Craigslist experience

[scooter147]

Don't know if this is the right section so moderator please move if you need to.

My aunt who is 76 decided this spring she wanted some laying hens after 15 years. (her husband died last fall and I think she is trying to occupy her time).
She has a perfect coop and just let's them free range. Well she wanted to start with baby chicks and orderedfrom hatchery with a minimum of 25. Well she did this before I knew it and ordered straight run and of course she has about 14 roosters.
Well she only wants one and can't bring herself to send them to freezer camp, she turned them all into big pets and can't bring herself to cull them herself. I don't want them and I don't really want the birds for meat either and she said if I did it she still couldn't eat. Honestly I don't understand they had chickens for years and always butchered and ate their culls but I guess it's different now, she made pets of them.

Anyway, I know people have posted ads on craigslist to get rid of extra roos. Has anyone had a bad experience doing this? My fear is that some nut would figure out this 76 year old women lives alone in a relatively secluded area and rob her or worse.
Mind you though she has a shotgun in the kitchen and bedroom

She live 75 miles from me so the distance is a tad bit of a problem.

 

[hikerchick]

Does she drive? She can meet the buyer at a public place.

Or, maybe she can have a friend at the house when the buyer comes, so she doesn't appear alone.

All of the people I have dealt with on CL have been very nice; but you never know.

 

[scooter147]

She does drive, good idea of the public meeting.
I also thought of telling her when folks called that a particular Saturday and Sunday was the only time available to pick them up. That way I could go down and spend the weekend (which I do about once a month to help keep up the place). They never had any children and me and my brother and sister (they both live in other states) are her children.
I could make it look and sound as though I live there.

 

[fordmommy]

We've had good experiences with craigslist in Wisconsin. I don't give out our address and directons until they say that yes, they want what I'm selling and they are coming that day. And then I always make it sound like there is always people at our house besides myself. I also try to set it up that someone else IS here with me. And if not, I say something like " My husband just ran to the nieghbors for...eggs" or something.

 

[DaisyBishop]

I had some fears about Craigslist too. What I did was meet the person at a commuter parking lot and I brought my sister with me.
The woman turned out to be very nice.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

How does she feel about meeting them at a neutral location? If she decides to do that, I would ask for a few bucks each to cover her cost of driving.

 

[sundance]

I think the part of meeting at a public place is really good. In our town it would be the local courthouse. everything goes on there. Now we have the local farmers market on Sat morning, if you have something like this it would protect your home and still get rid of the birds. marrie

 

[NancyDz]

You might want to try freecycle also. I've had really good luck
rehoming roos on there

http://www.freecycle.org/

 

[Indiana hens]

Always get a contact phone # and address of the buyer.
They don't give it they don't buy. Yes, u can get some nuts, and many hoaxes.Always best for an exact time; she could have a neighbor by for tea at the time of the sale.

 

[scooter147]

Quote:
Love the phone number and address of the buyer idea. I'll have my aunt get it and I'll call back to set up the appointment.

My aunt is just in love with her chickens, first thing in the morning before any thing else they get let out, feed and watered. She then has her breakfast (eggs of course) on the back porch surrounded by her new friends. She takes one of those small corn broom with her, the handle is about 18 inches long because the chickens were jumping up on her table trying eat out of her plate. All she has to do now is lay the broom on the table and they stay off

The chickens have really put a spring in her step, since my uncle died she was depressed and lonely and the chickens have given her a reason to get up, move about etc.

She has her church lady friends (seems like the phone is always busy when I call) and goes to church and to dinner with them on Sunday and they have cards on Wed. afternoon but she had a lot of alone time. She loves sharing her extra eggs with her friends and loves to show them off when the card game is at her house.

I'm gonna post the add in a little bit and I'll let ya know how it goes.
Thanks guys