NEVER buying full grown hens again!

[kschix]

Just had to vent... We didn't want the hassle of raising the chicks again and waiting for them to start laying so we recently purchased 4 full grown hens from a local Amish farm. We are not doing this again. After a couple of days we noticed the chickens were really picking at themselves and after observation noticed that they had a lot of mites. Not only that but they seem to lathargic and old too. And now they've taught our hens bad habits and they stay indoors all day long. I've about had it with them!! So just wanted to share my lesson with others- get chicks and don't buy them full grown (or of course hatch them yourselves)!

 

[eschwaderer]

In my experience the only reason the Amish would sell good, laying hens is if they are neither.

 

[speckledhen]

Many have been sold birds that were not as they were represented. You have to educate yourself on what to look for. That said, it's probably a good policy to never buy started birds from anyone due to the disease factor and exactly what you are experiencing. Most have a hard time being the way I am, though. Just always quarantine birds you get and never add any till they have been treated for lice, mites and worms and you observe for a month for signs of disease.

 

[kschix]

Thanks for the advice. It's a little too late for my other chickens unfortunatly- they've already been exposed and now they are itching too!

 

[cwc362]

Quote:
If it's mites or lice - wont' be too hard to get rid of. Hopefully they don't something more serious- Do a search on here or start a thread to ask for advice on mite and lice removal!! Sure you'll get tons of answers!! Good luck!!

 

[cmom]

Good luck. Hope everything turns out ok. Maybe you can break their bad habits.

 

[Dar]

wow thanks for the tip...I am going to the auction this weekend and I was thinkin if i was gonna get started birds or day olds...i think i will be sticking to the day olds

 

[Indiana hens]

I don't believe everyone that sells hens will sell you bad chickens. You did not mention what/or if they had been vaccinated for? What price that you paid for them? It is good that you quarantined and dusted them when you brought them home!

 

[kschix]

I paid $5 a hen for them. Which is a little high in my opinion. But none of the amish farmers around there had a hen surplus so it was hard finding someone that would sell. They buy their hens from hatcheries after they've been laying for a year, so they get them pretty cheap. When they get their new hens in, they said they would sell for $3 a hen. I didn't get any info about vaccinations. I assumed they have none.

 

[silkiechicken]

$15 for a hen around here is minimum. That said, local economies are all different. Mites and lice can be treated pretty easily with a poultry dust. As for vaccinations, they aren't really necessary in most areas. The two common ones are mericks and cocci. Both which if they are adults, should be immune anyways.