Craigslist OK to find laying hens? Your experiences/opinions please!

[Chicabee19]

I've replied to several cl postings, but so far have received no responses.

Wondering if it is a good or bad idea to find a layer there?

thanks for any advice you can give me!

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

We got our chicks by buying a share of someone's order. He bought a McMurray egg laying mix. The chicks are very pretty and very healthy, but probably four of the ten are roos. I am not certain yet......

I don't know if I got packing peanuts, he said he got the precise number he ordered so.....

 

[redhen]

it may be okay?..just quarentine the chickens for a while before you introduce them?..i'm not sure though..someone else will know the answer for you....

..Wendy

 

[Chirpy]

I think it's fine. Just check out the seller before buying; look at their housing and how they keep things clean, etc. Make sure their animals/birds look healthy and make sure you feel comfortable about it. Our 'guts' can tell us a lot if we listen to ourselves.

I've gotten to be friends with a lady I got a Silkie Rooster from, off Craigslist.

 

[sunshineinsc]

I got my 6 from different people I found on craig's list. one was a breeder and the other ordered 100 thinking some wouldn't make it but they all did.

All are very happy, healthy chickens.

 

[ChandlersChickens]

I bought my EE off of Craigslist and went to the person's house to pick her up. He was a local chicken farmer. It was a very good experience...I just might get more from him.

 

[rooster-red]

I've picked up quite a few hens off craigslist.

I picked up 13 from a guy who had a really nice coop setup, very clean, hens looked very healthy.

I always quarentine new birds, and its very good I did in this case.
They had lice.

I treated them and kept them quarentined until 3 weeks passed, and haven't had any more trouble.

I can't stress enough, quarentine new birds well away from your existing flock for 3-4 weeks, or you risk loosing them all.

 

[picklespickles]

i am a big c'lister. i have done everything from get a free air conditioner to give away my pet goldfish to a good home. lol. i even bought my little ghetto farmhouse i'm living in right now off craigslist.

the most important thing is to be the first one to respond. if it is something that you really really care about and need, write again the next day or a few days later VERY NICELY to ask if they have already made a deal with someone else. that will get you more than grouchiness. the first person they chose may have flaked out. remember that a hundred people might write for one chicken, or whatever. or, no one might. you never know.

i have gotten goats and geese and given away chickens and fish. and hired people. and been hired myself. it is a godsend, i think.

the only thing to watch out for, in my opinion, are the people who have "adoption fees." those tend to be idiots. or the people, seriously, who want to charge you to take a rooster that is violent to them off their hands and then have the gall to put in the ad, must be used as pet not food. lol. i'm thinking that the last time they tried to PET that rooster, it thought their hand was the FOOD.

 

[Frizzledhen]

I have sold a lot of birds on Craigslist. I like the fact that it is local. I think my prices are too low sometimes though. A couple bought 4 laying hens from me and 2 days later they listed them on Craigslist for more money.

 

[Jessika]

Occasionally I sell extra laying hens, and juvenile (did I spell that right?) chickens on craigslist. I do ok $$ wise at it and I always respond...even if they are sold just so they know. I have bought goats of craigslist...I got lucky...but I know of some people that were burned in the situation. These dairy goats were promised to be clean of disease and neg. And low and behold the goats were tested after being bought and were positive for CAE.

I am respond quickly to e-mails and show pictures of where my birds are kept and a picture of the animal for sale. I deliver a lot too. I get a lot of repeat business tho so ads are not up long.

Tommorow I pick up 4 bunnies from craigslist. I'll let ya know how it goes. Lots of pictures...I like that and responded to my e-mail within 4 hours. Plus I get to see her yard when I get there. I have no other rabbits (been a few years) and hutchs are away from other livestock so if they die they die and I know something was probably wrong with them.

Good luck on your hunt! Still be cautious tho. Gut feelings can be a great thing. Use that too!