- May 31, 2016
- 108
- 33
- 119
I am a new member - I was planning to join eventually but decided to speed things up based on my current dilemma. I'll try to make this short - A friend bought 8 chicks on March 26 for her brother and his wife, because they talked about getting chickens. She bought them at the Tractor Supply Store. After 6 weeks, one got out of the yard, a neighbor complained, there was a big argument - result - my husband offered to take them - even though we are city folk and know nothing about chickens. Anyway, we quickly built a coop, feed, etc. 2 weeks later, we are getting attached to these crazy things - they make us laugh. We have 2 bantams (male and female) 4 hens and 2 roosters. Today, I went back to Tractor supply and met their chicken expert - I was wondering when they start to lay. I told her my friend bought them there and was told they were Cornish. The chicken lady said - "those are meat birds not egg layers - whoever was here that night messed up and sold your friend meat birds. They should have been butchered by now it is cruel to keep them alive." I was in shock. She said "are they fat with huge feet?" - I said the roosters are - she told me to get rid of them. I'm heartbroken and angry. Why would tractor supply store allow someone to sell meat birds to a person who clearly wanted layers. We've invested time and money so I don't want to write them all off. They also sold leghorns - how can I tell what they are ? Am I being cruel keeping them alive? I need advice badly.
