Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[sugarplum]

if we brought chooks that arent quite show quality is there any other things we have to look for to make sure they are healthy.

 

the lady who is selling them says that the only reason why they arent show quality is because there feathers arent quite right but we want to make sure.

 

any pointers welcome thanks

[Egluntyne]

Bright eyes.

 

Glossy Feathers.

 

Clean "Knickers" ie no pooey bottoms.

 

Smooth scales on legs.

 

Red combs and wattles.

 

Inquisitive attitude.

 

No hunching.

[AJuff]

I have one show hen a skyline called Hazel. She looks pristine all the time, plump, beautiful feathers, bright eyes and outstanding tail feathers. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the rest of the crew as she's pecked all their feathers out of their bottoms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She won't be going to any show as her bumper bit spoils her looks!!!

[superjules]

Maybe she can't stand competition?!

[twix]

i shouldn't worry too much.. people who keep chickens for showing bring up large numbers of birds to find the perfect few to show and breed from. This means they often have surplus healthy birds who just aren't quite good enough to show. If they can find a good home for these birds which are of no use-and not potential competition to them they are often keen to do so at a very fair price.

but yeah follow general rules for chosing an animal-clean, normal activity and behaviour, bright eyes/comb, glossy feathers, neat clean feet..

[HasSumAmi]

When we went to chose our two new ones it wasn't that easy to really look the girls over. Many it was where we got them from, but quite frankly I felt that I was being discouraged from being too picky.

 

We went there because they were Meadowsweet agents and so I figured that meant they were OK.

 

Actually, when we got Snowdrop home we discovered she had a broken toe!! It seems to be a very old injury and seems set, but there was no way that we were going to get the chance to give them a good looking over when we were at the farm. It just didn't seem to work like that.

 

In theory it seems easy to be picky, in reality when faced with 30 hens and a farmer who wants you to make a decision, it's not that easy!

[superjules]

My friend's dog was not up to standard as a show dog, but he's lovely and perfect as a pet, so I wouldn't have any hesitation buying a chook along those lines, although I think if someone tries to flog you a lemon you should just turn around and walk away rather than just choose a different one that looks a bit better.

 

When we went to chose our two new ones it wasn't that easy to really look the girls over. Many it was where we got them from, but quite frankly I felt that I was being discouraged from being too picky.

 

We went there because they were Meadowsweet agents and so I figured that meant they were OK.

 

Actually, when we got Snowdrop home we discovered she had a broken toe!! It seems to be a very old injury and seems set, but there was no way that we were going to get the chance to give them a good looking over when we were at the farm. It just didn't seem to work like that.

 

In theory it seems easy to be picky, in reality when faced with 30 hens and a farmer who wants you to make a decision, it's not that easy!

 

I have asked for a different chook once I've had a look at them, but then this was because the one they caught hold of didn't look mature enough to be mixed with my existing chooks, not illness or anything. I've also spent a while looking at 200-odd hens and picked out specific ones that I liked the look of. I thought that would be how all good poultry places worked but maybe it's because I have a good rapport with the staff as I go there a lot.

[Eyren]

I've also spent a while looking at 200-odd hens and picked out specific ones that I liked the look of. I thought that would be how all good poultry places worked but maybe it's because I have a good rapport with the staff as I go there a lot.

 

 

Would that be Thorne's, by any chance?

 

One* of the reasons I feel more attached to my pekins than any previous chickens is that they are the first ones that I actually chose myself, rather than having them picked out by the breeder. Thorne's make it easy, but I hope that if I get more from anywhere else, I will have the nerve/opportunity to pick them out.

 

* The other being that they are incredibly cute!

[superjules]

Eyren, I now wish I'd got more pekins at the time - aren't they lovely little birds?!

 

Yes, it's Thorne's but I now get such a ribbing for mentioning them (Jomaxsmith and Lisa33!) that I thought I'd be a bit more subtle - obviously it didn't work!!