chickens...is it possible???

luvmypercheron · 06-03-2006, 03:57 PM

hey....just curious if it's common to buy quantities of young hens that are almost ready to lay? where the farm is it's a small town around more small towns....doesn't seem anyone does this....only 1-3 days old hatched ones...i'd like some that are almost ready or have just started to lay eggs....to keep up with our egg orders. thanks for your help.

JCH · 06-03-2006, 05:07 PM

do you have any small animal auction houses around you i bought some already layers at one here last fall other than that maybe place a card at your feed store soemone may be getting rid of those no so cute easter chicks now

madvoice · 06-03-2006, 06:55 PM

If you know where they are, you can often buy ex battery hens. They are generally in rather scruffy condition but they do recovery VERY quickly. They are good layers and often don't cost a lot to buy

Rachel K · 06-03-2006, 08:32 PM

It sounds like you currently have a flock of chickens. If that is so then I must warn you that when ever you bring new chickens into the flock you chance your older ones getting diseases from them. And vice versa.

To keep this chance at a minimum people usually only buy day old chicks or hatch out their own chicks.

Jubilee Farm · 06-03-2006, 08:39 PM

Its not common to be able to 'order' pullets that are close to laying age from commerial sources because of the shipping issues. day old chicks are easy to ship because they can go for the first few days w/o food or water... it gets more complicated/time sensitive when you start shipping older birds.
We used to ship started birds within California, Oregon and Nevada though... I still come across places from time to time that sell started birds.
Another option you may have is to actually 'hire' someone to start your fowl for you. We've done this before as well... very handy when you dont have the time to maintain the brooders along with the laying stock!

luvmypercheron · 06-04-2006, 09:10 PM

mad voice---what is an ex battery hen? i'm chicken dumb apparently...

we only want older so they lay faster for us.....we can't keep up with the egg orders....people are buying 4 dozen at a time....we currently only have 18 hens.

06-03-2006, 03:57 PM	#1
luvmypercheron Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,523 Images: 184	chickens...is it possible??? hey....just curious if it's common to buy quantities of young hens that are almost ready to lay? where the farm is it's a small town around more small towns....doesn't seem anyone does this....only 1-3 days old hatched ones...i'd like some that are almost ready or have just started to lay eggs....to keep up with our egg orders. thanks for your help.

06-03-2006, 05:07 PM	#2
JCH Senior Member+ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: upstate ny Posts: 2,162 Images: 126	do you have any small animal auction houses around you i bought some already layers at one here last fall other than that maybe place a card at your feed store soemone may be getting rid of those no so cute easter chicks now __________________ I had a fork in my beer hand and just stabbed my tounge HGS members met 16

06-03-2006, 06:55 PM	#3
madvoice Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: Humpty Doo, Northern Territory, Australia Posts: 11,257 Images: 281	If you know where they are, you can often buy ex battery hens. They are generally in rather scruffy condition but they do recovery VERY quickly. They are good layers and often don't cost a lot to buy __________________ Sep 1997 - 15 Jan 2006 ~Fry Baby I'll Miss You~ I'm not a complete idiot.. Some parts are missing Owner of a lazy TB This is my shiny thing, and if you try and take it off me, I may have to eat you!

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06-03-2006, 08:32 PM	#4
Rachel K Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Iowa Posts: 5	It sounds like you currently have a flock of chickens. If that is so then I must warn you that when ever you bring new chickens into the flock you chance your older ones getting diseases from them. And vice versa. To keep this chance at a minimum people usually only buy day old chicks or hatch out their own chicks.

06-03-2006, 08:39 PM	#5
Jubilee Farm Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Northern CA Posts: 1,476 Images: 52	Its not common to be able to 'order' pullets that are close to laying age from commerial sources because of the shipping issues. day old chicks are easy to ship because they can go for the first few days w/o food or water... it gets more complicated/time sensitive when you start shipping older birds. We used to ship started birds within California, Oregon and Nevada though... I still come across places from time to time that sell started birds. Another option you may have is to actually 'hire' someone to start your fowl for you. We've done this before as well... very handy when you dont have the time to maintain the brooders along with the laying stock!

06-04-2006, 09:10 PM	#6
luvmypercheron Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,523 Images: 184	mad voice---what is an ex battery hen? i'm chicken dumb apparently... we only want older so they lay faster for us.....we can't keep up with the egg orders....people are buying 4 dozen at a time....we currently only have 18 hens.