4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Mollystar]

Please listen if you are thinking of buying chickens

 

I bought my cube last year, August ish & was chuffed to bits with it

 

So next came finding some chickens I consulted the Omlett guide & phoned a number, the very nice gent said he could drop me off 8 small breed POL chickens the following Sunday

 

I had chickens as a child & my BF is an ex farmer so knew the basics but the BF was out when the chicken guy came, 4 in one box & 6 in the other, "call them 2 freebies", all I wanted was 8 small POL, stupid me should of said "take them away" but in a fluster I handed him £40 & away he drove

 

BF came home to me in tears, 5pm on a Sunday & I had to find lamps & accomodation for 4 approx four week olds & 6, 2 week olds

 

Anyway after much stress, tears & a very smelly utility room for months, 9 of my babies survived to go into the cube, obviously to small for the ladder & many a laugh at me naked (not wanting to get poo on my dressing gown) with bags on my knees climbing into the run putting the girls to bed, much to my BF amusment.

Over time I suspected we had 2 Cockerals, it turned out we had 4, 1 we lost to being picked on, not killed but I let the BF put him to sleep so not in pain, two others he had to put to sleep last month as 3 cockerals in a cube would be a defo NO NO.

 

So I had left 1 Cockeral & 5 girls, not the 8 girls I really wanted.

 

Please, I know you are not as daft as me but how ever much you want your chickens NOW

Dont be lumbered with something you are not happy with , any doubts DO NOT BUY, wait. I wish I had.

 

I don't want to mention the dealer as its me that was a fool & could of said NO, I hope you now do that if you read this & are in any doubts when purchasing birds.

 

I went & picked up a few new girls at the weekend & now have the stressful introductions to do but that aside I realised what a fool I had been having now visited a proper set up with lovely birds that I would 100% recommend if anyone wants some birds in Cheshire:)

[Egluntyne]

What a sad story. I am so sorry that you have ha such a dreadful introduction to chicken keeping.

 

The bloke who sold you the chickens is a disgrace and obviously saw that you were a novice to be taken advantage of. He off loaded some roosters and made a quick buck into the bargain.

 

Was he the boss? Or just a lackey acting on his own?

 

I would refer the matter to Omlet so that they can take him off their recommended breeders list. There won't be much else they can do. I would email barbara@omlet.co.uk

 

I hope you can now begin to enjoy your remaining hens.

[Janty]

You are not daft at all. I took on birds that were too young at one point and lost two of them through not being advised properly. I felt awful for months but I asked the breeder what they were being fed on and I was told that it was just the normal pellets. Being a new person to chicken keeping I didn't realise how young the girls were and fed them the wrong food. At one point I thought that pekins were not a breed for me. I thought that maybe they were difficult to keep and that I was not a good chicken keeper.

 

At least your birds had your BF's expertise and your knowledge. Don't feel bad. You did your best.

 

It has been really brave of you to share your story. I couldn't for a long time as I felt so bad.

[Mollystar]

Thanks Egluntine & Janty, It was not a company or farmer it was just a gent who did back garden breeding, dont know if he he saw me coming or was just oblivious to the stress I have now endured.

 

I think he probably does the breeding for a hobby, it was me that was stupid & I asked for POL & should of refused anything less.

 

Thank goodness for my BF knowledge, he even ran around on the Monday morning buying chick grit/crumb for me & filled me in about growers when ready, all I had was a cube & layers awaiting POL

Some people may have had lovely chickens off that man, I have now mine have grown up but at a cost.

 

Its only now after visiting a proper breeder that I know all the stress & tears could of been avoided.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Goodness Mollystar , what a steep learning curve, but what lucky little chooks to have landed in your lap!

 

Whether you had been foolish or not, that breeder should at least have been told what an idiot he is (I'd use a stronger name but don't want to get into trouble!!), if you ordered POL, there's no way 2-6 week old chicks can be mistakenly sent - he shouldn't be breeding if he makes a mistake like that!

I agree that he should have his name removed from the Omlet register. I know from my own experience that the list is not necessarily as up-to-date as it could be, so Omlet need to be told of any good/bad experiences with recommended breeders.

 

I'm glad that everything has levelled out on your "chook rollercoaster" and that you haven't been put off!

 

Sha x

[Groovychook]

Hi Mollystar,

so sorry to read about your stressful introduction to chicken keeping.

 

Don't feel daft, it's easy to get rail roaded into things when you know deep down that it's not a good idea. I'm sure it's happened to us all in some form or other!

I agree with Egluntine that you should let omlet know who the breeder is. Even if he only breeds in a small way, it would be a shame if another omleteer were to suffer the same situation as you after consulting the recommended breeders list.

 

Best wishes with your new girls! Hope the introductions aren't too stressful!

[Mollystar]

Thanks Guys.

 

Introductions not going as well as planed, BF was of the opinon "throw them in at night & they will be fine" , not the case, Molly knows best

 

They are now in a large covered dog crate at the side of the Cube run but being placed in the cube at night patience is a female vertue

 

How does some one get on the omlet breeder list in the first place?

 

The guy said his daughter had an eglu, wonder if maybe she recommended him

[Olly]

What an awful experience. Don't blame yourself - I know I've accepted 'damaged goods' when the delivery arrived just because I was too flustered to take time to check them and too embarrassed to say no. Luckily my chickens came from Omlet because when I started out I would have had no idea what a POL should look like!

 

I'm glad things have finally worked out better - I can understand that you don't want to name the supplier on here, but he should not be on the list because he provided something totally different to what you'd agreed, and he showed no care or consideration for the birds by dumping them on you when he probably knew you had no suitable accommodation or equipment. Well done for managing to bring so many of them through.

 

Don't be tempted to rush the introductions, it takes time but it will work in the end.