When to say no?

[Slocala]

Greetings,
News sure travels fast. I have 8 hens. All of them have been chickens in need of a home (coop). Most are spent and we enjoy just having them as pets. If we get gifted with a egg, well that's great! If not, I'm still gonna bring you some treats and just enjoy you...
I have a post on Craigslist looking for 1 polish hen. So I'm contacted by a lady who is moving, she has 8 hens and a rooster. They are older and she doesn't want them to end up on the dinner table..
Do I take them in and double my cost of care and labor? If I do, I can't add any young pullets to the mix so I get some eggs out of the deal.... I want to help them out but gosh I don't want to run a chicken rescue coop.
I'm leaning towards saying no yet I feel so guilty...... Sigh, bugger bugger, bugger. What to do?
Slocala

 

[Hei 20]

Greetings,
News sure travels fast. I have 8 hens. All of them have been chickens in need of a home (coop). Most are spent and we enjoy just having them as pets. If we get gifted with a egg, well that's great! If not, I'm still gonna bring you some treats and just enjoy you...
I have a post on Craigslist looking for 1 polish hen. So I'm contacted by a lady who is moving, she has 8 hens and a rooster. They are older and she doesn't want them to end up on the dinner table..
Do I take them in and double my cost of care and labor? If I do, I can't add any young pullets to the mix so I get some eggs out of the deal.... I want to help them out but gosh I don't want to run a chicken rescue coop.
I'm leaning towards saying no yet I feel so guilty...... Sigh, bugger bugger, bugger. What to do?
Slocala

You do what will be best for you.

 

[Melky]

I took in from a farm and regretted it! Hatchery stock is better, hardier, and low infection risk or problems. That said many people have had success with taking in from others. I felt like I rescued the chickens from a farm that I bought them from. They were small, young, and questionably ill. We quarantined-CANNOT TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS IF ALREADY HAVE CHICKENS FOR YES 30 DAYS! We treated for cocci and gapeworm. That said my chickens seem like healthy layers now. I am visiting the vet soon for a check up. My old flock was never ill once and raised from day one hatchery stock. I purchase from others as backyard person and no roos allowed here and limited to 6. Otherwise I would grow my own. Chicken math can get out of control quick with roos so glad I am a ladies only outfit. Just things to think about. From now on we are hatchery stock only!

 

[sourland]

Your intentions are great, but every added bird possibly endangers your healthy flock. Bottom line is that you can't save them all.

 

[cheepteach]

Greetings,
News sure travels fast. I have 8 hens. All of them have been chickens in need of a home (coop). Most are spent and we enjoy just having them as pets. If we get gifted with a egg, well that's great! If not, I'm still gonna bring you some treats and just enjoy you...
I have a post on Craigslist looking for 1 polish hen. So I'm contacted by a lady who is moving, she has 8 hens and a rooster. They are older and she doesn't want them to end up on the dinner table..
Do I take them in and double my cost of care and labor? If I do, I can't add any young pullets to the mix so I get some eggs out of the deal.... I want to help them out but gosh I don't want to run a chicken rescue coop.
I'm leaning towards saying no yet I feel so guilty...... Sigh, bugger bugger, bugger. What to do?
Slocala

your primary responsibility is to the good of your current flock---taking risks with their health and stress level is not advisable---but not an easy decision

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

If I were going to take a whole established flock I would need a separate coop and run.
Don’t forget the 30 day quarantine you need to protect your present flock.
If you have room for that many chickens and you want to do it, go ahead.

 

[Melky]

Also how many eggs can you eat? 16-17 birds is a lot of maintenance and cost too. It is up to you. That many birds for proper spacing and ventilation needs 68 sq. ft. in the coop, 4-5 next boxes, and 170 sq. ft. in the run is ideal. Less is room for problems to set in. AT .25 lb. of feed per bird it is also around 1500 lbs. per year of feed (31ish 50 lb. bags) or average cost of bag $35.00 and $ 1100.00 to feed per year. You can sell, re-home, or cull if does not work out but be prepared for that if overwhelmed. Let us know what you decide and arrangement.

 

[Melky]

If you ask me send her on to someone else. She will find someone at cost mentioned above with very few eggs because older you are running a rescue not ideal. You can always place on the dinner table for some free chicken dinners or let someone else have them up to your goals. I love new pullets because good layers. It is about the eggs to eat here.

 

[Slocala]

I want to thank all those who offered input.
I made my decision...... Drum roll........
I declined to take them in and sited all the very valid reasons that everyone offered up to me.
Ya know, sometimes we get caught up in emotion and forget logic... Guilty as charged here.
Through the years of showing boxer dogs, I placed over 50 dogs that for what ever reason had lost their original homes. The animal shelters got to calling me for every dog that looked like it might have known a boxer in a past life. It got to the point I had to decline to take some of them in. I put my foot down and would only do one rescue at a time. No more till that one was placed...
Thank you to everyone for helping me find the center of reasoning.
Slocala Wells