buying layer hens

[sunshine1943]

I live in Costa Rica and the guy at the local pet store says the chicks he has for sale now are for meat only. It seems that whether the chicks are broilers(for meat) or layer hens for eggs they all look alike. How can you tell the difference or can you??

 

[walkswithdog]

Broilers unless SEVERELY calorie restricted grow too fast, get too large for their bones and DIE before they reproduce.

You can get them and keep their calories very tight, slow their growth, increase their exercise and get a few birds you can use for eggs and breeding.

With each generation pick ones that thrive on fewer calories, enjoy exercise and lay well and you can get back to decently laying stock.

If you free feed a rich food to a broiler bird it gets huge and usually becomes a cripple or it's heart just gives out.