I've been offered free egg eating hens - should I accept?

[tandpmiller]

Friends of ours want to downsize their flock. They are offering to give us 20 laying hens and because they suspect that some of the chickens might be eating their own eggs, they are free for the taking. (we have no chickens yet - still building coop).

Can you break an egg eating habit? Is it worth it to take these hens?

Thanks!

 

[chickenbythesea]

not sure if you can break them of that.. I guess if you were willing to eat the birds it wouldn't be a total loss if you take them (there's a reason they're getting rid of them)

 

[trkcChick]

I gave someone 2 hens that I thought might be egg eaters and he was going to make roll away nesting boxes for them so that they can't get to the eggs once they lay, but he said he hasn't had a problem with them. You should look into making roll away nesting boxes and it should be okay.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Is your coop going to be large enough for 20 hens?


Do you have the run space for 20 hens?


Do you want 20 hens?

How old are they?


Many things can contribute to egg eating........sometimes there is no egg eating, just changes need to be made to get the girls laying again. Snake removal, boxes fixed or darkend, waiting for molt to finish, ect.


Getting girls who are already laying, you really can be ahead of the game.



eta:

 

[BarredBuff]

I wouldnt get them. They are hard to break, and its much better to raise them from babies than to buy old from my own experience.

 

[chi-rn]

Here's a post on making roll-away boxes.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3499006#p3499006

 

[aggie9296]

If you want 20 hens and have room for them, take them. Chicken usually sell for 5-20$ a piece. The nest boxes can be modified as above. I've also seen them for sale at Tek Supply (roll out nest boxes).

If you get 20 hens and they eat a couple of eggs per day, you could still get a lot of eggs.

If you want pet chickens that get up in your lap, you would be better off hatching eggs, or getting chicks.

I prefer getting olders pullets or hens as I don't have the time or patience for hatching or raising babies.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

their beaks can be trimmed....Yes, I would get them as long as they look healthy..

 

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

Quote:
ditto. Its your first time don't make is a very possible chance of being a bad experiece. Get some starter chicks from the feedstore raise them, make them your babies and develop a bond with them, plus when they lay the first egg you will be ALOT prouder. The wait is worth it. Oh and in my "personal" experience I don't like to buy older hens they always end up with a problem, scaly mites, cocci, lice, farvus etc.

 

[benjoycei]

No. Why get problem birds? Some things are not worth 'free'.