Ironic talking about breeder requirements on here earlier.
I've just had a call from a young lady who bought 3 of the Bovans whites from us 8 weeks ago. They were 11 weeks old.
Her and her Mum know nothing about chickens, apart from what I've told her and what they've told her at Pets at Home.
She said she thinks one of the girls isn't well. 1. It has a floppy comb. That was easy to answer, it is a leghorn cross, so the combs do flop as they get older. 2. It stands or crouches and closes its eyes as if its asleep. not quite so easy, it could be crouching as its just started to lay eggs. It may be ill, or it may be asleep! or sometimes they will stand and fluff up a bit if its windy to help keep it warm. 3. all three of them have darker combs than when she bought them. I asked if they were a darker red or purple looking. They look like they are going black on the tips. Well could be a heart problem, but in all 3 of them?
Her Dad said it doesn't look like it will last the night. Oh does your Dad know about chickens then? No, but he said it looks like it will die overnight!
She's also worried about the eggs being small, sometimes no yolks etc, which I've told her they will take a bit of time to get into the hang of laying proper eggs most of the time.
But if it dies, do I replace it or give her her money back. She's had them 2 months with no prior knowledge of keeping hens, she is quite young, mid teens, or do I say she's had them too long for it to be my fault?
No one else has mentioned a problem with their birds and we've sold 80 of the white ones now! Input gratefully received!