Freys RTL

[chicken]

Good morning I have a question about picking up a chicken order from Freys. I ordered 6 RTL, do they come in a crate or box or do I need to bring one. Wondering how the process works when the chickens arrive at a feed store, I didn't think to ask but this morning I am thinking about it . Thanks a bunch.

[labradors]

Take your own box. (They arrive in plastic crates which are owned by the hatchery).

We have large Rubbermaid boxes and hubby drilled some 3" holes in the top of the lids, but a cardboard box with some holes in the lid would work just fine. We always take some water with us to offer the hens before we leave, but they don't usually drink it.

[chicken]

Thank you so much I wasn't sure how it works. I am getting 6 silver sasso ready to lay. Looking forward to getting them. I only have a 20 minute drive home thankfully. Getting my coop ready this weekend with extra waterer and feeder.

[labradors]

It's always exciting picking up new hens :).
We try to get there early so that they chickens don't get any more stressed than they have to. It's a long drive from Freys to Kingston (where we live). We usually leave them in the coop for a day, just to get them used to it, then we open it up so that they can wander into the covered run. We don't free-range because there's too much wild life (including our labradors!)
Enjoy your new hens :).

[Killerbunny]

We got our first chickens from Freys as RTLs and they were great! Picked them up from our local feedstore.

[chicken]

So far so good, three have pale combs though so I am hoping they will be ok and settle in fast.They were only at the store for 1/2hr before I picked them up.

[Killerbunny]

The pale comb may be that as they are young birds thier hormones are only just kicking in. Best of luck.

[chicken]

Thank you for the replies and the info on pale combs I didn't know that. I am happy with them but they are SO skittish and run for their lives when I come in the coop. Then 3 of them roost on my shelves in the pen instead of the inside roost. I guess I will have to add a new roost for them in the pen because they seem really stressed out at bedtime.

[labradors]

That's why I kept in the inside coop the first day. Of course you probably wouldn't want to do that in the heat (with the door closed), but that is how they learn where to roost.

Suggest you get some yummy treats like sunflower seed, meal worms, or even dandelion leaves and watch them run to you for rewards :).

Good luck!

[chicken]

My run and coop are combined I can't lock them inside. We have too many predators to free range here unfortunately. Maybe I will just take my shelf down to limit choices. I've been bringing in clover and dandelion but they huddle in the corner lol. Guess it will take time. They are pretty though.