I wish i had the video of the day we got her chicks she was balling her eyes out crying as we went around the store she was so happy, but one of them came up with a pulled tendon i believe and the tears started flowing again thinking she had done something to it but it is doing better now not perfect but better it is walking on it a little bit.
Oh how I remember the losses my girls suffered. But it made them understand death and loss and the circle of life.
A funny story about my youngest girl. Off at her first year college the dorm had two pet hedge hogs. One got sick and the other older dorm girls brought the sick one wrapped in a towel, it was not moving and thought was dead to my daughter and they asked her to help them with it. She told them they had to bury it. While my daughter was in the process of digging the hole the thing wiggled in the towel and my daughter instantly whacked it with the shovel three times! The older dorm girls screamed in horror, freaked out and took off running! She tried telling them that it was done to put it out of its misery! She had some explaining to do to the two “city” dorm moms and the other girls involved! She called me and told me what happened and I damn near couldn’t stay standing from laughing!
She "whacked" the wrong ones.
She is an ER Nurse as a career.
My neighbor and I both hatch birds. Various breeds. But honestly just buying from Atwoods or ordering from a hatchery is a solid way to go
If you’re purely looking at efficiency and not interested in colorful eggs or pretty feathers just get rhodeisland reds, leghorns, red sexlinks, etc… the production breeds will lay the most eggs per year maximizing your feed to egg conversion ratio
When you build roosting bars use 2x4s turned flat. Narrow roosting bars aren’t good for their feet
Make sure it locks up tight, raccoons are insane when determined
If you’re purely looking at efficiency and not interested in colorful eggs or pretty feathers just get rhodeisland reds, leghorns, red sexlinks, etc… the production breeds will lay the most eggs per year maximizing your feed to egg conversion ratio
When you build roosting bars use 2x4s turned flat. Narrow roosting bars aren’t good for their feet
Make sure it locks up tight, raccoons are insane when determined
We had an Eagle Scout approach us about making us a new chicken coop for his scout project. They brought in a big shed and put in roosting perches and laying boxes. I cut a hole in one of the walls and installed a window, and we put a box fan in where one of the vents was to use as an extractor fan. Then we dug in 4x4 posts and wrapped it with chicken wire and put in a hatch for the birds and a human-sized door for us.
We have about 37-38 birds that make pretty eggs, but going forward we’re going to get dual purpose birds and process them when they’re about a year to 18 months old. We’ll probably get orpingtons of some type since they lay well and are on the heavier side.
We have about 37-38 birds that make pretty eggs, but going forward we’re going to get dual purpose birds and process them when they’re about a year to 18 months old. We’ll probably get orpingtons of some type since they lay well and are on the heavier side.
Sounds like a pretty good set-up!
Have you eaten an older dual purpose bird? We’ve eaten a bunch and usually they’re quite tough compared to a true meat bird (Cornish cross). Used mostly just for soups or debone it and pressure can.
I’ve found for us personally the best time to butcher dual purpose breed roosters is around 6 months old when they start crowing a lot. Smaller carcass size, but much more palatable meat. Tender enough to grill or roast.
I also find older birds to be hard to pluck. Those feathers get rooted well with age. So typically I just skin older birds. Makes the butchering process so much faster too.
FREE CHICKS!!!!
heads up anyone wanting chicks. A neighbor of mine has been dialing in a big incubator and he’s got birds he’s offering up for free. Tuttle area
Jersey giants, Easter eggers, a couple different breeds I’m not sure. He’s got about 20 that are big enough they don’t need a heat lamp anymore. Free if someone wants them
PM me if interested
heads up anyone wanting chicks. A neighbor of mine has been dialing in a big incubator and he’s got birds he’s offering up for free. Tuttle area
Jersey giants, Easter eggers, a couple different breeds I’m not sure. He’s got about 20 that are big enough they don’t need a heat lamp anymore. Free if someone wants them
PM me if interested
@Ready_fire_aim
Did get the chicken barn done, and have a good storm door that has a bottom screen/window that raises and I got a couple small working windows to install up high on the North and South ends.
The door has a metal bottom section I am going to put a flip up chicken door in it. I ran electric to it too.
I would jump on the chicks but have been building sheep proof fencing and gates to section one big pasture into three smaller ones to be able to rotate the sheep to allow grass recovery. The chicken pen will be fully operable in a few weeks. Good on you for the offering!
We've only processed and eaten cornish cross. With the dual purpose birds our thinking is to get some utility out of them after they've become established layers for a while, instead of just culling 3+ year old hens that would be way too tough for me to want to deal with. If 1-1.5 years old will be tough then maybe I'll have to rethink things.
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