Buying adult chickens

[JRO24]

Dear folks,
I'm new to chickens and to this forum. Am building a coop for 4 chickens and am still deciding whether to acquire laying adult hens from a nearby farmer or raise chicks. The farmer says his hens aren't laying right now because he only feeds them scratch. Is that a bad sign? He says that when I feed them normal food (and when there's more light exposure with better weather) they'll start laying. Should I buy his chickens? I was hoping not to have to raise chicks my first time.
JRO

[Saminmo@hotmail.com]

Dear folks,
I'm new to chickens and to this forum. Am building a coop for 4 chickens and am still deciding whether to acquire laying adult hens from a nearby farmer or raise chicks. The farmer says his hens aren't laying right now because he only feeds them scratch. Is that a bad sign? He says that when I feed them normal food (and when there's more light exposure with better weather) they'll start laying. Should I buy his chickens? I was hoping not to have to raise chicks my first time.
JRO depends on the breed and age. light does make a big difference for many breeds. 14 hours of light, sun or other light makes no difference. 2sq ft min per hen inside 5sq ft outside tell me what they look like and I should be able to tell you more

[JRO24]

My coop size is good: for 4 chickens 16 square feed indoors and 24 sq. feet.

The farmer's chickens appear to be healthy to me. I'm looking for Rhode Island Reds. He had some of those but other Reds too. I'm not sure I (or he) can really tell a Rhode Island Red from the other breeds. To answer your question, they appear red, active and healthy from the view I got (I didn't handle them, though)
JRO

[Cjihopso]

Dear folks,
I'm new to chickens and to this forum. Am building a coop for 4 chickens and am still deciding whether to acquire laying adult hens from a nearby farmer or raise chicks. The farmer says his hens aren't laying right now because he only feeds them scratch. Is that a bad sign? He says that when I feed them normal food (and when there's more light exposure with better weather) they'll start laying. Should I buy his chickens? I was hoping not to have to raise chicks my first time.
JRO

I only feed my chickens the scratch feed that I get at the farm store. My hens are laying really well. My hens free range from 7:30 in the morning until they all go in at night. I have 30 hens and average about 22-24 eggs per day.
I don't know what his conditions are, how clean he keeps things, and how old they are.
IMO, I would not buy them. I'd start with chicks, that way you know for sure what you've got. PM if you have any more questions. I started from not knowing anything 3 years ago, to knowing "just a little" now. And, I just bought 40 more chicks a couple weeks ago.

Good Luck!

[DeepDuDu]

If I were starting over again with chickens, Rhode Island Reds or Barred Rocks are probably the best way to go, as they are excellent layers, and unlike white leghorns, are large enough to give you plenty of meat.
Hens are prolific enough to lay about 5-7 eggs per week each, and if you are serious about having a self sustaining flock, I would recommend having at least one rooster for ach 3-4 hens.
Purchase as-hatched chicks from a reputable feed store or breeder, and you should get about half cockerels and hens. Then, as you are able to determine whether they are male or female, slaughter the smaller and weaker roosters to eat, and any excess hens as well.
Hens begin laying at about six months, and pullets (young hens) lay best. Usually, hens over 2 years old porduce fewer eggs, but tend to brood more (raise young chicks) slightly more often.

There are quie a few beginners guides on the web, go there first.

I would not buy or feed any hen that doesn't lay regularly!

[goatlady]

Egg laying is hormone dependent in hens AND that hormone is triggered by hours of light. Sounds as if those hens are a bit too old to lay regularly. Best to start with your own start of chickies and hope for the best AFTER you do some research on chicks and their growth and needs.

[beelbill]

Do chickens stay within a limited range or do you have to fence them?

[DeepDuDu]

Do chickens stay within a limited range or do you have to fence them?
Best fenced, too many predators out there, both two and four legged variety.

[poppy]

Rather hard to keep egge production up with just 4 chickens. If that is all you want to keep, you will have to get rid of ( or eat ) those 4 at some point and get 4 more chicks or whatever. You will have few or no eggs from the hens during the molt and during the 6 months your chicks are growing. I try to raise some young pullets every spring so I have some laying all the time. R I Reds, Barred Rocks, Turkens, and a few other breeds produce very well, But I have seen nothing beat the production from the sex links for dark eggs and leghorns for white eggs. Leghorns are too flighty for me. Red sex links are very tame.

[poppy]

Best fenced, too many predators out there, both two and four legged variety.

Yep, unless you are home all day to keep an eye on them all the time, fence them up. Otherwise it is only a matter of time till you come home and find all your chickens gone or dead.

[DeepDuDu]

There's a website, Eggbid.com that has all kinds of birds. You can buy all kinds of supplies, chickens and chick, or even hatching eggs.

Wide selections of breeds both bantam and standard.

[JRO24]

Thanks to all for your insights.
The reason I am only getting 4 chickens is b/c I live in the city and only have room (and neighbor relations) for 4.

What if I bought 2 adult chickens and added two chicks when they grew? Is that a bad idea on account of the younger ones getting harassed by the older ones? Do they do that with younger chickens?

Cheers,
JRO

[DeepDuDu]

Thanks to all for your insights.
The reason I am only getting 4 chickens is b/c I live in the city and only have room (and neighbor relations) for 4.

What if I bought 2 adult chickens and added two chicks when they grew? Is that a bad idea on account of the younger ones getting harassed by the older ones? Do they do that with younger chickens?

Cheers,
JRO
Sure, that would be OK. By the time th younger are about 2-3 months old, they'll fit right in. Then I would advise that when the older are about 2 yrs old, have a couple replacements ready for them.

Older chickens aren't too good to cook unless stewed or in chicken and dumpings. they toughen with age. Fryers are normall about 3-4 months old.