new old chickens?

[janes flock]

My mother is selling me 22 Rir hens and 1 rooster for 50 bucks. I have 8 hens and a roo already. My birds are 8 months old. The new old birds are 3 years old and in my mothers opinion in poor shape. They are loosing their feathers and not laying consistently. I think I can bring them back to good health for many reasons. The main being I free range mine and she keeps them in a closed off retched coop and run (horse stall and 12 x 12 privacy fence). Any advice would be appreciated. I am to pick them up Friday evening.

 

[Percheron chick]

The rule of thumb is 4 square feet of space per chicken but I have 16 in a 10X12 stall (7.5 sq ft per chicken) and when they are all down on the ground it is crowded with no place to walk. Are 30 chickens going to fit in your current setup? You probably need to add some roosting space. You will need at least 30' of roosts. You will also need 6-8 nesting boxes. Do you have a secure run for when you can not let them free range? That's a lot of birds locked up for the day.

You might be able to improve the laying capacity of these hens but go into it with realistic expectations. RIR are bred to lay early and often. A 3 year old bird is well past her prime and you might spend more on feed and care than you will get out of them.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

They are loosing their feathers and not laying consistently.

they may also be molting which affects the egg laying., but otherwise be in good health. But I agree with the above poster, be realistic what 3 y/olds will produce

 

[janes flock]

I have decided to keep only 10 and a buddy of mine wants the rest. Thanks.