Home needed for 3 hens and all the gear, Cambridge

[ihatejacknjills]

I have been keeping chickens for about 2 years now, but I think the time has come for me to part with my 3 hens. Due to my working hours, and the fact that my partner has no interest in helping out with the chickens, I cannot quite give the hens the attention they need. Throughout the winter, I have had to come home at lunch times to muck them out, which I can't do every day. Now I am moving jobs this will no longer be an option.

Due to the fact that my girls don't sleep on perches, and instead lay in a pile of their own mess, they have all started to lose feathers on their under-sides, and one of them has constantly got a mucky bottom. Also, due to the fact that one of them started to escape from their large run, I have had to put them back in a small run which I don't think is fair on them.

They are still laying at the moment - but only just. I seem to get about 6 eggs a week (2 each).

If anyone is interested in rehoming these 3 hens then they are welcome to take any of my equipment. I have the following:

Hen house
Run (weldmesh + wood panels)
Feeder
Drinker
Automatic door opener / closer
2 bags of layers pellets
I bag of pine shavings
3/4 bag of mixed corn

You can read all about them and see pictures in the blog I did of my first year of chicken keeping: http://www.fig14.com/homechickens/homechickens.co.uk/blog/page/15.html

[madmum]

Sensible of you to do the best thing for your girls Whereabouts are you in cambridge?

[ihatejacknjills]

I live in the North of Cambridge (Kings Hedges).

[ihatejacknjills]

I put the chickens up on freecycle and within minutes someone has offered to take them on. It'll be a bit sad to see them go, but I think they will be better off with a bit more space and attention.

[Steve the Gas]

Happy ending

[Richard]

Best way I guess, but a pity as well. I'm sure you'll find it strange without them.

But, as Steve says, happy ending.

Richard

[Grannyof4]

I thought it was against freecycle rules to allow animals. It certainly is in my area. I find it horrendous that animals are got rid of by that method. The idea of freecycle is to stop stuff going to landfill.....would anyone send an animal to landfill!!!!!?????

[lizziedoggarden]

Unfortunely you never know granny..bloke where I live got done for burying kittens alive..it was only that someone walking past heard them...

[ihatejacknjills]

I thought it was against freecycle rules to allow animals. It certainly is in my area. I find it horrendous that animals are got rid of by that method. The idea of freecycle is to stop stuff going to landfill.....would anyone send an animal to landfill!!!!!?????

I don't really see the problem with using freecycle for this. I spoke with the people that made an offer and made sure that they went to someone with prior experience of chicken keeping, who could provide a lot more space and attention for the chickens so what's wrong with that?

They are also taking all of the equipment - a hen house, run, feeder, drinker. If someone had wanted the chickens without the equipment then that would be a lot of stuff going into the landfill.

At the end of the day does it really matter where you advertise something like this? As long as they go to a good home?

I also think that traditionally most chicken keepers would eat their birds when they no longer want them. I am rehoming mine because I no longer feel I can provide them with suitable accommodation and attention. If I couldn't find someone who was willing to take them on I would have kept them for the rest of their lives.

Also bear in mind that some of the equipment I am giving away could have been sold, but I am giving it to the new owner for nothing.

[Grannyof4]

Sorry but I have to totally disagree with you using freecycle, this is purely my opinion. Anyone could say they have experience of chickens. There have been some horrendous incidents of people passing on animals on freecycle. They have had them for a day or two and the animal has been totally unsuitable so it gets passed on again, they get fed up with it (it was a whim), they don't know how to look after it/them. There are people on these recylcing sites who will take literally anything and I am not just referring to the ones in my area. If they don't need/want it they will dispose of it either passing it on or to the tip or sell it on.

[madmum]

I have to say our local freecycle does not allow livestock at all I am surprised you were able to do so on yours.Ah well each unto their own I hope they are appreciated

[ihatejacknjills]

Well what would you suggest? Anyone can log on here and accept my chicken. I could have used any method of rehoming my pets and the same things would apply - anyone can sign up and answer an advert when they are infact unsuitable.

If you own chickens, you have probably approached a breeder yourself and bought some. Maybe it's "horrendous" that they would be willing to hand an animal over to you just because you are willing to pay for it - who knows how you are gong to treat it?

Whenever you sell or give away any animal you are always taking a risk that the person on the receiving end will not know how to look after the animals. I have at least used a method where I could talk to the person on the telephone first and get an idea of whether or not they are suitable.

As it turns out they live in the countryside, and have grown up on a small-holding looking after animals. What more could I ask for?

If no one suitable had contacted me then I would have just marked them as taken and rehomed them using another method. I don't see how you can find this 'horrendous' - I have made an effort to ensure that they are rehomed with new owners that can look after them, and who will have all of the required equipment, and have not simply parted with them to anyone who was willing to pay for them.

[madmum]

I think perhaps its the idea that people could get hold of everything they need on a whim with little thought to the future or previous research done that is a bit worrying.I am sure you did as much as you could on the phone and they will be given the best of care!

[Steve the Gas]

Same and happy result at the end - whatever the methods used it works.
It will always be a risk though.

[ihatejacknjills]

I just think that when someone has made a difficult decision like this, it is not very nice to criticize their decision as being 'horrendous'.

Thanks for everyone who has shown understanding and support.