The other thing, and I am going to try to tread lightly here.... in Florida there are a couple different schools of thought on raising birds. There are those who have filthy crowded cages, say that they hand feed but maybe your gut says they don't, and do not ever treat or give preventives for disease. Those birds may also have seed-only diets and live outdoors. They do their own "medicating" (using that word quite broadly) and maybe their parents/ grandparents raised birds too. I was told to stay away from certain areas when buying because of this.
Then there are the ones who have clean, nice cages and many of them, each one with a pair or a small number of juvies. They hand feed in their kitchen and their birds are quite people-oriented. Their vet is on speed dial. Etc etc.
When you buy from the first kind of person, you save money, maybe it costs $600 instead of $800. But $200 is what you'll easily pay on a first vet bill because there could be parasites or illness.... and if it wipes out your whole flock you've lost a lot more than the $200 you were trying to save. Not really you specifically, @Jiffy -- just people in general. This is one area where you really do get what you pay for.
Then there are the ones who have clean, nice cages and many of them, each one with a pair or a small number of juvies. They hand feed in their kitchen and their birds are quite people-oriented. Their vet is on speed dial. Etc etc.
When you buy from the first kind of person, you save money, maybe it costs $600 instead of $800. But $200 is what you'll easily pay on a first vet bill because there could be parasites or illness.... and if it wipes out your whole flock you've lost a lot more than the $200 you were trying to save. Not really you specifically, @Jiffy -- just people in general. This is one area where you really do get what you pay for.