Age of chickens?

[naturalfeddogs]

I am planning in the future to get some some more hens for eggs, but I'm not sure if I want to order chicks, or go to the farmers market for some already laying adults. My concern is, the adults from a farmers market may be older and about to stop laying. Is there a way to tell the age of adult chickens? I don't want to end up with frying pan age, if you know what I mean.

Otherwise, I may just order Australorp chicks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You'll have to trust the age they tell you. A better option is POL(point of lay) pullets. You'll get eggs sooner than from chicks but you'll get the advantage of their entire laying life.
You can often find POL on craigslist.

 

[dawg53]

A main concern about getting birds from a farmer's market would be some type of respiratory disease or other illness. They may look healthy but I guarantee you as soon as you get them home they'll be sneezing, wheezing with snotty nostrils...never fails. Better off ordering chicks or POL from a hatchery. (Chicks are much cheaper than POL.)
To answer your question; older birds beaks are more rounded than younger birds. The scales on their feet/legs should be abit wider than a younger chicken. It's difficult to tell the age of a chicken. Remember biosecurity if you decide to get birds at a farmer's market, swap meets, farmer down the road etc...it'll save you headaches and $$$ down the road.