[r+lchick]

Anyone know where I can get some very cross bred chickens.  I don't want pedigrees as I have no intention of showing them or breeding them.  Just want them for eggs.  Most cross bred chickens I have seen start at £10.  Is this the going rate?  Before anyone suggests the Battery Hen Rehoming Centre, sorry they don't like me or I am too honest.  They want to give birds for pets. I, on the other hand, want to keep birds for eggs.  When their productivity dwindles, they will be curry.  I am talking totally off laying.  In the meantime, they will have a great life. That is why the rehoming centre will not let me have any.  Fair play to them. They do a great job but it leaves me without a cheap source of hens.  Any suggestions for the West Midlands area?  Or am I expecting chickens for too cheap a price?   

[shetlandpaul]

you should get the bog standard red hen for about £6-8. anymore and you have been had. there should be loads of chickens about after the craze for chickens calms down

[doganjo]

I've never even been asked by the BHWT what my intentions are.  I have had three lots of 6.  Mind you even when they are very erratic layers I don't kill them off, so i suppose I might have said that in the passing to Jim.  But he's never actually asked me, nor have I signed anything.  Has anyone else been asked?

[shetlandpaul]

that would limit the number of people wanting them. it would be unrealistic to expect the new keeps to hold onto them until they die of old age. this has never been the fate of the hen. eat it when it finshes laying and replace. the old red hen is not the greatest at having a good old age. this as harry said is down to them being mutant egg machines.

[Roxy]

As a co ordinator for Hen Rehomers UK, we do stress before people take on the hens, that if they are wanting them for lots of eggs, then do not take on ex battery hens. Most of the people just want a couple for their garden, which is fair enough, pet hens who may lay eggs, which will suit these people.

Having said that, I have a lot of ex battery hens in my flock, who have laid very well.  We do try to discourage people who want them for a business, or to sell the eggs.  This is for fear they will get them, find they are not laying well enough, and then either sell them on, or eat them.

I have noticed that hens in general do seem to be very expensive.  POL near us start at around £8, but have seen some for £10-15 as well.
I suppose the breeders have kept them for all those weeks, and fed them, so that is what it cost to rear them.

[r+lchick]

I don't want them for a business just for some eggs for the home.  But I also don't want to keep feeding them for 5 - 6 years if they are not laying eggs as I only have adequate room for 6 at the most.  I could keep more, but don't think it would be fair on the poor chooks.  I could lie to them but that is not in my nature.  They will have a lovely life but I have to be realistic.  I could end up with 6 chickens, feeding them and all and not one egg. I know you have cats and dogs for pets and feed them without anything in return but I had my cat as a pet, not as a mouse hunter. It seems that I will have to pay £10 for a couple of birds to get my young ones thinking about what they should be doing.  Thanks guys for your help again. Ros 

[shetlandpaul]

i can get pol hylines for 6 quid. i even got 6 black rocks for 2 quid each but they were a mistake. i had to cull one straight away and a number of others scaly leg. they have turned out nice just one left with manky scales. so to raise and ship up here for that price they are either making a loss or your being overcharged. i know i could not produce them at that cost.

[r+lchick]

Where did you get them from? Ros

[shetlandpaul]

we get them from an egg producer that over buys to sell the spare to pay for there hens. we gain they gain and so do the hens.

[harry]

I thought i could give a good home to 100 x batts, i would give them free range on 1-2 acre of grass with trees stream etc, i told the rescuers that i have this good home but i would raise them untill fully feathered again and sell some of the 100 for a small fee to cover feed , rehab, etc, but they thought DEATH WAS A BETTER OPTION....

[shetlandpaul]

bet the future nuggets did not agree.

[harry]

Come on Roxy convince me about this policy, death is better than what i offered.

[MiriMaran]

r+lchick,  If you are planning to eat them I would go for a heavier dual purpose breed that is actually going to have some meat on them.  A Black Rock is going to be a much better investment for you than a skinny egg laying machine.  Have you tried the admag?

[harry]

you stated, NO INTENTION OF BREEDING, how many of us have said that when we started, get a med heavy breed, a trio and hatch them forever.... hens for laying or selling,cocks for eating, dont ask what breed to get you will get 50 different replies, mine would maybe be a rir x l/s ime currently xing l/s x ixworths.
PAUL i dont think the chickens were asked.

[doganjo]

I thought i could give a good home to 100 x batts, i would give them free range on 1/2 acre of grass with trees stream etc,

I have the same land as that - exactly!  I wouldn't put anything like 100 chickens on it.  My 15 birds have plenty of room on there and I could have a good few more I'm sure, but they would soon decimate it if they were out there 24/7