Krazyquilts
Songster
I've already posted this on the "Animals in need of free re-homing" forum, but I wanted to post it here too.
The short version: large laying flock of about 30 Rhode Island Reds hens ages 1 years and 2 years and 2 roosters in Geneva, OH (north east of Cleveland) to be re-homed for free. Not urgent exactly, but soon would be nice. Take them all or they can be broken up into several flocks or into groups as small as 3 hens.
The long version: My husband and I just bought a farm in Geneva, OH. In preparation for this, we purchased a bunch of guinea keets to take care of the tick problem. Some chicks and turkeys poults may or may not have appeared in the brooder too. I of course have no idea how that happened. All in all, approximately 40 baby birds are growing and growing, so obviously, we were going to need a big coop and quickly but also cheaply because we also needed to get a coop for our approximately 25 ducks (I say approximately because some are still hatching.) After scouring Craigslist a lot, I decided that buying an old camper and turning it into a chicken coop was going to be the quickest and cheapest option. Then I found what seemed perfect: a camper that had already been turned into a chicken coop! The only catch was that it also came with chickens! My husband made me promise that if we bought this trailer-coop, that I would find new homes for most of the chickens.
The lady we purchased the coop and chickens from had to sell them because of some family health issues and just wasn't going to be able to take care of them. She bought them as point-of-lay pullets and said that they are great layers. They don't seem either friendly nor aggressive to me, though some do look kind of scruffy to me. I MAKE NO GUARANTEE AS TO THEIR HEALTH and would strongly recommend quarantine procedures for them if you already have poultry.
She said that the roosters were "aggressive" but that the roosters took excellent care of the hens and always warned the hens if there was a hawk, etc. The roosters didn't seem aggressive to me, but due to our crazy schedule, I've only been in the coop with them at night when they are "dormant" so I really can't say. I don't know if the previous owner's definition of aggressive just means "not cuddly" which I think is perfectly normal or it might mean "attacks you out of nowhere from behind" which would mean a one-way trip to freezer camp IMO. I'm just wanting people to be aware. I'll update this post regarding the roosters' attitudes if I learn anything new. I'm fine with somebody taking the roosters for their flock, or I'm fine with keeping them. (If you're just going to eat them, I'll keep them.)
The chickens have been pastured during the day until we bought them and based on the previous owner's advice, they are now living in just the trailer for two weeks so that they learn that this is their new home.
We're going to keep a few so that we can have own supply of eggs, but that still leaves about 30 chickens. My mom wanted me to keep them all and just start up an egg business but contrary to popular belief, I do know my limitations and I think that would just be too much right now. I don't care if somebody wants them all or if people just want a few, though I'd prefer to rehome them in groups no smaller than 3 chickens. If I don't get any takers, then I'll post on Craigslist.
Anyone interested in the chickens can come to our farm in Geneva, OH to get them. We can set up a date and time and I'll send my address. Though donations towards our feed bill are always welcome, we aren't expecting any kind of payment for the chickens, just pay it forward.
(Please don't offer to take any chickens if you're just going to eat them. I have no problem with culling older layers but these chickens are still in their prime laying years.)
I'll post pictures of the chickens tomorrow.
The short version: large laying flock of about 30 Rhode Island Reds hens ages 1 years and 2 years and 2 roosters in Geneva, OH (north east of Cleveland) to be re-homed for free. Not urgent exactly, but soon would be nice. Take them all or they can be broken up into several flocks or into groups as small as 3 hens.
The long version: My husband and I just bought a farm in Geneva, OH. In preparation for this, we purchased a bunch of guinea keets to take care of the tick problem. Some chicks and turkeys poults may or may not have appeared in the brooder too. I of course have no idea how that happened. All in all, approximately 40 baby birds are growing and growing, so obviously, we were going to need a big coop and quickly but also cheaply because we also needed to get a coop for our approximately 25 ducks (I say approximately because some are still hatching.) After scouring Craigslist a lot, I decided that buying an old camper and turning it into a chicken coop was going to be the quickest and cheapest option. Then I found what seemed perfect: a camper that had already been turned into a chicken coop! The only catch was that it also came with chickens! My husband made me promise that if we bought this trailer-coop, that I would find new homes for most of the chickens.
The lady we purchased the coop and chickens from had to sell them because of some family health issues and just wasn't going to be able to take care of them. She bought them as point-of-lay pullets and said that they are great layers. They don't seem either friendly nor aggressive to me, though some do look kind of scruffy to me. I MAKE NO GUARANTEE AS TO THEIR HEALTH and would strongly recommend quarantine procedures for them if you already have poultry.
She said that the roosters were "aggressive" but that the roosters took excellent care of the hens and always warned the hens if there was a hawk, etc. The roosters didn't seem aggressive to me, but due to our crazy schedule, I've only been in the coop with them at night when they are "dormant" so I really can't say. I don't know if the previous owner's definition of aggressive just means "not cuddly" which I think is perfectly normal or it might mean "attacks you out of nowhere from behind" which would mean a one-way trip to freezer camp IMO. I'm just wanting people to be aware. I'll update this post regarding the roosters' attitudes if I learn anything new. I'm fine with somebody taking the roosters for their flock, or I'm fine with keeping them. (If you're just going to eat them, I'll keep them.)
The chickens have been pastured during the day until we bought them and based on the previous owner's advice, they are now living in just the trailer for two weeks so that they learn that this is their new home.
We're going to keep a few so that we can have own supply of eggs, but that still leaves about 30 chickens. My mom wanted me to keep them all and just start up an egg business but contrary to popular belief, I do know my limitations and I think that would just be too much right now. I don't care if somebody wants them all or if people just want a few, though I'd prefer to rehome them in groups no smaller than 3 chickens. If I don't get any takers, then I'll post on Craigslist.
Anyone interested in the chickens can come to our farm in Geneva, OH to get them. We can set up a date and time and I'll send my address. Though donations towards our feed bill are always welcome, we aren't expecting any kind of payment for the chickens, just pay it forward.
(Please don't offer to take any chickens if you're just going to eat them. I have no problem with culling older layers but these chickens are still in their prime laying years.)I'll post pictures of the chickens tomorrow.
