Getting your Chickens

Getting chickens should be a straightforward process shouldn’t it? You find an advert for the breed or type of chickens you want at a price you can afford and you just go and buy them right?

Well, yes, in theory it’s like that but there Buff Orpingtonare quite a few pit falls where you can be caught out so it’s a good idea to be aware of these before you go to buy chickens. It takes time to set up the right environment for your new arrivals – make sure you have a secure run and housing and have all of the ‘gear’ you need (my list of what to keep in stock might come in useful here).

The birds you pick and take home can very quickly become ill with the stress of the move and pick up any number of diseases. Try to pick the healthiest looking chickens you can. Do not pick birds that are sleepy, wheeze or hold their mouths open (unless it is a hot day), stand fluffed up as if they are cold or birds that have any bubbles or foam in the corner of their eyes. A fit and healthy bird should be active and alert.

Go to Look

If you have arranged to go and ‘buy’ some birds from a breeder, the pressure will be on and it is harder to walk away once you are there if you think the birds aren’t up to scratch. So why not say you would like to have a look at his or her birds with a view to purchasing them but possibly not today? The pressure is off and you can take enough time checking the chickens over and making sure you are buying the right thing.

Where to buy Chickens

I have listed these in order of preference – you are more likely to get better quality birds at the top of this list, not necessarily the cheapest price though!

1. Pure Breeds from a known breeder who has won shows with their birds: These people have spent years on their line of birds, improving them and they are very passionate about the breed and will be able to tell you all about them. They are usually good quality, healthy birds. Breed clubs can often put you in touch with well known breeders

poultry show sale pens

Poultry Show sale pens are usually a safe way to buy reasonable quality chickens

2. From a poultry show. There are often sale pens at shows where you can spend time looking at the birds and choosing the best quality birds. You can even ask advice of others around you or from the experienced show staff. If the show organisers are doing their job properly then they will not allow any birds that look sick to be put into the sale pens. Many of the sale pens at shows will have stock from breeders that are showing their birds and will be of reasonable quality.

3. From a private ad or breeder. These people have usually hatched a few birds themselves or hatch a good number of birds to sell. The quality can be variable so you will need to examine the set-up and of course the birds carefully. Private ads can be found on poultry forums in the for sale areas. If the forum is a good one, they will make sure a location is specified in the title of the post. “The Poultry Forum” –  poultrykeeperforum.com has a Chickens for Sale section and is a good forum for finding birds for sale in the UK.

poultry auction4. From a Poultry Auction. Some dedicated poultry auctions can sometimes have reasonable quality stock but be warned, some of the more common livestock type auctions can be a great place for people to get rid of their sub-standard or unhealthy birds.

Where ever you end up buying your birds from, if you make sure they are fit and healthy, you generally shouldn’t see any problems. If you already have chickens and are adding to your flock then you can be bringing disease in so always remember to quarantine your new birds for at least a week before introducing them to your flock.

5. Hatching your own. Many beginners are starting to hatch their own chickens, especially now that incubator prices have come down and are easier to operate. With sites like eBay advertising hatching eggs, it is often relatively simple finding the breed you want online although hatching eggs that have been through the postal system can be a little hit and miss at times. My page on How to Hatch Eggs gives you a step by step guide to hatching your own.

Finally – Don’t forget to take a box! Most breeders ask you to bring your own carriers or suitably sized cardboard boxes to transport your chickens in.

If you’re using a cardboard box, it’s important to cut some good size slots in the top and the sides to allow sufficient ventilation. Do not put too many chickens into a box. There should be at least a 4 inches of space around each bird so they don’t overheat. Make sure they travel on the back seat or in an estate / open boot and keep the temperature in the car cool during the journey. I have heard of people arriving home to find chickens suffering from heat exhaustion in their box and sadly on one occasion I heard of someone who had dead chickens when they opened the box!

transporting chickens

Chickens should be transported in boxes or crates with good ventilation.

63 Comments

  1. Hi I want to get 5 chickens each of a different breed but I would also like a cockerel If I get a male bird and he mates with the chickens will a) the eggs still be Ok to eat and b) what breed will the chickens be? is there a generic name for this type of chicken eg like mongrel for dogs? Sorry about the naive questions……

  2. Hi I hope you can help with some advice please.
    We have a rescued hen – I’ve been told she’s a cob. She was destined for the meat industry and was due to be slaughtered at 10 weeks old. She is now 9 months old and huge! She appears fit and well. She had a pal (same breed) who died about 4 weeks ago in her sleep. A week ago we were given another rescued hen (a third of the size) she was free range and destined for slaughter next month. The trouble is the pecking order. The little hen seems to be holding her own but not at night. The big girl sleeps on the floor of the coop, she is too heavy to roost (we constantly watch her weight) and the little one did sleep in the nest box but last night slept on the floor. However this morning the big hen was quite stroppy with her and was quite aggressive. They do spend time together in the run and occasionally the big girl will have a peck (no damage has ever been done). After this mornings argument however we are re-instating a high roost for the little girl and are wondering whether we should get her another small pal (from the same place we got her – so same size/breed) to keep her company at night above the big girl and to possibly even up the balance a bit. They have a double run and I do let them out to free-range when I am home. I know it’s not ideal to mix sizes but I’m committed to my animals and would only part with them to suit their needs not mine.
    Thank you, hope you can help us work this out.

    • There will always be a pecking order. It takes time to settle but then the bird at the bottom of it will submit to others. Sometimes there is a challenge from lower down which can cause an arguement but it usually settles again quite quickly.

      If she can’t get far enough away, there could be squabbles. Space usually sorts this out.

      • Thank you. They seem much more settled today. The little one went to the upper roost last night but I found her on the floor with our big girl this morning and they were not arguing.
        Thanks again for the advice.

  3. Hi, really love this site,so helpful. Started reading and lost track of time its now 5 hours later woops. I will be getting some chickens soon. From reading here I’m thinking end of summer and POL chickens. I am a complete novice and was wondering how long do chickens live? and how long will they normally lay for?

    Many thanks Claire

    • It depends on the breed and how resistant they are to disease. Some hens will live 10 years! Normally 4 to 5 is about right.
      Their eggs decrease by about 10% per year, except in high production hybrids such as Goldlines that are bred to give as much as they can in the first couple of years of their life and then sometimes get thin shells / laying problems.

  4. Hi,

    I echo the comments about your site, it really is fantastic for someone like me who is starting out.

    I’ve been reading that battery hens come to an unpleasent end well before their time and so i’m thinking about buying ex battery hens – may be 3 or 4. I gather they may need some TLC at first and I wondered if you have any advice as to what state they may arrive in, what I can do to nurse them back to health and if this is a sensible idea for a beginner?

    Many thanks.

    Steve

  5. hi all want to get chickens first time i have small stones to stop weeds growing can i place the chicken hse and run on the stones thay will have run of the garden some times but i have no grass just stoney sq,, path patio will thay be ok or not lov this site peace of mind pls

    • Yes, should be fine, you can wash them through as well although after a long time, you may need to change them.

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