Buying and selling chickens

[AAJ]

Should I go to a chicken swap this saturday? Will there be anybody there? Also, should I buy some silver laced wyandottes if the person says they are hens and how to I tell if they are hens. They are about 6 weeks old. Please help.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, you couldn't pay me to buy chickens at a swap or auction from anyone, to tell the truth. I never buy started birds from anyone. All are hatched here because of the disease risk-people will ignorantly (or dishonestly) sell you sick birds and you cannot always tell if they're ill just by looking at them.

As far as SLWs at 6 weeks old, sometimes you can spot a cockerel by the comb being red already by that time, but it may be a bit early to tell sex on those.

You asked if there would be anybody there--how would we know? You didn't say where it was, in what state or city.

 

[AAJ]

thanks.

 

[Tripp16]

Well, you couldn't pay me to buy chickens at a swap or auction from anyone, to tell the truth. I never buy started birds from anyone. All are hatched here because of the disease risk-people will ignorantly (or dishonestly) sell you sick birds and you cannot always tell if they're ill just by looking at them.

As far as SLWs at 6 weeks old, sometimes you can spot a cockerel by the comb being red already by that time, but it may be a bit early to tell sex on those.

You asked if there would be anybody there--how would we know? You didn't say where it was, in what state or city.

x2

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If you buy birds from anyone, anywhere whether or not it's from a swap, the finest breeder in the land, or a hatchery, you should ALWAYS quarantine them for at least thirty days to see if you are going to get any surprises. Ninety nine times out of a hundred they will be fine. But it only takes that one hundredth chance to happen to you once to make you sorry for a long time.

Now, having said all of that I definitely think you should go. Even if you don't find anything you want a good swap is a pleasurable event. You get to meet other folks with the same interests you have.

I have no way to know if the swap you have in mind will be well attended or not. This time of the year here in Florida swaps are few and far between so the ones that do happen are usually well attended by the hard core bird folks. Fall through spring they are more common around here. Some of those are booming with sellers and attendees. Some can be pretty sparse. It really depends on how well they are advertised.

Swaps are worth going too, but never put a new bird straight into your flock no matter where or who you got it from.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:

Amen!