I've been looking for some laying hens, and finally came across some for sale locally on Craigslist.
On Wed I bought 8 hens, hoping at least 5 would be good layers. The owner didn't promise they would lay. He had 40 hens and was only getting 10 eggs or less a day. I figured at $3 each, I would take a chance since the birds looked healthy.
I was a little nervous my one lonely roo would bully the newcomers, but the old girls put him right in his place and started getting comfortable in their new home.
On Thursday, I had 2 eggs. I found 1 more so far this morning with a couple more of the girls hard at work in the nest boxes.
Now I'm wondering if their old coop was too crowded and they stopped laying. I have 9 birds in a coop about the size of the one he had 40 in. So far, I'm happy with the purchase. We'll see if I start getting more as the hens get more comfortable in the coop.
Fingers crossed...
On Wed I bought 8 hens, hoping at least 5 would be good layers. The owner didn't promise they would lay. He had 40 hens and was only getting 10 eggs or less a day. I figured at $3 each, I would take a chance since the birds looked healthy.
I was a little nervous my one lonely roo would bully the newcomers, but the old girls put him right in his place and started getting comfortable in their new home.
On Thursday, I had 2 eggs. I found 1 more so far this morning with a couple more of the girls hard at work in the nest boxes.
Now I'm wondering if their old coop was too crowded and they stopped laying. I have 9 birds in a coop about the size of the one he had 40 in. So far, I'm happy with the purchase. We'll see if I start getting more as the hens get more comfortable in the coop.
Fingers crossed...
