OTHER WAYS OF OBTAINING CHICKENS

Purchasing chickens from hatcheries, breeders or fanciers isn’t the only way to start your flock. There are many adult birds, or even whole flocks, who need a home. Not everyone who embarks on keeping chickens sticks with it for life (or even the lifespan of their birds). Some may start a flock only to find that keeping chickens just isn’t for them. Others may jump the gun and start a flock before it’s legal in their town. However it happens, there are occasionally flocks of healthy laying hens that find themselves homeless (or coopless, as the case may be). Mature hens often continue laying well into their twilight years, will continue to forage for pests and keep bug populations down, and will provide ample manure for compost until their last day. Giving these girls a second chance in your backyard could be a win-win situation.

OLDER FARM BIRDS. Traditional farmers will usually keep laying hens for much longer than factory farms do. While it’s true that egg laying declines as a hen ages, many layer breeds will reliably give you eggs through their fifth or sixth year and beyond. Call ahead and ask farms if they sell their “retired” hens — get as much information as you can about the birds. How old are the hens? What is their breed(s)? How are they managed (confined to coops, pastured or rotated)?

POULTRY SWAPS. Poultry swaps can be as large as county fairs or small events organized by regional poultry enthusiasts in a parking lot. If you choose to shop at a poultry swap, come prepared. Bring cash. Many folks looking to buy, sell or trade won’t accept credit cards, and some won’t accept checks. Second, bring transportation for your birds. A large pet carrier or several small carriers works best; in a pinch, a cardboard box with holes punched through it will do. Arrive early and be ready to pounce when you see birds you want. Hens tend to go quickly, and there are always an abundance of roosters. Finally, thoroughly check any birds you intend to purchase for good health. Are their eyes clear? Do they have bright combs and wattles? How do the scales of their legs look? Check for external parasites, injuries, loss of feathers and other indicators of ill health.

“SPENT” BATTERY-CAGE HENS. While morally fulfilling, starting a flock out of retired battery-cage hens can be heart wrenching and will pose health-related challenges that might be a bit much for first-time chicken owners. If you choose to take them on, get as much information about them as you can from the organization. What were they fed? Were they given antibiotics or growth hormones? How old are they? Were they vaccinated? Be prepared to offer these gals a little extra care and attention. They’ve likely spent their whole lives in a small cage, don’t know how to forage (or even walk properly, for that matter) and have poor social skills (with humans and fellow chickens alike). Don’t be shocked if they’re missing feathers and are debeaked. If you choose to start a flock with some or all ex-factory-farmed hens, make sure you have established a relationship with a reliable avian veterinarian. Finally, if your flock is to be a family flock, cared for and loved by children, you’re probably better off getting birds another way. Ex-battery-cage hens will be skittish and scared, and are usually breeds raised for high egg production, not temperament.

SHELTER RESCUES. The chickens that end up in county shelters are often found wandering by animal control. They may have escaped their enclosures or been set “free” by their previous owners. Sometimes, they are former battery-cage hens that have escaped the “farm.” Some shelter birds are owner-surrendered, and if you’re very lucky, these chickens will have been given to the shelter with a bit of background information. By and large, the origins of shelter birds will likely be unknown. If you feel comfortable with the mysterious pasts of shelter birds and choose to adopt one of these wayward gals, practice strict biosecurity measures.

“SPENT” SHOW BIRDS. Most award-winning show birds end up in the owner’s breeding program or retired and doted on for their twilight years, so it’s rather unlikely that breeders will want to part with these blue-ribbon gals. With that said, you may meet breeders who are looking to cull (remove) some healthy birds from their flock or breeding program. These may be excess birds the breeder is willing to part with or individuals that do not conform to their breed’s standard. Either way, they’ll likely make great pets and backyard egg layers, as long as they’re healthy, of course.

TAKING OVER ANOTHER BACKYARD FLOCK. For someone looking to get out of keeping chickens, you may be their saving grace. In fact, taking on a whole flock from another backyard keeper might be the best situation for you, too. Ask around locally and check sites like Craigslist. org for individuals rehoming their flocks. Remember to ask the usual questions about age, breed, origin of the birds and general health. Also, ask if the birds have been handled and if they are familiar with families and children (if that’s important to you). You may end up with a healthy, relatively young flock that is docile in nature and will meet your egg laying needs nicely.