Hello from Nova Scotia! This is my chicken story (Warning, it's rather sad!)

[Teri Metcalf]

Hi MaddiesMum, and greetings from Texas. I'm sorry for you loss, but it sounds like Maddie had a very nice life with you.

Our girls love watermelon rinds also. Actually, they love all kinds of fruit.

Best wishes as you get ready for some new chicks.

 

[aoxa]

Yeah, it kind of has me scared to buy birds again for future times, I can't go through that again, it was heartbreaking.
I'm going to be extremely careful of who I buy from next, and I am even considering just hatching them myself, so I know exactly what they've had contact with and how they were raised..Sometimes the only person you can trust is yourself

Don't let it turn you off too bad.

You can tell a lot about the person by the way they treat their birds... If the birds are in dirty quarters, run...

I mean some dirt is normal... If you smell ammonia, that is not good.. If you see them cramped, also not good.

I know exactly how you feel.. I lost my entire flock in February (had a fire - lost 1 dog, 4 turkeys, 4 geese, 6 ducks, 2 sheep and over 100 chickens..) When I restarted, I was SO cautious. Especially since I was getting some grown birds. Getting chicks is pretty safe.. Eggs are safer, but things like CRD can transfer through the eggs into the embryos. Not 100% of the time, but it can happen.

You want to ask around and see other peoples' experiences with the breeder you choose.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC!