Wanted Please - Harrogate / York / Leeds area

[EmmaE]

I am a total newbie who hopes to get a couple of hens in the next few weeks and have a couple of questions, if you don't mind . . .

 

Hybrids are usually advertised as vaccinated. Are pure breeds usually vaccinated too, or is that up to the new owner?

 

When's the best time of year to purchase chickens?

 

The chicken housing will soon be sorted - I'm really looking forward to having a couple of new additions to the family

[chick wiggle]

Hi Emma and welcome

My pure breeds wernt vaccinated, i dont think they do pure breeds.

 

What time of year? ANYTIME!

 

Ooo very exciting, let us know how you get on and dont be afraid to ask any question on here, we were all new once

[Falkor]

Vaccinations are very dependent on the breeder. As vaccinations need to be purchased in large quanties and have a short shelf life it is only really cost effective for large scale breeder to vaccinate.

 

POL hybrids certainly seem to be available all year round and with the increase in popularity of keep a few chooks pure breeds are becoming more available too. However some believe that chooks should be hatched in the spring and therefore ready to be sold towards the end of the summer as they benefit from the warm weather and sunshine which promotes good growth and therefore resulting in strong and vigorous chooks

 

As CW says keep the questions coming...we love talking chooks!

[Redwing]

As already said many pure breeds arent vaccinated, the vaccinations are sold on a large scale and given within the first few hours/days of a chicks life so its too late by the time you get them

 

Apart from a couple of conditions that can affect certain breeds most pure breeds wont suffer from not being vaccinated and will be quite healthy all their lives

 

I guess late summer is an ideal time to buy chickens in general but the breeder is more important than anything else, some will hatch in autumn and winter to have sizeable chooks in the spring but as long as they have the right facilities and are knowledgable about their breed and can give advice then thats what matters

 

Wherever you do go make sure you have a good look around, that the chooks seem happy and healthy and that the place looks clean (or as clean as it can be with chooks around )

[bennett]

My pure breeds were vaccinated but as others have said it does depend on the breeder.

 

I have found it difficult to get hold of pure breeds in the last month and when i do breeders are charging stupid amounts for them.

 

I got my first lot of girls in august, mine were only 8 weeks but as the weather stayed warm so i could sit out in the garden with a cuppa and watch them s"Ooops, word censored!" about.

 

I guess it depends wether you buy POL though as i wouldnt reccommend getting littlies in winter.

 

Good luck x

 

[Redwing]

I have found it difficult to get hold of pure breeds in the last month and when i do breeders are charging stupid amounts for them.

 

 

Most breeders will reduce their stock to just the next years breeding stock in autumn this is to save on the cost of bringing the chooks through the winter and also happens a lot where good covered housing is in short supply (essential for winter or early spring time breeding)

 

Anyone selling POL pure breeds now will have had to give them extra heat and light and feed them a good quality ad lib diet throughout the winter and should have a decent set up which will have cost money so the costs associated with producing spring POL hens will be higher

 

Also its a good old supply and demand situation in spring, the weather warms up and people want chickens at a time when there are less around

 

Both things combined mean higher prices

[EmmaE]

Thanks for that! I did wonder . . .

 

It'll be a few weeks yet until everythings sorted and ready - I quite fancy either hybrids or Rhode Island Reds, both sold at the local poultry place. I'll keep you all posted!

[joza2210]

Hybrids are usually advertised as vaccinated. Are pure breeds usually vaccinated too, or is that up to the new owner?

 

My Pure Breeds where not vaccinated i had to do it myself

 

When's the best time of year to purchase chickens?

 

I try and buy my chickens any time but not in winter as i tend to find that the bird has a cold and that they are more expensive because the breeder can not get chicks because the chickens are not laying

 

The chicken housing will soon be sorted - I'm really looking forward to having a couple of new additions to the family

 

I can not wait to see your new additions

[Redwing]

Hybrids are usually advertised as vaccinated. Are pure breeds usually vaccinated too, or is that up to the new owner?

 

My Pure Breeds where not vaccinated i had to do it myself

 

 

Pure breeds are not usually vaccinated but thats perfectly ok

 

If choosing birds that are prone to problems such as Silkies and Sebrights that are prone to Mareks then specifically looking for breeders who have a resistant strain or who vaccinate against it is sensible

 

What did you vaccinate your chooks against and how did you do it Josh? I would be very interested to hear

[joza2210]

well i made it sound dead hard up there , haha

 

I only vaccinated my silkie from marek's disease (Because i bought her when she was only very young)

 

[TAJ]

Wernlas (a well known big supplier of pure breeds, hatching 15,000 a year) do vaccinate all their pure breed stock.

 

Tracy