Hi guys, I really really need your advice!
First off, I want to say I honestly appreciate the beauty and value of a chicken, both as a livestock and mostly as amazing pets. I am currently in a bit of a dilemma right now, and it is seriously my fault. I truly am blessed to have such patient and kind neighbors too...
Background: So, I live in the city and wanted to raise some hens. Originally I planned on buying 8 baby chicks (to become hens) to be tranfered when we finished building a house on a parcel of land that we own (it's about an acre and a half). Long story short, I was persuaded by my silver-tongued father to get a total of 50 something chickens of various ages (we got them all as chicks but in different times). I now have approximately 14 laying hens (or at the point of lay) 2 mature roosters, about 16 cockerels and 22 pullets. Knowing my dad, it's not likely that we will build anytime soon...
I know...what the H E double hockey sticks was I thinking!!! My father wanted to keep three roosters of each breed of hen we have and will cull the rest, though we only have a black silkie roo, a couple of barred rocks, and lots of RIR roos. My father wants to keep all the hens and pullets, BUT he is very cruel. Our chickens get scraps when they can and feast primarily on scratch. I've occasionally convinced him to by layers feed, but he doesn't realize that growing chickens need lots of protein and hens are essentially expectant mothers each time they lay an egg. They need all the help they can get!
I am a college student living with a very traditional family, but am passionate about homesteading, natural medicine, and raising birds (particularly chickens)... I cannot let my father keep starving our chickens (I give them crushed eggshells and boiled scrambled eggs for calcium and protein, apple cider vinegar, and fig leaves for greens) but I can't protect them much longer. They are too many to count and its totally illegal keeping this many in our backyard lol
So, I want to sell half of them at least... My question is, how much are Easter egger, Dominique, and Delaware pullets "worth" selling? My hens are so tame and deserve more space, while these pullets have become so wild (bc I didn't handle them when chicks much).
The roosters we will cull, but that's life. I'd rather it be us do it humanely (and no, its nearly impossible/not plausible to rehome them).
If anyone read this long *** comment, please advise me!!!
Thank you and God bless. P.s. I fear God, that is why I cannot handle this cruelty anymore (though I treat them really kindly personally).
First off, I want to say I honestly appreciate the beauty and value of a chicken, both as a livestock and mostly as amazing pets. I am currently in a bit of a dilemma right now, and it is seriously my fault. I truly am blessed to have such patient and kind neighbors too...
Background: So, I live in the city and wanted to raise some hens. Originally I planned on buying 8 baby chicks (to become hens) to be tranfered when we finished building a house on a parcel of land that we own (it's about an acre and a half). Long story short, I was persuaded by my silver-tongued father to get a total of 50 something chickens of various ages (we got them all as chicks but in different times). I now have approximately 14 laying hens (or at the point of lay) 2 mature roosters, about 16 cockerels and 22 pullets. Knowing my dad, it's not likely that we will build anytime soon...
I know...what the H E double hockey sticks was I thinking!!! My father wanted to keep three roosters of each breed of hen we have and will cull the rest, though we only have a black silkie roo, a couple of barred rocks, and lots of RIR roos. My father wants to keep all the hens and pullets, BUT he is very cruel. Our chickens get scraps when they can and feast primarily on scratch. I've occasionally convinced him to by layers feed, but he doesn't realize that growing chickens need lots of protein and hens are essentially expectant mothers each time they lay an egg. They need all the help they can get!
I am a college student living with a very traditional family, but am passionate about homesteading, natural medicine, and raising birds (particularly chickens)... I cannot let my father keep starving our chickens (I give them crushed eggshells and boiled scrambled eggs for calcium and protein, apple cider vinegar, and fig leaves for greens) but I can't protect them much longer. They are too many to count and its totally illegal keeping this many in our backyard lol
So, I want to sell half of them at least... My question is, how much are Easter egger, Dominique, and Delaware pullets "worth" selling? My hens are so tame and deserve more space, while these pullets have become so wild (bc I didn't handle them when chicks much).
The roosters we will cull, but that's life. I'd rather it be us do it humanely (and no, its nearly impossible/not plausible to rehome them).
If anyone read this long *** comment, please advise me!!!
Thank you and God bless. P.s. I fear God, that is why I cannot handle this cruelty anymore (though I treat them really kindly personally).