What do you guys think?????

[podstable]

----- recently feeling bored and inquisitive (well ,err, nosey!) I went off to supposedly view some hens . I went to one of the new 'breed' of 'poultry sellers' , what I found prompted me into a second trip where the findings were pretty similar. I was appalled/disgusted . Back gardens FULL of pens and sheds ,cramped in one area with hybrids , young,pale weak looking growers on bare earth and with thick pea-soup water. 'pure breeds' legs thick/deformed with scaley leg, runny eyes and snotty noses, pale droopy combs. Charging up to £40 for ill looking birds if pure bred , proudly announcing managing to get in/sell a couple of 100 hybrids per fortnight!!!!!! I felt sick for these birds, I felt sick for those buying them. Its the sort of place that people who have never had chickens before would very understandably go to for their first couple of birds. Get them home , assume they are ok, birds die or cost a fortune in vets fees to fix. THIS IS NOT FAIR to those who are wanting a fun couple of birds for the garden. Is it time their was some form of inspection for those with a poultry business????? I am all for anyone being enterprising enough to set up a business and earn some money, great BUT not if it causes distress to animals or purchasers. Is it time DEFRA actually decided to come and visit those of us registered? I have birds as a hobby not a business but enough to register with DEFRA , I would happily pay an annual retention fee and accept inspection regularly if it helped stopped this 'fowl' trade/abuse of birds and humans!! I dont think some of these people selling are aware that the birds are even ill, so dont 'blame' them , just feel a little guidance is perhaps called for?? PHEW . Sorry , glad thats off my chest---teach me to be nosey!!!!! Ros

 

[karlooben]

i doubt anything will ever happen the law in this country cant even keep puppy farms in order let alone poultry breeders or any other breeders for that matter but its people who do that that give the good ones a bad name i have brought chicks from a well known bird centre near me and never again i have had more probs with them then what i have had with my ex batts .

 

[foxy]

How upsetting, these rogue breeders care more about making a quick buck by selling whatever seems to be "flavour of the month" and selling loads of breeds obtained through auctions, thus cross infection can run rampant. I agree with the comment regarding increasing defra inspections, I for one wouldn't be bothered by a visit! Another rant is when people use photos to advertise, only they aren't even of their own birds as I found out today! :x :x

 

[pebojuno]

I agree wholeheartedly with you all. 08

Going on what people have said when they have bought chickens from us overstocked, unhealthy birds seem to be rife with people trying to make a quick buck out of the current popularity of keeping chickens.

We have had a good many people who have come to see our set up and buy birds from us comment on other places they have been to - Many have said they walked away as the set ups were so bad but, like you I wonder how many beginners buy as they don't know any better and are either put off the hobby by the unhealthy birds they start out with, or perhaps worse, think that keeping birds in the kind of conditions they have seen is acceptable.

 

[victorias poultry]

Totally agree, defra should visit everyone with hens at least once a year, you hear terrible stories.

 

[Anonymous]

i totally agree with all that been said i only have 9 birds and and would be appalled if poeple thought i didnt keep them well....my girls (and boys lol) are all treated like royality. i agree that there should be more control, when i got my first 2 girls i was disgusted at the conditions they were in and wanted to take them all home!!!