[looe-looe-belle]

hi i dont know if this is right but i called a farmer to say i was coming to see their lohmann pullets aged 18 wks and that i was interested in buying 6 we drove a long way to the farm we took with us 3 strong boxes. On arrival the farmer opened the front door and said "6 pullets "? I said yes - the farmer knew these hens were my very first hens and promptly asked if i had any boxes -i said yes and the farmer picked up the boxes and promptly started to shove the pullets in the boxes - the pullets all 6 me them were stored in a shallow crate-i didnt have a chance to inspect the hens or see then running around or anything! Luckily they are nice and healthy! My question is should i have been allowed to examine the birds and to pick which ones i wanted or is the way in which the farmer served me correct ? I must admit i thought the farmer acted rather cold and without feeling however because it was my very first experience i wasnt sure what to expect!

[orchardlady]

The shallow crates that the poultry farmer used are perfectly acceptable. They are shallow so the birds cannot stand up and panic. Poultry farmers breed hundreds if not thousands in batches that are ready for the buyer usually on a 3 - 4 monthly cycle. The producer that I use sometimes has their hens in crates such as you described and sometimes has 30-40 in a small barn and we go together and collect the birds I want. The Lohmann brown is a very hardy healthy hen and your poultry farmer knows this. He probably prides himself on the condition of the birds he supplies and has supplied to trade and the public for years and is totally at ease about handling them. It probably looked rather rough to you but hens can take quite a deal of firm handling. It's very easy in our little small scale poultry keeping minds to want to see the hens running around on our arrival but when you then say "yes those are fine" they need to be caught. If he has 50 people coming over the course of a day wanting this it would make an enormous amount of work for him and he would have stressed and panicked birds each time he needed to catch each new customers birds. I'm also quite sure that if you find a real problem with any of the birds he supplied to you he would be happy to replace or at the very least discuss any problem. Maybe he should have let you inspect the hens but could you really have been able to confidently handle the birds to inspect them as they are your first hens? Did you ask to inspect them? If you are confident that indeed your hens are healthy you now know you have a good and reliable supplier. Happy hen keeping.

[alancane]

Pretty much what Orchardlady has said. When I got mine I was asked which ones, I said laying ones apart from the pretty colours I knew nothing else!
I trusted their decision and knew if I had a problem I could go back to them.

I would much rather get my hens from a farmer that knows what he is doing then some smiley girl with a prod to choose them with in a 'shop' like environment.

If you weren't happy, why did you get them?

[looe-looe-belle]

i am happy i just wondered if the farmer was acting normally - i guess i have only bought a dog as live stock which i now know is a totally different concept !

[compostqueen]

I got mine from a poulty farm but they were indoors in a large building containing many large cages, all very clean and fresh looking and all sorts of trestles and things for them to stand and perch on.  He led me to the ones of the right age and let me choose the ones I wanted (one of each colour so I oculd tell them apart  ) and he told me what I should be looking for, eg look at feet, beaks, condition. They were all beautiful    He asked me lots of questions about my set up back home and what I needed now and what I'd need to get in the future etc. He went through feeding, watering, their vaccinations, taking them home in their box etc, demo on wing clipping, checking beaks, claws, etc, health, and he asked me if I had any questions. He told me to phone him or email him with any subsequent questions etc

It took him quite a time but that's his job and he seemed very happy to be doing it    I go back there for my feeds, bedding and all their sundries. 

[Beano]

It seems to me that the farmer knew what he was doing and like has been said already, you dont expect him to be as sentimental as us about them.  As long as they are kept well and healthy (which is what you want as a buyer) there's no problem.
Having said that, it does help you to have  good communication with your poultry dealer.
I popped to see the dealer I had mine from almost 6 weeks beforehand and had a look around his farm whilst at the same time letting him know what I wanted from hen keeping. He was very helpful and advised me on what hens to have and their personality.
I booked some for around six weeks ahead. When It came time to pick them up, I was told to leave it as late as possible, 9.30pm ideally. When I got them home, they went straight into the coop, so as not to stress them too much. So I did not get a proper look at them until the next morning. I have sent him an e.mail since showing how much they have grown and how gorgeous they look. He was pleased to see how well they have settled.

[GrannieAnnie]

I don't like it when people are too rough with the birds they are selling though.

When people come to me to buy their POL's, I let them pick the ones they want, but it can take me ages going round the run with my net trying to catch just the right chicken that little charlie wants!

But when Joy took me to pick up some POL's for us, because we'd sold all ours, the woman picked them up by their feet 5 AT A TIME!  and just shoved them into the crates.  One poor little thing ended up on her back and I had to turn her over.  But that could have caused serious injury to their wings!

Then when we got them home and I took them out of their crates I noticed that one has a crossed beak.  I'm not taking it back though.  This woman can be a bit funny at times!!  

[compostqueen]

Speaking of beaks. One of mine has a split in her beak and I think part of it is getting a bit too long. Would I need to remove this by filing it off etc?  She seems to eat ok so should I leave well alone?  Thanks 

[GrannieAnnie]

You could trim a bit of it off CQ.  It may make her a bit more comfortable.  Is the split very long?  Only if she catches it on something, ouch!

Klaus of Silkie cockerel had a really long top beak.  I said to him oh Klaus, I'll have to clip that for you.  Next time I looked, he'd broken a bit off, saved me a job! 

[Sassy]

The farmer may not have been rough with the birds it may have just seemed like that to a beginner. Trying to be too gentle can cause a lot more stress and physical damage. Correct but firm handling could look asthough he was being rough.

Good luck with your birds

[Kelloggs]

 He might know what hes doing and they all might be really healthy but nice to have the personal touch
alright they may all look the same and be the same colour but they all have a different personality, so I always let buyers have a little fuss, after all if you want them for pets.