I've learned the hard way that if you don't know who you're buying for and aren't experienced enough to spot the difference between a good breeder and a shyster, you get what you pay for.
On Nov 17th, I drove over two hours to get chickens from a large, well-advertised breeder.
The environment seemed OK enough, although a bit dirty. A bit smelly. Definitely loud with many pens holding assorted breeds of young birds. I ignored it all, even the water dishes filled with green slime. I know, I'm an idiot.
According to the guy, he sold me four pullets, each aged roughly 14 to 16 weeks (two giant blue cochins and two easter eggers).
$20 per bird.
One month later, I can see what I actually came home with that day:
-One 3 or 4-week old EE cockerel, riddled with worms and lice.
-One 12 (?) week old EE pullet, riddled with lice and suffering a severe eye infection.
-One 12 (?) week old bantam blue cochin pullet, probably mixed with silkie (she has 5 toes on each foot).
-One 10 (?) week old bantam blue cochin pullet, also maybe mixed, had lice and an eye infection.
The pullets are also no doubt infested with worms since they were all in contact with the EE roo in my coop.
To recap:
Birds cost me $80 plus gas money and time.
Then $15 for antibiotics and gas money to the vet.
Then $12 for delousing powder.
Then $30 today for fecal exam and worming meds, plus gas money to the vet.
My whole flock now has to be de-wormed, costing me two weeks' worth of lost income from egg sales (roughly $50).
Let's not even talk about the time on the phone, the aggravation and stress, the chicken hospital set up in the house, the rolls of paper towels and disinfectants to clean up the stink and the mess, etc etc etc.
Just thought to share my experience and maybe prevent someone else from making the same mistakes.
On Nov 17th, I drove over two hours to get chickens from a large, well-advertised breeder.
The environment seemed OK enough, although a bit dirty. A bit smelly. Definitely loud with many pens holding assorted breeds of young birds. I ignored it all, even the water dishes filled with green slime. I know, I'm an idiot.
According to the guy, he sold me four pullets, each aged roughly 14 to 16 weeks (two giant blue cochins and two easter eggers).
$20 per bird.
One month later, I can see what I actually came home with that day:
-One 3 or 4-week old EE cockerel, riddled with worms and lice.
-One 12 (?) week old EE pullet, riddled with lice and suffering a severe eye infection.
-One 12 (?) week old bantam blue cochin pullet, probably mixed with silkie (she has 5 toes on each foot).
-One 10 (?) week old bantam blue cochin pullet, also maybe mixed, had lice and an eye infection.
The pullets are also no doubt infested with worms since they were all in contact with the EE roo in my coop.
To recap:
Birds cost me $80 plus gas money and time.
Then $15 for antibiotics and gas money to the vet.
Then $12 for delousing powder.
Then $30 today for fecal exam and worming meds, plus gas money to the vet.
My whole flock now has to be de-wormed, costing me two weeks' worth of lost income from egg sales (roughly $50).
Let's not even talk about the time on the phone, the aggravation and stress, the chicken hospital set up in the house, the rolls of paper towels and disinfectants to clean up the stink and the mess, etc etc etc.
Just thought to share my experience and maybe prevent someone else from making the same mistakes.
