Just say no!!!

[townchicks]

Good for you. I was offered a flock of four, from a friend of a friend, was asked twice. No room. Had to say no. Quarantining one bird was a PIA, last time I said yes, I can't fathom where I would put four. I'm glad I said yes last time, though, I love her, even though she can be a pill.

 

[JedJackson]

This reminds me of that old Patsy Cline song "You're Stronger than Me." Great job, but I couldn'ta done it.

I definitely would have looked, and if they were hens, Ameraucanas or Easter eggers, they would have come home with me, probably to a small, separate coop of their own, away from the rest of the flock.

 

[lcwmt]

Practical issues, apart from all the big unknowns:
New adult birds would need coop and run space for several weeks before they might integrate with the established flock. There's no guarantee the hens would accept 2 new hens... A couple of the girls are in heavy molt right now and slightly grumpy.

The grow out pen/coop ( a refurbished pre-made, just big enough for chicks out of the brooder) would not serve two full grown hens well for any significant amount of time.

The Big Girl Coop is great for the birds that are here now. It's November in MONTANA! No building projects in the near future.
The temptation to just take a peek was huge. But then I would have, might have, probably would have found justifications to accept them.... I'm a sap and fall in love quite easily. Ameracaunas/EEs do well for us here. However...

 

[aart]

Practical

...is good, IMO!!

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

Well sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. My neighbor gave me my first set of chicks (22 to be exact). All but 5 were roosters who were eating me out of house and home at about 18 weeks of age. I was at the store buying feed and did pretty much what this lady did to you, but the outcome was one of pure excitement from the recipient. Pretty sure that my sweet roo's ended up in somebody's pot but I guess that's what nature intended though my heart still hurts a little.

 

[The Moonshiner]

That's why we wait before putting them with our flock because we don't know what they could have. If they do have something then we will get rid of them. If they passed the week long inspection time then they get to join the flock.

I don't think a week is a long enough quarantine. I'd be careful. I do 30 days but even then they could be carriers of something and never show it.

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

I wouldn't have been able to say no, when my neighbor was moving they had a flock of six chickens they asked me to take. I initially said no, but one night decided to do some research and called them the next day, ended up with four mixed breeds three aren't producing anymore and the one who still lays the occasional egg has a rotten personality. The other two were huge Brahma roosters, sold them to another friend since roosters aren't allowed in my area. I still have the old girls almost two years later.

No good deed goes unpunished. Unfortunately.

 

[lissalischicks]

I think not looking was a good idea. Knowing me .... if I look, I've lost half the battle. Then what if I like them? At that point I'm 75% there. At 75% all the lady had to do was just push me a little and I would have left the parking lot with them. but having been said that without them, the drive home would have been banging my head against the steering wheel but repeating..... you were strong. You have enough. Think of the added poop!

 

[RodNTN]

You did great!! Here is how I probably would've handled it, though:
I would be very, very tempted to 'just take a look' I would've been smitten (you know, love at first sight) and then I would gladly take them.

JK, if someone offered them to me today I would have to say no, I'm in similar circumstances; most of my hens are molting, and I don't have any extra room on my hands. Plus I need to rehome 2 roosters.

So, wrapping it up- you did the right thing that most of us couldn't do; great job!

 

[lcwmt]

I think not looking was a good idea. Knowing me .... if I look, I've lost half the battle. Then what if I like them? At that point I'm 75% there. At 75% all the lady had to do was just push me a little and I would have left the parking lot with them. but having been said that without them, the drive home would have been banging my head against the steering wheel but repeating..... you were strong. You have enough. Think of the added poop!

precisely!
and then there's the other hominid who shares this space and is dealing with 5 broken/dislocated ribs.... I'm on my own with all the chores until January.
That said, the 3 month old house kittens are a delight and the 4 year old Catahoula is getting a Border Collie companion at Thanksgiving. (my much loved Flat Coat Retriever companion died in August. We need another dog!)
There are enough critters to feed, clean up after, train and enjoy.
Had I looked, we'd have too many complications for right now. The temptation was intense. Practical won. this time.