Chicken Update

Other than the unfortunate loss of Scratchy, the past three weeks with our hybrid ex-battery hen Itchy has been positive. I remember when I first put her in the shelter, she didn't even know what grass was.  Over the weeks, I have seen her develop a healthy taste for grass.  This morning when I moved her, I was excited to see the amount of grass she is now starting to consume.

I think I can put away the lawn mower for a while!  Note the length and amount of green grass on the left as compared to the right.  I would love to see more homes with this sort of system.

It's worth mentioning that Itchy is going through a moult at the moment, this is something hens experience around once a year.  They lose a small amount of feathers and also stop laying for a few weeks - this is a natural process that gives their bodies a rest before another year of laying.  The industrial system does not put up with this loss in production, hence why Itchy was for sale.  We haven't had any eggs for over a week now, but that's okay, it should start back up very soon and I'm just too happy with the healing process.

We all know the saying, 'You are what you eat.'  For me, any animal that is unhealthy can only yield an unhealthy product - take a look at the pictures below.

Note how pale her comb is in the before picture and how bright a red it looks in the one below.  Also, you can see the thick stubble on her neck and chest?  Out in the sun and the fresh air, eating bugs and grass is bringing her back to full health.  I know what type of chicken I would rather be eating eggs from!