We have purchased chicks from Chickens Galore in Norco since 2012. Until this year, they were all healthy, friendly, and all the breeds Russel (the owner) said they were. Recently though we purchased 24 chicks from him in two batches. They have all died of Marek's except three and those three aren't past the disease-prone age yet. Marek's is an absolutely heartbreaking virus, as others here have noted, and if your flock has it your beautiful, sweet birds will die slow, painful deaths in quick succession, one after the other. The Marek's must have come from Chickens Galore because we don't have friends with chickens and all of our chickens have come from here. Our Marek's cases were confirmed by a vet from a necropsy done on our friendly, beloved bantam pullet. She would sit on my shoulder and was such a sweet little thing.
The last batch of 12 also had Fowl Pox, another terrible disease. Only one died from wet fowl pox (a gruesome way to die), but the others needed to be treated several times a day. We've spent well over $400 (including the cost of rare/bantam birds, food, and medicine) this year because Chickens Galore has infected birds and they keep selling them to people. Please, please, please do not step foot there or you risk bringing a disease back to your flock that takes years to get rid of.
In addition to the Marek's and Fowl Pox, some of our birds weren't even the breeds Russel said they were. He is selling mixed breeds as rare/heritage breeds. I don't have anything against mixed breed chickens, but really don't like to be lied to and don't want up to $25 for a bird that has been purposefully mislabeled. Stay away from this place!
Update: Our funny little Frizzle Rooster had to be euthanized due to the Marek's our birds contracted from Chickens Galore. It was absolutely heartbreaking. So of the 24 chicks we purchased from Russell, only *2* are alive now and they could still succumb to Marek's. Please, please, please do not purchased any birds from this place. I have been a backyard chicken owner since 2012 and Marek's has caused me to reconsider ever getting another chick. Not only will all of your chickens be exposed to this awful disease, you will have the virus in your soil for 3+ years.
Second update: Three more hens have come down with Marek's and one has died. So this means that out of 24 chicks that were purchased from Russell, only *1* is alive thanks to Marek's. I'm just waiting for all the chickens I had before Chicken's Galore sold me chicks with Marek's to die so I can spend a few years trying to get the virus out of my soil and start raising chickens again.
Third update: All 24 chicks purchased from Chickens Galore have died of verified Marek's disease. This is a terrible disease that will infect your entire flock. Please stay away from this place if you care about the health of your chickens. read more