept, ive rescued a fair few wheh i had hens, which i no longer do. 

I think its a good idea about putting a board against the car, only dont face it at the entrance as then people will see it as they leave, park near the entrance looking intothe carpark so people see it while walking into the supermarket


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Tomcat said:


> Just watched all of your vids!
> 
> Its disgusting how battery chickes are kept, ive rescued a fair few wheh i had hens, which i no longer do.
> 
> I think its a good idea about putting a board against the car, only dont face it at the entrance as then people will see it as they leave, park near the entrance looking intothe carpark so people see it while walking into the supermarket


 If I park it as they drive in a/ I won't manage the walk to the store myself and 
b/ they will be so busy looking for somewhere to park they won't notice the board. As it is, I get to park in the disabled spot right next to the door where they stand getting a trolley, smacking the kids, using the cashpoint and having a ***.
I've no doubt the supermarket won't like me doing it but if it is my own board on my own car and not touching the ground which belongs to them, I can't see that they can do much about it.
Especially if they don't want to lose me as a customer even if I do only spend £60 a month with them :lol2:
I'll make an afternoon of it and drive round to all the stores in town. Might even invite the local press.
May even take a couple of chickens, plus one of my small canary cages and mention that they actually only have as much space as there is in the little canary cage.


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## C4VEMAN-5AM (May 30, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> You've given me an idea. I'm going to print the pics off and paste to a board. Every time I go to a supermarket, I'll park the car and put the board against the car facing the store entrance with a big sign saying "if you buy battery eggs, you helped to do this to this chicken"!!!!


 Lol by the end the year theres gonna be millions of posters up everywhere, youd be like the phantom chicken posterer, or graffiti artist banksy. :lol2:


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