South Dakota?

[Magpie31]

Are you there?

 

[Mrs. K]

Oh how I wish I had responded to this earlier. Speckled Sussex is my hearts desire, thought I had located some eggs in Kyle, but that fell through. So I went ahead and put only my own eggs under my broody, yesterday.

I only have 7 hens and a easter egger Roo. I have a Buff Orpington, she raised a clutch last year for me, and is currently setting. 3 red stars, and 2 easter eggers, and 1 plymouth mix.

I put those eggs under my hen yesterday. I am thinking I will go to the feed store and get some extra chicks about the time these hatch. I love having a broody hen! I am trying to work on a 3 year rotation, where as each year I add new pullets, and in the late fall, cull the hens going into their 3rd year. I have a limited coop/ run. In the summer, I can free range more, and with that more space, I can have a bigger flock. But as winter comes in, the predators get much tougher, and my flock needs to be in the run most days, so I have to get it back down to about 8-10 birds. I think they are happier with 8.

Showing chickens is about the only animal that my kids did not show. We did rabbits, cattle and horses. The county fair has great memories for my whole family.

Glad to find a local Chicken Lady.

Mrs.K

 

[Mrs. K]

Ask at D&M, two or three years ago, come August, I lost most of my flock. She knew this woman, who was older, who raised chicks and sold at point of lay. I went and bought 6 or 8 of them. But I don't know if she does it any more.

I don't know what kind of hens you have now, or if you do have any, but several breeds are prone to going broody. In my opinion, a broody hen is the only way to raise chicks. She does all the work, outside! You can either have her hatch out eggs, or buy chicks to place under her after she has been broody for about 3 weeks, or a combination of the two.

She will keep them warm in weather well below freezing. The chicks are healthy and strong. And there is no reintroduction issues, (which can be bloody nightmares) to the rest of the flock.

MrsK

 

[Swissmiss989]

I am an active member of the club actually. Im also working on a silkie breeding program so I got lost of em Lol I love the silkie breed

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I'm up near Watertown. Welcome to BYC!

Howdy MGG
I am interested to learn what breeds of chickens you raise. Our winters being as harsh as they are I am looking for cold hardy and good egg layers that don't tend to get broody.

 

[Mrs. K]

hey! I am here! southwest SD, where are you? mk

 

[sovia]

The beautiful Black Hills!

 

[Mrs. K]

hurray! a close by Chicken lady!

I am going to subscribe to this post so that i get notified when you post here. Cause otherwise I did not see it for many days.

What kind of chickens do you have?

 

[sovia]

I have had lots of breeds - dominique, wyandottes, easter eggers, delaware, speckled sussex, black australorps, buff orpingtons - and meat chickens. I am replacing my entire flock this spring. I have speckled sussex, red sex links, one turken and seven assorted bantams (silkies, easter eggers, cochins - my daughter wants to show them!) in the brooder right now. The speckled sussex are my all-time favorite and the sex links that I've had have been sweet birds and great egg-layers.

What do you have?

 

[sovia]

Mrs. K,

I didn't hatch my speckled sussex, but instead bought them from Janice at D&M Ag in Rapid City. They truly are my favorites both for looks and disposition.

My ideal number is 12 which is exactly what is in the brooder right now. My daughter had other ideas and was absolutely insistent on getting some bantams. I couldn't say no. I have had a tough time with the silkies - 2 out of 4 have died. I am praying that the sole remaining black one lives because she desperately wanted him. I guess these lessons are good for kids.

I think your 3-year plan is a good one and I would like to do the same. We have six hens right now since we lost half our hens to a fox on my 40th birthday. That was a bummer. Anyhow, I need to cull them all because they are two- and three-years old and egg-laying has gone way down. Plus, I agree that fewer chickens make for happier chickens - especially in the winter here in western SD. There is one hen named Penelope that my daughter is loathe to get rid of so I'm not sure what to do about that.