warrens ? to good to be true

[hawkeye185]

Hi.
I have just been offered 40 warrens for £2 each.
I am new to the game and would appreciate any relevant questions that may allow me to make an informed descision.
I am guessing age is relevant and what do I need to look out fo to make sure that they are clean and free from problems that may spread to my other chucks. Am i better off waiting untill the spring to keep down feeding costs over winter.
many thanks Hawkeye185.

 

[Chuck]

Age is very important and 'don't know' and 'not sure' are signs to leave them alone or you could be spending lots of money on feed with little return. Are they ex battery or from a free range flock ? Check that they are generally in good health and make sure you can isolate them from your other birds for 2-4 weeks in case they bring any disease in.

 

[Marigold]

And how much room have you got? 40 birds is quite a lot to take on. If they do lay OK, have you got an outlet for the eggs? If they don't lay and you have to feed them, what's the point!

 

[chrismahon]

Can get 18 month old Warrens in Staffordshire for £1 each Hawkeye. They are about to moult and have 12 months laying life left in them perhaps? Then there is Winter. They need to get rid of them quickly at preferably more than the disposal costs.

 

[Marigold]

40 hens wil eat a whole 20kilo sack of pellets per week, at a cost of about £8-9. So in ten weeks you will have doubled the £80 price you paid for the birds, and with other costs you would need to turn over about £100 of eggs by the beginning of February just to cut even. And think of all those frozen drinkers during that 10 weeks.....

 

[valeriebutterley]

Hello,
Just thought I'd say a few words as it's about Warrens.
If you want friendly, loving, clever girls, Warrens are for you, whether in 40s or 4s.
Mine (replacements) still give me endless pleasure, of all my brand new hens, the 4 Warrens are the ones at the pen greeting me whenever I go to it.
My two battery rescue girls laid almost every day until their demise, about 2.5 years after getting them.
My oldest Warren, Pudding, I'm sure hardly missed laying day, she was farm bought.
Moulted, and performed with a daily egg. Her last eggs were quite funny in size and shape, but she kept on laying.
Warrens, I think, are bred to lay their hearts out, and they do.
I sometimes wish they were not quite so prolific, people who have never had Warrens find it difficult to realise that they are not as other hens,
they just lay regardless!