Mrs

[johnandkymberley]

Hi all

People have commented on getting hens from free to good home ads

Can anyone tell me where they see these ads and any expirences people have had

Thanks xxx

[heth1986]

I haven't had any such hens but try preloved x

[Olly]

I would advise caution; there is a good reason that we don't allow hens to be rehomed via the forum.

 

You have to ask yourself why someone would be giving away healthy, laying hens. Of course there may be a genuine reason such as moving house, having to give up for personal reasons and so on. Unfortunately people also use 'free' ads to get rid of old, non-laying hens, ones with persistent health problems, or ones with very aggressive tendencies. It's generally much better to get hens from a recognised breeder, or of course you could always rescue some ex-batts - they don't cost much.

[Chortle Chook]

johnandkymberley I'd suggest you look for ads in your local newsagent or pet supplier's window but do take care Make sure you visit the current owner's home to get a good look around at the conditions your chicken is coming from i.e. are they likely to be healthy, tame etc. Then obviously look at the chicken herself and be prepared to walk away should you not be satisfied. This 'walk away' thing is harder if you have travelled a long way, so try and get your free chicken locally.

 

Free chickens are not necessarily dodgy. It could be that the owner just has too many chickens from an Easter hatching project or wants to specialise in a different breed, or would like a different colour to fit with their flock and genuinely does want a good home for the odd one.

 

The trouble is with the Omlet Market place, the current owner sells the chicken at the click of a mouse and does not get any real chance to talk to the prospective owner and vet the offered home. I've often thought that, as Omlet people would surely offer the best homes to any chicken, it is a shame that Omlet does not allow an Omlet exchange scheme to enable breed or colour swaps. The risks would then be on both sides and so ads would be less likely to be dodgy - possibly

[coco]

Although three of my hens werent free to good home they were off preloved. They were local to me and the sellers were asking twenty pounds for four hens. They were basically fed up with looking after them and their dog kept chasing the hens. I offered them fifteen pounds and got a buff frizzle bantam, a rhode island red, a cream legbar and a silkie which I gave to a freind. I have had them for about eighteen months and they are all fit and laying well[ apart from the cream legbar which has never laid an egg and is just a freeloader].

[Redwing]

Many of these ads are just trying to palm off a non layer, a persistant broody, a noisy hen, a sick hen, a feather pecker or a bully and to me its very irresponsible to pass on a bird without being honest about what the problem is