Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: salt and pepper on June 14, 2011, 23:25
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Hi everyone,
I just wanted to know what i'm looking for in a reputable breeder/seller, what condition should the hens be living in and the surrounds ? :unsure:
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Oooh that's a big can of worms! Let me see, what would I look for?
1) Ideally I would ideally like to deal with someone who had been recommended to me. As a newbie it can be really hard to judge whether the chickens you're looking at are even the breed they are meant to be, let alone their health or other issues.
2) Next I would use my nose to judge living conditions. Obviously there's going to be some kind of 'fresh country smell' like fresh manure. Once you get a lot of chickens in one place that's unavoidable. But if it smells really bad, especially if there's an ammonia-type smell, then the living conditions are not good.
3) Look at how the breeder relates to the birds. Does he/she seem to genuinely care about them? Hopefully they will also ask you a few questions to check that the birds are going to a decent home. (When I first contacted my breeder by phone I felt like I was having a job interview! :lol:)
If it's important to you that your chickens should be friendly, docile and easy to handle, watch the breeder interact with them. I chose not to buy from a breeder who chased her pullets with a net to catch them, and instead bought from one whose pullets approached him confidently - until he grabbed them and stuffed them in a box! :ohmy:
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Thanks for replying, i've looked at the article what to look for when buying chickens too :)
just trying to source as much info as i can before i make the plunge, my reason for asking is we went to see a farm with chickens for sale which had been recommended by a couple of people who have had no problems with the chickens.
I think he might be a commercial farmer but also sells to public as the chickens were all in cages to the breed type, plenty of water and food available, cage to about waist high level off ground, lots of dropping underneath well it was penty of big mounds, didn't smell of ammonia in the barn, not a huge amount of space for birds. but i think its a quick turn over, he said he gets birds and on same day there gone.
With your point 3 there wasn't that TLC, but they didn't look distressed but as a newbie what would l know, hence advise is well come. :unsure:
It's just i don't know whats normal in the chicken world, would you buy from a commercial seller or is that best left to the people who are better in the know.
I was thinking i might be best going around a few places to try and get a feel ? We're still constructing the run and sorting out the area for the girls. So not in an immediate rush, but would like them soon.
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Hi, I only mention this as I see you are in Yorkshire - but I got mine from a breeder near Goole - if that's anywhere close. He was very good the chickens had plenty of space, they have been vaccinated and wormed etc and he was also happy to clip their feathers for me as I was a wuss! I would be happy to pass on details if you want? :)
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Thanks :) but i'm not near goole, i've had a look at the list on this site which i think i'll have a look around a few near me.
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Sorry Lindeggs, but I use a net to catch our girls, when you have 100+ running round a run, they don't get that friendly with me, and they can run faster than I can! :lol:
But they always get a cuddle before they leave here!! :D
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I always wonder whether the money or the birds are the main focus when I visit anywhere selling live animals.
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what about the dead ones??
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I'd rather those weren't lying around!!
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Before we chose who to buy from and what breeds to go for we visited quite a few breeders. These ranged from large traditional breed farms to small hobby breeders. I found three breeders reasonably local to me who I would be happy to buy from and also seek advise from when needed. So my advise to just visit lots of places and talk to (question) the breeders, the good ones will be more than happy to help you.
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I got mine from the place near Goole, even though Im from Leeds.
I did some research online, and found some answers that I knew were correct, and phoned up/emailed, and asked the same question, some gave me an answer eventually, some just gave me the basic answer, and the winner (and one other) gave me the answer, reasons why and offered additional advice.
I felt it was really worth the extra drive to get there.
Where in Yorkshire are you? might get a more usable reccomendation, its a big place!!
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Thank you for some top tips, i'm able to get to these areas or there abouts, greetland, elland, halifax, hebden bridge, todmorden, brighouse, queensbury.
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And don't let them be 'pushy' on you! >:(
Rattling on about.. 'this one a good one..... etc etc'
I think a good breeder would let you freely look about the pens (with you asking questions) and then choosing yourself.
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We had a family the other day. They wanted the pure white ones. Little boy says I want that one with the sticky up tail feather, by the time I'd managed to catch a couple, he'd forgotten which one it was he wanted.
But I was very proud of myself when I actually managed to get the right one 2nd time around! :lol: :lol: