Chicken Buying 101?

[norristhechickenman]

Hi guys, i only have 3 teenage chooks now, and I am planning to buy 2 hens just for eggs...
- which particular breed should i have (big eggs)
- what are the points to look when buying a chicken?
- the market prices of the breeds (just estimated price, just want to make sure i make
a fair deal)

sorry for the questions, still new in the chicken world... i tried to look for the prices, they vary enormously...

thanks in advance for your answers...

 

[gumbii]

big eggs, low food consumption...?


game hens... srsly... good broodys, very good birds, but kind of hard to introduce other hens in the flock after that's their pen/coop/home...

 

[backyardmenagerie]

1. Standard laying breeds like Orpingtons, Astralorps, sex-links, RIR, NH are likely to be easy to find, be good layers of large eggs, and be relatively inexpensive.
2. You should look at size and color of the comb and legs. The larger and lighter the comb, the older the hen. Lighter legs will also indicate an older hen. If you can handle the hens you are looking at, turn them over and feel for their pelvic bones. A hen that is currently laying will have about 4 fingers space between the points. You'll also want a hen that is active and appears healthy, but if she looks meticulously kept, she may not be laying (energy that should be going to eggs is going to her feathers and overall condition, so while she make look good, she may not be productive). The hens should be free of parasites.
3. To determine market price, I would suggest watching craigslist for a week or more. See what hens go for in your area. For me, generic orps, sex-links, and barnyard mixes go for about $5 to $10 each. Breeds that are harder to find, or are show quality can be $20 or more.
Hope this helps, and good luck in your search!

 

[wsdareme]

Make sure if you buy chickens from an outside source that you quarantine them for 30 days before putting them in with your chooks. I read a lot of posts on BYC about diseased chickens from farmers markets. It would suck if you brought in a disease and had to cull all your birds.

 

[norristhechickenman]

thanks guys... you helped me a lot...

ill keep that in mind....

thanks again...