hello,ive just become the owner of my first 3 chickens french copper black's 5 days ago,which are just coming up to be ready to lay or so im told !!!! by the girl i got them off,,when i first phoned her from the advert, she was saying they come from show birds and hers are great stock etc etc etc,,and i told her im just a new chicken owner and i was looking to buy french copper blacks ,and because my coop is ready and they sound such a quality and healthy stock they would be great to start with,she dropped them off and i said there very big and look old and she said no there only 4 months ,and with them flying round etc i put them in the coop and paid her,when she left i saw there legs and feet had really really bad scales and crust all 3 birds and toes missing,i phoned her and she just said they dont,(cow) but they do its bad scaley leg and also they have bumble foot lumps me and my wife have spent the day cleaning there feet and using surgical spirit,then Vaseline also before we did this we noticed, one wont eat much and has ,bad diorea, so
ive made a mix up of epsom salt and yogurt with some oats in for this,,but im upset because i like these birds now and ive tought them how to climb the lader into there coop and spent all my days with them,and they are nice but they are not what she said and im sure they are old stock ,but as im a new chicken keeper im not sure if they are young or old ,but they look old and there feet look bad,,its just im worried ill get no eggs now,and ive paid high price for them,she saw me coming ! like a fool..but i dont have room for anymore and i cant afford to replace them as this would then start to cost way to much with all the other things ive bought like wood coop,feeders etc,should i just make do with some old birds ,im finding hard to tell there age i just know there not laying any eggs?,,
what do you think thanks lee