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

[LaPoule]

A couple of weekends ago, Le Monsieur and I went to visit a local breeder. We wanted to see what was available, and to go "oooh!" and "aaahhh!" (strict "no new chicken" rule in place until after holidays ).

 

My experience of breeders is limited to a friend of a friend, who breeds Pekins (and they all arrived with atrocious scaly leg mite!), and one other, quite local, who specialises in rare breeds, so I'm a little naive as to the standards to expect.

 

The chickens were kept in fairly small runs, by breed, with a few hens per rooster - bit tight on space, but nothing major. However, a very large number of the birds had clearly been pecked quite badly, with some very red patches showing. One of them also had what appeared to be bumblefoot, but it was hard to tell (never having seen it before in real life). I have been lucky, and don't have any experience of feather pecking (fingers crossed), but know from the forum how hard this can be to get rid of. However, none of them appeared to have been sprayed with gentian violet or similar, though they could obviously have been sprayed with ukadex or similar.

 

However, the part I found most disturbing was a couple of dead hens in a bin, near some of the runs, with no lid or anything. I didn't look too closely, but they obviously had not been there very long.

 

However, as I said, my experience of breeders is limited; is this an acceptable standard?

 

Please don't ask where this was - I don't want to slander anyone if my standards are unreasonable.

[little jerry]

Oh dear. It sounds a bit unpleasant. Ihave reacently bought 3 chooks from a local breeder and have experience of another. Both sound like chicken heaven compared to the place you describe. I would prefer to buy free ranging chickens from a smaller breeder. Its a difficult decision whether to buy from the place you describe. On one hand you want to give some of these birds a better life, on the other you dont want to encourage this type of breeding.The conditions you describe sound unnacceptable to me Im afraid. Hope you find somewhere more suitable to get your chooks.

[Daphne]

um - dead hens in open bin - I'd be horrified and I wouldn't be buying.

 

I have bought hens from 2 top breeders and its quite normal to have 2/3 hens per cockeral in quite tight accomodation. However, I also know these particular people a)know what they are doing and b)have loads of land which the stock ranges on when its not the breeding season.

 

I have seen stock for sale in a different local breeders where there are loads of hybrid hens in largeish pens with access to the outside, and a smaller number of pure breeds in much smaller cages or pens. All perfectly acceptable and humane, but I know some of the pure breed birds are a) expensive and b) not good examples of the breed so again I wouldn't be buying.

 

However, I've not seen birds in bad condition because of their environment - if I saw birds pecked raw I'd be questioning the care, conditions and health of the birds; and I wouldn't be buying. I've seen birds at auction like this - and I wouldn't buy them either.

 

My advice is to be guided by your instinct. Hens die and have to be disposed of. However, I would expect a modicum of respect as well as health and safety.

[Guest]

we got 2 POL hens from a breeder in Frodsham. They had massive pens with large sheds and could come and go into the sheds when they liked. The pens were grassed and the breeder said he moved them regularly and let sheep graze the unused pens, he said it helped with worm build up or something.

 

All the birds were in excellent condition and fully vaccinated, even against mycoplasma. He told us how to check a bird over for signs of problems and how to check to pelvic bone to see if they were nearly at point of lay. He gave his birds ACV regularly and I couldn't fault him at all!

 

His wife had a seperate pen for their disabled chickens which were also very well looked after.

 

The breeder you went to sounds appalling in my opinion, I'd report them to the RSPCA if I saw conditions that you describe.

[Egluntyne]

Dead hens in bins...on view? I think I would take my custom elsewhere.

[LaPoule]

I thought I would post a quick update on this.

 

I contacted the RSPCA, and lodged a complaint. One of their officers rang me back the next day and said that as it is legal to keep battery chickens, there's probably not much they can legally challenge the breeder with. She did say that she would give him a call, and advise him that a complaint had been lodged, in the hope that the thought of losing custom might convince him to buck up his ideas.

 

In the meantime, I have ordered some silkies from Seven Acres Nursery as recommended by Griffin, in addition to the Poland and Sussex bantam I already have on order with Fleur at Wylye Valley (who I have previous experience of, and several members have very highly praised).

 

The moral of the story - only buy chickens from breeders that have been recommended

[Guest]

Shame there are some bad breeders but on recommendation from another omleter/forum the couple I got my other non omlet chickens from were really helpful. When I got there all was to see! The lady showed me how to pick it up and check it over. Told me about scaly leg/mites and told me that if I had anyproblem to contact her as she would take any of them back. She was very knowledgable and gut instinct I knew I was going to be fine.

 

She gave me tips on how she did things etc with her chickens. She had all her own free ranging with their cockeral and the ones for sale were in a nice airy bright clean stable. She just had to catch them

 

But glad to hear you let RSPCA know as they are brilliant & will do their best to help.

 

For anyone around bedford northendhens was excellent. I travelled from Herts

 

good luck indie