Rent the Chicken
- Thread starter digitS'
- Start date
baymule
Garden Master
Cute. Rent a chicken? Really? or people could just study up on BYC and go buy their own chickens. 
MontyJ
Deeply Rooted
You have to wonder what kind customer evaluations they do. Renting to someone who doesn't have any chicken experience could lead to a lot of dead chickens. Granted, they aren't the hardest animal to raise, but I feel the experience I gained in raising them from 2-3 day old chicks has made me a better caregiver. Some people, who know nothing of chickens, may envision the pictures and movies depicting chickens hanging out in the yard scratching around. While that is possible in many areas, it's quite impossible in others. Dew and I have an acquaintance that got chicks just after we did. Hers free range near a busy road and have been nearly wiped out by vehicles. The boy down the road also free ranged, losing most of his flock to cars and predators.
Another thing comes to mind. What happens when the rental is over? Do you allow those birds back into your flock to overwinter? There's not a chance in the world those rentals would come anywhere near my flock again. Now you have to overwinter them separately if the renter decides not to buy them.
I'm all for free enterprise and such, but this seems like a good way to get a a lot of chickens mistreated or killed. Granted, they are just chickens, but (and this is something I never thought would happen) I have become rather attached to ours and would hate to see any other chickens mistreated much as I hate seeing dogs mistreated.
Another thing comes to mind. What happens when the rental is over? Do you allow those birds back into your flock to overwinter? There's not a chance in the world those rentals would come anywhere near my flock again. Now you have to overwinter them separately if the renter decides not to buy them.
I'm all for free enterprise and such, but this seems like a good way to get a a lot of chickens mistreated or killed. Granted, they are just chickens, but (and this is something I never thought would happen) I have become rather attached to ours and would hate to see any other chickens mistreated much as I hate seeing dogs mistreated.
- Thread starter
- #4
digitS'
Garden Master
Just chickens!!?
You bring up a subject I think is nearly completely misunderstood by most folks, MontyJ: Free-ranging.
Home of the chicken - Southeast Asia - it isn't unusual to find the village flock of chickens a half-mile from home. So, they are ranging over a square mile. It might not be necessary in some environments. I know that a study of Junglefowl in south India doesn't show them as having quite that large a range.
Let's compare those chickens with the dumpy things that we might have in our backyards. Let's compare our backyards to a square mile . . . Let's fantasize that there is much of anything for a chicken to find to eat in that backyard after the 1st day or 2 of free-ranging.
Steve
You bring up a subject I think is nearly completely misunderstood by most folks, MontyJ: Free-ranging.
Home of the chicken - Southeast Asia - it isn't unusual to find the village flock of chickens a half-mile from home. So, they are ranging over a square mile. It might not be necessary in some environments. I know that a study of Junglefowl in south India doesn't show them as having quite that large a range.
Let's compare those chickens with the dumpy things that we might have in our backyards. Let's compare our backyards to a square mile . . . Let's fantasize that there is much of anything for a chicken to find to eat in that backyard after the 1st day or 2 of free-ranging.
Steve
so lucky
Garden Master
Yes, figuring out what to do with them once the rental is over would be a problem. Maybe they are dual-purpose birds, and get sent to freezer camp? I bet that knowledge would put a damper on rental prospects, tho. 
bobm
Garden Master
Talk about a disaster waiting to happen ... !
canesisters
Garden Master
Actually, I think it's a pretty good idea.
A year or so ago I heard about the one up in the northern VA/MD area. I went to their site and checked out what they had to offer. They provide a tractor that includes a small coop/nest box area, feeder and waterer, food & bedding, and basic info on proper care. They are also available to help if anything else comes up during the rental.
I know that I wanted chickens for YEARS but was never in a position where I could afford to put out the bucks to provide coop and all the equipment that goes with them. If this had been an option, I would have considered it. Having the option to back out gracefully would've made jumping in a little less scary.
Since they are renting to folks who don't have chickens, the chances of them catching something 'flock related' and bringing it home are pretty slim. However, even though they didn't say, since the business is to provide egg laying hens I would assume that none of them are more than 2 years old. After that, most of them will be rather unreliable and would not make a happy customer. Do they keep the older hens at home full time??? Or send them to freezer camp??? As flock owners, that's their business. Many of the folks here raise chicks with the full intent of keeping them a year or so and then eating them. I wonder if any of the folks who rent them and then go on to owning their own ever decide to eat them? Actually, I had discussed with the friend who showed me how to process chickens, that she should offer that at the next swap. Buy a roo, take home a fresh chicken to freeze.
A year or so ago I heard about the one up in the northern VA/MD area. I went to their site and checked out what they had to offer. They provide a tractor that includes a small coop/nest box area, feeder and waterer, food & bedding, and basic info on proper care. They are also available to help if anything else comes up during the rental.
I know that I wanted chickens for YEARS but was never in a position where I could afford to put out the bucks to provide coop and all the equipment that goes with them. If this had been an option, I would have considered it. Having the option to back out gracefully would've made jumping in a little less scary.
Since they are renting to folks who don't have chickens, the chances of them catching something 'flock related' and bringing it home are pretty slim. However, even though they didn't say, since the business is to provide egg laying hens I would assume that none of them are more than 2 years old. After that, most of them will be rather unreliable and would not make a happy customer. Do they keep the older hens at home full time??? Or send them to freezer camp??? As flock owners, that's their business. Many of the folks here raise chicks with the full intent of keeping them a year or so and then eating them. I wonder if any of the folks who rent them and then go on to owning their own ever decide to eat them? Actually, I had discussed with the friend who showed me how to process chickens, that she should offer that at the next swap. Buy a roo, take home a fresh chicken to freeze.
bj taylor
Garden Ornament
I can see this appealing to my daughter & sil. they are city people but have "cute" ideas about country living. they don't want to buy a home, because they want someone else to take care of it. I can see them feeling the same way about 'renting a chicken'.
so lucky
Garden Master
Might also be a good idea for a young person/kid/teen, whose parents aren't convinced the kid would take care of chickens, after the newness wears off. This way, at least the parent would have an end date on the calendar, if it doesn't work out.
bobm
Garden Master
There is always an end date. It is called the frying pan, roast pan, or stew pot and can even be today ! 
