Plan my chicken's future ~ UPDATE - HOUSE SOLD!

[Poultryprincess]

This weekend we are supposed to sign the papers to sell our small farm.
Buyers have agreed to "rent" back to us up until March 31 so we can find a new place
So now I'm trying to decide my birds future.

I have a flock of EE's, 1 roo & 7 hens
Bought as day olds, or hatched on site
6 of Flock is 5 1/2 years old, other 2 hens are 3

I expect my "situation" to change & I won't likely have a barn
I'm hesitant to let go of the flock bc I fear they will be eaten
Hard to imagine birds I've had so long would be food.

Do you just "shut it off" when you are getting rid of birds you can't keep?
Do you try to find them a good home & "hope" for the best
(once they are out of your site, you can't guarantee they will be ok)
Am I being unreasonable? How do you let go of your birds?
If I wait til the dead of winter it will be even harder to find them a home

ACKKKKK so much to ponder, my brain is gonna burst - LOL

[Killerbunny]

I would try to keep them since there are only a few.
If it were me I would get a small shed and a dog pen or 2. We are using a shed from Home Depot for our grow out cockerels. It is 6ft 6in x7ft it is plastic and quick to put up. It was on sale for $700 and will be repurposed once the boys are gone. It has good ventilation but you may want to put in a bit more. I put in a couple of 2 tier roosts made from lumber. I had 12 cockerels in it and there is plenty of space. I am using a couple of TSC dog pans which are 10x10 each and again were on sale for 399 from 699. I made sure I got the type with the door that fitted tightly so I can use them for youngsters. I love the pens because they are so versatile. The shed will become a tool shed soon.
My plan could be pricey but allows repurposing.
Yes I have a horrible time rehoming birds. Ask @@Kbr42 and @TomK about the sheets of adoption questions they had to fill in and the interviews! I have regretted selling birds too and one home in particular still haunts me after several years but you have to live with that and the consequences.

[TomK]

Well...this may not help...i started off with a batch of day olds...had too many and had to sell some...sold 8 almost right away and never heard back about any of them...best way to go i think if you have a tendency to over think it all...ignorance is bliss sometimes...next year, i got some more day olds of a different sort...again, too many, (sometimes I just don't learn, hell, I never learn..lol) ..put up an ad and sold a bunch...nice folks, but unbeknownst to me, another back yarder that thought poultry mesh was god's gift...she wrote me back telling me all but one had been killed by the neighbours dog and did i have any more...hah!..i did but she'll never know...sometimes you get attached in a little way to birds you know aren't going to stay but you want them to have a decent life after they leave...in this case, it would have been better to not know...its a crap shoot...I am with KB...hang on to them if you have any room in the new place at all...a nice little coop with some good portable fencing panels...assuming of course there arent any bylaws to get in the way...PP, you seem to have it in your blood to have this small flock..I'd stick with it...just my humble opinion....and yes, the adoption process, KB put me thru was the most rigorous test ever...sheesh....some people

[Ontario Chick]

with both,
There is no way to "re-home" 5year old birds, that will turn out well for the birds.
It sounds like you may be able to give them one more winter and without great monetary outlay one more good summer, at which point they will be pretty much at the end of their "natural" life span.

[Happy]

First-congratulations on turning to this new chapter in your lives. I know it's been something you've yearned for so I'm happy for you!
Second-what a horrible decision to have to make. I'm not sure how I would handle it truthfully. I wish I was in the position to offer your flock a retirement home but I've got too many already (or so I keep being told)
I've had good and bad experiences rehoming birds but they've mostly been young birds. I'm afraid OC is right that there's not a lot of alternatives for them at their age. I do hope you can keep them and just let them live out their days. Best wishes

[ross]

Poultry Princess we have room for them here if only got 8 gaurantied ( sp) not eaten or sold . Will live rest of there lives in a loose housing to free range situation , can send pics of barn setup etc if wanted .24/32 feet barn Can take now before freeze up or in March . Call me at 519-670-2617 or text . Ross PS we have 17 midsize banty in retirement here plus pigeons & us . Lol let me know . Live 30 min NW of London . Yu can visit anytime too .

[Happy]

Ross you are a good and kind man ❤

[ross]

Happy don’t tell anyone. Lol

[Killerbunny]

Awesome @ross !

[labradors]

Oh Ross! That is wonderful :).